Music Crossroads Malawi (MCM) with help from Scottish Government is scouting for potential traditional music artists and cultural practices that can promote tourism in eight districts of the country.
Executive Director for MCM, Mathews Mfune told Malawi News Agency (Mana) Sunday in Salima after touring the district in search for talent.
He said culture and traditional music have the potential to boost tourism industry in the country.
“We have embarked on this project because we know that traditional music and culture creates the uniqueness of our country’s tourism, so we thought it wise to start promoting the local talents in order to preserve culture and traditional music from depletion. In the past we concentrated much on urban music, but now we want the traditional music to move forward,” Mfune explained.
He said Malawi has several cultural practices and traditional music which can help the country attract tourists from across the globe, if they can be improved.
“Our friends in Zambia have made efforts to make their tradition part and parcel of their tourism sector and it attracts great patronage from across the world and it has made the Malimba traditional dance popular, so we want to emulate that to improve our traditional music as well,” he added.
Salima District Tourism Officer, Japheth Kuweluza commended MCM for the effort and said it will help the communities to understand their role in tourism and actively participate in tourism.
“This project will help people’s engagement in tourism activities and it will allow communities to be at the centre of tourism hence preserving their culture,” he hoped. (By Vincent Mwachikumba, Salima, April 23, Mana)