Malawi 2: The Lake

Cliff jumping at Nkhata Bay
Puppy on Chizimulu Island
Island children
The witch doctor and me
The cathedral

October 15, 2009

On October 2nd Mark headed back to Livingstone while I headed to the ferry dock with Art; a Peace Corps volunteer staying at Venice Beach who had just finished his work in South Africa. After first buying a second-class ticket for the Ilala Ferry I was persuaded to upgrade to the first-class deck ticket for the day and half journey to the islands.

The Ilala consists of three levels. The lower level is comprised of the second and third class passengers. There are men, mothers and children strewn out amongst the crates and barrels of produce and building supplies. It is a lot cheaper but is crowded, dirty and there is a real chance of theft. The middle level contains the cabins, a bathroom for use by first class passengers, a dining room as well as some crew lodging.

The top deck was very empty. There were approximately ten or so Mzungus plus a few well to do locals. A canvas covers half of the deck giving much needed shade. There is a bar that offers cold soda and beer and sells biscuits for a very reasonable price. They bring around a menu and take our breakfast, lunch and dinner orders all of which cost around $4. Mattresses may also be rented for $2 and can be used to sleep on the deck under the stars.

James, a medical student that just completed a medical rotation in Tanzania, Tyse, a backpacker who works with state of the art communications technology, Art and I hit it off instantly and spent the two days playing cards, drinking Carlsberg and telling stories about our travels. Art in particular had some interesting tales to tell including how to slaughter a cow and the usefulness of buckets and paper plates in relation to human waste. There were also a group of Spaniards on the deck and two Finish guys named Eli and Elikah.

We reached Chizumulu around 7:30 pm on Saturday night. Eli had approximately the same travel plans that I did and disembarked with me. Despite the fact that the place we stayed at did not have any running water and the electricity went off every night at 10 pm, it was very relaxing. I spent most of my time reading and playing a local Malawian game called Bow. On Sunday I took a walk around the island and met a local named George that invited me to come visit his family. He also introduced me to the boat maker and attempted to teach me some Chichewa, the local language.

Monday morning Eli and I walked to the other side of the island to catch the Dow that runs between Chizimulu and Likoma only to find out that it was not running that day. We trudged back over to Wakwenda Retreat to wait for the motorboat that would be coming that afternoon. It was crowded and hot but we figured it would be a short hour or hour and half ride between the islands. False. We stopped at three different ports on the islands before we finally got off at the fourth four hours later. A taxi had been arranged for us and we rode in the back of a pickup truck to Mango Drift. They didn’t have any dinner left for us but the showers were lovely and the beds were quite nice.

The next morning I woke up early and sat in the hammock and read. Eli joined me around 8 am and we went out to explore the island. First stop: the witch doctor. When we reached his compound we were required to take off our shoes. We then carried a stick in our left hands across the yard and gave it through a tree to a young girl. We then sat outside waiting, watching the monkey they had tethered to a pole and after a while we were invited inside.

The room had mats set out on the floor and Eli, our translator and I sat down in the front row. The doctor sat behind a pulpit on a strangely decorated stage. There were hospital signs as well as signs proclaiming that God is Love and God is Great. A pile of animal furs were heaped on the rafters and in front of the doctor was a bed with incense burning before it. Above the doctor’s head hung a picture of Jesus as the good shepherd. The doctor himself was dressed in black priestly clothing. What hair he had was kept long and in dread locks.

Many other people joined us in the room and the ceremony began with chanting and singing. He then took some time to explain to Eli and me how he had come to be a witch doctor. When he was young he was cursed by someone and was forced to drop out of school early. He got his knowledge of the plant and herbal remedies he used from the spirits but believed that it was only through the power of God (the Christian God) that people were healed. It’s a strange mix of traditional and Christian culture.

He then presented some cases of people he had healed. A young boy came limping forward that was completely unable to walk when he arrived. He also introduced us to a young woman who had been told she would lose her leg. He proclaimed her healed but she still had two giant sores on her foot. The rest of the ceremony consisted of a group of women giving thanks to the doctor for what he had done for them. They presented him with a chicken and basket of food. Singing and chanting ensued and a white powder was rubbed all over the doctor’s and the woman’s face.

Eli and I were then given a chance to take pictures with the doctor and since he is a very short man the people in attendance got a big laugh out of this. Eli then consulted the witch doctor on a problem he was having with his nose. He was given some white powder to snort and told to come back with some face lotion so that the rest of the powder could be mixed in with it. This would cost $20. If Eli were a black man he would have gotten piercings in his eyebrows where the medication could be injected directly. We left as soon after that as we could and headed to the other side of the island.

There is a large Cathedral on Likoma Island. In fact it is the second largest in Africa. The tall stone walls were built in 1905 and the newer tin roof was put over top in the 1980’s. The stained glass is dull and half missing but the church is in use and is generally well taken care of.

We explored town a bit longer and then headed back toward Mango Drift. The children we passed asked us for all sorts of things like water bottles, pictures and our addresses. My favorite, however, is when they held at their hands and said “give me my money” like you had stolen it from them.

On Wednesday morning we headed back to the mainland. We took the motorboat again although it was far less crowded this time. Empty soda bottles and items that would be sold at the markets in Nkhata Bay replaced the building supplies, full soda bottles and food products needed to supply the islands. It was a miserable seven-hour journey due to the sun and the fact that my stomach was cramping up again but we made it to the Bay before dark and walked over to Myoka Village Backpackers.

The next few days were possibly the most fun I’ve ever had. I met some really great people and there was so much to do. I went swimming the first morning and we took the rowboat out in the afternoon over to a beach to go snorkeling. That night we drank, told travel stories, danced and played pool. The staff at Myoka kept the music going all night and could be found dancing around the pool table, behind the bar and on top of the bar.

The next day we went on a boat trip to another beach. We fed some fish eagles, jumped off of a small cliff, snorkeled and played some beach games including volleyball. That night they had a giant BBQ buffet set out with steak kabobs, BBQ chicken, sweet potato fries, homemade garlic bread, vegetables and peanut sauce!

I met a fellow traveler, Graham that was going to Zambia the next morning and offered me a ride in the back of his pickup. I debated and then decided that it would be cheaper and I would get to Chipata much faster. The next morning we were on the road by 9 am and reached the border at 2 pm. Graham drove around Chipata until we found the bus depot and dropped me a resthouse about a block away. I spent that night reading and was on the 5 am bus out to Lusaka the next morning. I got duped again by the bus boys but got back to Livingstone by 10:30 pm. I even got to watch some interesting Nigerian movies on the way.

Overall my trip to Malawi was fantastic. I met a lot of amazing people and did some very unique things. My opinions about what is “nice” have changed considerably in regards to transportation, lodging and food and, like most westerners that come to Africa, I have learned about patience. The people of Malawi are among the friendliest in the world and most places I traveled were virtually crime free. But it is nice to be back in Livingstone again and get back into the projects. I’ve only got two weeks left here and I plan on making the most of it. Hope all is well back home!