Great Angels Choir to Honour Mothers with 'Nzayaweh Pamchenga' Beach Festival on Mother's Day
The Nzayaweh Pamchenga festival offers two days of music, sports and cruising to celebrate moms in Malawi.
MANGOCHI, Malawi-The soothing sounds of gospel music will fill the air at Lake Malawi this weekend as Malawi's leading choir holds a beachside festival to honour mothers for Mother's Day, Howard Mlozi writes.
The Great Angels Choir has organized a two-day celebration dubbed "Nzayaweh Pamchenga" featuring live performances, sports, boat rides and motivational talks to recognize moms on their special day on Sunday.
It's the first time the 20-member choir will hold such an elaborate festival for the holiday, marked annually around the world.
"It's the first time in our choir's history to organize a festival like this. We thought it wise to settle for the festival in order to give mothers the best treatment," said Williams Zonda, the choir's music and events director.
The festivities will take place along the sandy beaches of the Sunbird Nkopola resort on the shores of Lake Malawi, one of Africa's largest lakes known for its clear waters, golden sands and more than 500 fish species.
Mother's Day holiday has its roots in the United States, but is now celebrated globally in various forms to honor mothers' contributions.
"Music has long played a significant role in Mother's Day festivities around the world. The Great Angels Choir aims to continue that tradition," Zonda told AfricaBrief.
The choir has lined up top artists from Malawi's gospel and reggae scene, including Lucius Banda, Skeffa Chimoto and the Black Missionaries band. The festival will also feature beach sports, boat cruising, food and motivational talks for women.
"We have musicians of variety of genres to entertain the diverse audience," Zonda said.
The festival will feature a wide range of activities, including music, beach soccer, volleyball, women's talks, boat cruising, as well as delicious food and beverages.
Zonda emphasized the diversity of music genres on display, stating, "We are proud to offer a range of music genres, including Hip Hop, local, reggae, and Pop gospel, catering to the diverse musical preferences of our audience."
Anjiru Fumulani, frontman of Malawi's leading reggae band, The Black Missionaries, expressed their readiness to take the stage and make the Mother's Day festival memorable.
The Great Angels Choir, founded in the 1980s, began recording music in 2005 and released its debut album titled 'Mundifungatile.' With five albums to its name, including 'Gwireni Dzanja' (2007), 'Ndiyende Bwanji' (2010), 'Mwasanka Ine' (2014), 'Ufumu Umodzi Sumaukilana' (2021), and the latest one, 'Nzayaweh' (2022), the choir continues to be a beacon of gospel music in Malawi.
“We want this event to make the mothers feel special,” Zonda said.
The Nzayaweh Pamchenga festival offers two days of music, sports and cruising to celebrate moms in Malawi.
For the Great Angels, it’s a chance to honour mothers through song.