Evision matafale biography of donald
Evison Matafale
Malawian reggae musician (1969-2001)
Evison Matafale | |
|---|---|
| Born | Evison Matafale (1969-11-20)20 November 1969 |
| Died | 27 November 2001(2001-11-27) (aged 32) Maula Prison, Lilongwe, Malawi |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Children | 1 |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | Reggae |
| Years active | 1999–2001 |
Musical artist | |
Evison Matafale (20 November 1969 – 27 November 2001) was a MalawianRastafarian whose music rose to popularity in Malawi. He was the founder and leader of the reggae band Black Missionaries. Matafale rose to fame and became one of Malawi's favourite musicians by 2000 through the release of his debut album, Kuimba 1, in 1999 with Wailing Brothers Band. Matafale was known as "the prophet" in Malawi and was seen as an elder amongst the community of Malawian Rastafarians.
He later disappeared from the public scene as he was diagnosed with tuberculosis and forced to cut his dreadlocks in order to get medical treatment. He died at the age of 32 in police custody in 2001. He was known for his two albums Kuyimba 1 (1999) and Kuyimba 2 (2001) when he died. Evison Matafale founded and led the reggae band based in his home town of Chileka.
Rastafarian
Matafale was a Rastafarian who wore dreadlocks. Matafale blended his music with a more serious political message with their Rasta philosophy and words of peace, love, and unity in Malawi.
Political activism
He was an outspoken political activist in Malawi. His music reflects his views against the policies of the Muluzi government. His brother, Elton, told journalists the singer was arrested and tortured by the police. Prior to his arrest he had written a series of letters to President Bakili Muluzi denouncing his government's policies. In the letters he wrote he denounced the president's preferential treatment of Muslims and Asian traders and accused him of exploiti
Their story, too, is one built around the dead.
The Late Evison Matafale: To Be Always Remembered by Malawians
It (the story) is not about all the dead, though; not about all the people who went towards the way of all the earth.
Theirs is a sad story- one about a man who came back to Malawi after a short stint in Zimbabwe, and, then, died before his journey was through.
At 32, the trumpet that his time was nigh blew a bit earlier. That is why, every November 27 of whichever year, Matafale will always die.
His actual death came in 2001. After that, because of the Black Missionaries' zeal, Matafale has died 10 times more. The sort of death that leaves people miring in a pool of 'what-ifs'.
What, for example, if Matafale survived the three days of police custody and sang his way through 2002 to 2011?
What, another example, if Matafale survived the push of colourless breath and lived a little longer for us- our Lake Malawi, Lake Chilwa, Lake Chiuta, Shire and Linthipe Rivers to appreciate?
What if he married in 2006, and left us, at least, two Evison Matafale juniors?
It will never be.
Because the story is sad.
A life story that ends on November 27. 2001. Actually, this (November 27, 2001) is where the story starts; the long tale of Matafale's vision and prophetic mission.
A prophetic mission that has turned Matafale into an endless story. People can choose where to start, or end- but Matafale's story is endless. Just the mention of 'Oh, Matafale, oh' is enough to spur lovers of talent and freedom into some tell-tale mode.
A mode that, always, ends in misery. For the more reason that Matafale's end was sad.
And that, though November 27, 2001 marks the beginning of another story- a story of courage and vision and talent and foresight- this story, too, ends in sadness.
Oh, Matafale, oh!
Of course, Evison Matafale- the man who died, and for whom the living pay homage every year, was a Malawian per
Malawian farewell to 'the prophet'
Matafale was a music genius, hard to comeby |
DJ |
| The late Evison Matafale in deep thoughts |
He bursted onto the local music scene like a powerful tropical thunderbolt. Overnight his music conquered the airwaves. His sharp soul-piercing voice became ubiquitous and subject to mimic from up and coming artists. The twenty-first century Malawi was experiencing a revolution without guns, bombs or bloodshed - a musical revolution - the Matafale revolution. But if his entry into the music scene was dramatic then his exit was mystifying. Evison Matafale reportedly died in police custody on 27th November 2001 leaving behind several unanswered questions. I have never seen Malawians mourning a musician the way they mourned Matafale. Today, exactly 10 years after his death, memories of the slain Malawi's king of reggae remain as fresh as they were ten years ago.
Despite being a secondary school drop-out, Matafale was well informed on a diversified array of issues. Always ready to take issues head on, he epitomised a new brand of the 21st century youth. He was never a coward and always called a spade by its name. He landed himself into trouble on several occasions for being a firebrand. In fact, many people in the corridors of power looked down on him with disdain. For instance, he was booted out of Lilongwe Teachers Training College and nearly got assassinated in Kasungu for speaking out his mind. It was also the venomous letter he authored to the president of the time that landed him in prison whence he never came back.
Matafale was a musician extraordinnaire. Many people have said that he never wrote his songs, they just came straight from his mind. I still remember this musical genius in 2001 show at the Silver Stadium in Lilongwe. During the show he challenged the huge audience he had mesmerised with his hit songs that music flowed in his blood. And to prove it he told us that he was going to play a song that we had ne