Mulhako Wa Alhomwe, a leading and influential cultural grouping in the country, on Thursday organised inter-denominational prayers at Chonde in Mulanje district to pray for Cyclone Freddy survivors in Malawi.
Cyclone Freddy, one of the strongest storms ever recorded in the southern hemisphere, hit Malawi and Mozambique, resulting into the deaths of hundreds of people and leaving thousands homeless.
During the prayers, some of the Cyclone Freddy survivors from Phalombe, Mulanje, Thyolo and Chiradzulu districts respectively gave their shocking and personal experiences during and after the disaster.
The special prayers, according to Muchanankhwaye Mpuluka the organizing chairperson for this year’s Mulhako Wa Alhomwe annual festival, are part of the feast.
“Basically, you know that in our culture, whenever you have problems like the cyclone, you don’t just rush into celebration. You seek God’s intervention first; hence, having these prayers.
“We would like to go a mile ahead where we’ll engage our communities to start planting trees in our mountains to preserve nature,” said Mpuluka
Mpuluka further said the grouping will also donate some relief items such as flour, plastic buckets, sugar, beans and salt to Cyclone Freddy affected families.
On her part, Paramount Chief Kaduya said: “My community was heavily affected by Cyclone Freddy with many houses destroyed and lives lost. That is why we organised this event to remember them before the Mulhakho wa Alhomwe festival.”
This year’s Mulhako wa Alhomwe festival is being commemorated under the theme: “Our Cultural Heritage, Our Shared Responsibility.”
The climax of the festival will be on the festival will be on Sunday, 8 October where among others things Lhomwes will showcase Lomwe foods such as Kalingonda, dances, traditional medicines and other elements of culture.
The grouping was established in 2007 by former president the late Bingu wa Mutharika and has had the annual event each year.
The Lhomwes are largely concentrated in Chiradzulu, Mulanje, Phalombe, Thyolo and some parts of Blantyre and Zomba.
