An exposition of musical arts education in Malawi

English: Musical Arts are a vibrant and integral part of life and culture in the Jali area. Zomba district. Southern Malawi. The musical arts types (magule) are a means by which culturally significant knowledge. attitudes and skills are expressed and transmitted. to ensure the longevity of the way of life in Jali. This is a study of the musical arts education system as it exists in the Jali area. Due to the nature and intimate role of the magule in the culture of Jali, to learn the magule in the Jali area is to learn critical aspects of how and why the culture and everyday life of the community is both informed and re-formed. Inevitably. this is also a study of the culture of people in the area. giving this music education study an ethnographic approach. I observed. documented. and participated in the performance of three magule, namely Malangalanga. Manganje and Mganda. Interviews were conducted with adults as well as children. Through these means I have attempted to discover how the musical arts education system operates. Learning in this musical arts education system is practical and marked by high efficacy on the part of the learners. Their motivation resides in the desire to participate. and interact. A learner benefits through a combination of both informal and formal learning. Magule are learnt through the informal techniques of observational learning. play. trial-and-error. peer education and cooperative learning. Children observe and imitate through trial-and error. during play either alone or with other children. Formal education occurs during initiation and in apprenticeship. Community is the bedrock on which cultural practices including the magule find their meaning and purpose. This fact is well documented in the culture and language through proverbs such as, Mutu umodzi siusenza denge (one head cannot hoist up a roof-to successfully accomplish a task one needs the help of others). The overarching objective of the musical arts education system is twofold, To express. communicate and embody the community; and thereby building character. Both community building and character building are geared towards cultivating Umunthu (humanness). Being human ( munthu) is understood as more than a biological fact. but is a qualitative distinction. This distinction is based on whether a person exhibits attitudes and behaviour that shows values for others' wellbeing. and is able to live morally. in adhering to the society's values and beliefs. Umunthu is an internal state that manifests externally in khalidwe la bwino (good/moral behaviour). Umunthu and its corresponding behaviour and attitudes. which the culture deems desirable for communal wellness, are obtained through the process of enculturation and manifests in everyday life and in magule. Ultimately. the learners are expected to become fully functional and productive members of the community; equipped with the knowledge. skill. attitudes and experience particular and useful to the community of Jali; able to participate fully in the performances and all that they signify. Learners are expected to posses Umunthu which results in khalidwe Ja bwino (good behaviour). leading to the transmission and perpetuity of the culture of Jali. specifically through magule.