Malawi National Commission for UNESCO (MNCU) in conjunction with Rei Foundation have disclosed plans to embark on an outreach storytelling tour scheduled to take place from 30 October to 4 December 2023.
According to a press statement released through PR plus, dated 27 October 2023, refered by Senior Assistant executive secretary for MNC Christopher Magomelo, the tour will involve activities such as screening of folktales, folksongs and digitized historical footage in communities, giving them access to generational stories.
The tour is being implemented under two projects namely; Safeguarding Malawian Folktales and Folksongs through Documentation” and “Transmission, Re-Housing and Digitization of 16mm film at the National Records and Archives Services of Malawi.
‘’ Safeguarding Malawian Folktales and Folksongs project aims to digitally record and document folktales and folksongs to celebrate and safeguard Malawian culture. This project seeks to promote the value and significance of oral storytelling and to foster a deeper understanding of cultural roots,’’ reads part of the statement.
Launched in 2012 the project is being carried out under the National Library Service (NLS) for folktales and Music Crossroads Malawi for folksongs, as one way of implementing the Convention for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage which Malawi adopted in 2010.
Meanwhile, the Transmission, Re-Housing and Digitization of 16mm film at the National Records and Archives Services of Malawi project which was launched in 2017 has managed to digitize over 200 historical films.
The statement reads further; ‘’this project aims to preserve the heritage of Malawi that is contained in the reel-to-reel film collection dating from the 1950s and onwards’’.
The outreach tour is expected to be conducted in 13 districts across Malawi and attendees will be given a chance to access a mobile library containing over 5000 books.
Reported by Alex Splendor Ngulube