Richard Chisala, a Malawian based in the UK and co-partner of Jah Kings Promotion, has donated funds to the Lost History Foundation (LHF) to purchase tickets for two Rastafari elders to attend the highly anticipated Burning Spear show on Saturday, 26 October 2024 at CIVO stadium in Lilongwe.
The tickets have been secured for Ras Jedde I Tafari and Ras Walusako. This is in recognition of the significant contributions by the two to the promotion of Rastafari and reggae music in Malawi.
Ras Jedde I Tafari was among the first wave of Rastafarians in Malawi to emerge during the country’s transition from a one-party state to a multiparty democracy (1993-1994).
At the end of October 1997, a group of Jamaican reggae artists visited Malawi as part of the Africa Unite Tour—including Junior Delgado, Jesse Jender, Jimmy Lions, Iqulah Tafari, and Chris Inti —along with a Nyahbinghi elder from Jamaica Ista J (Junior Manning) and UK based entrepreneur Ras Bob Morgan. The reggae artists performed at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre and CIVO stadium in Lilongwe in November 1997.
Jedde I Tafari, along with other Rastafarians in Blantyre, ensured a warm reception for the guests and supported the stage arrangements at Kamuzu Stadium. Furthermore, Jedde I Tafari accompanied the guests on a tour to the Emperor’s View on Zomba Mountain, a historic site where His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie spent some moments during his visit to Malawi in August 1965.
In 1998, Ras Jedde I Tafari co-founded and served as lead vocalist for the reggae band comprising of Rastafarians called Melchizedek Sons & Daughters, further cementing his role in the development of Malawi’s reggae music.
Ras Walusako is another pioneering figure within the Rastafari movement in Lilongwe and the entire central region of Malawi. In 1997, when news broke that Jamaican reggae artists would perform at CIVO Stadium in Lilongwe, a group of early Rastafarians to emerge in Lilongwe (in collaboration with others), organized the first public gathering at Lilongwe CCAP grounds.
This historic event, attended by Rastafarians from different locations in Lilongwe, marked the beginning of Nyabinghi gatherings in Lilongwe. Ras Walusako, attended both the gathering at Lilongwe CCAP grounds and the Africa Unite show at CIVO stadium. Ras Walusako played critical roles in the growth of the Nyahbinghi Houses of Rastafari in Lilongwe and the central region of Malawi.
Ras Walusako’s significance in the Rastafari community also extends to reggae music. Notably, his home in Mchesi township, Lilongwe, was the last place Malawi’s reggae legend Elvison Matafale stayed before his arrest at Chileka in Blantyre and death few days later on November 27, 2001. Matafale, left copies of a controversial letter at Ras Walusako’s home before departing for Chileka in Blantyre where he was arrested few days later.
Following Matafale’s arrest, police ransacked Ras Walusako’s home in search of the seditious document. This connection makes Ras Walusako an important figure in the story of Matafale’s arrest.
Furthermore, Ras Walusako used to host Matafale at his home for days during Matafale’s trips to Lilongwe for music performances and other engagements.
Today, both Ras Jedde I Tafari and Ras Walusako are being honored with tickets to attend the Burning Spear show, recognizing their contributions to both Rastafari movement and reggae music in Malawi.
For those who wish to support more individuals (through LHF) to attend the Burning Spear’s show, please contact:
WhatsApp: +27647319254
Email: p.chinguwo@historyofmalawi.com.
#Lost History Foundation.