Linking the Malawian Diaspora to the Development of Malawi”
Malawi
Malawi (/məˈlɔːwi,məˈlɑːwi/; Chichewa pronunciation:[maláβi]; Tumbuka: Malaŵi), officially the Republic of Malawi and formerly known as Nyasaland, is a landlocked country in Southeastern Africa. It is bordered by Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north and northeast, and Mozambique to the east, south and southwest. Malawi spans over 118,484 km2 (45,747 sq mi) and has an estimated population of 19,431,566 (as of January 2021). Malawi’s capital and largest city is Lilongwe. Its second-largest is Blantyre, its third-largest is Mzuzu and its fourth-largest is its former capital, Zomba.
We will have 11 hours and 28 minutes of daylight today
The solar transit will be at 12:22:10 pm.
Water temperature in San Francisco Bay today is 57.2°F.
The first low tide will be at 4:24 am at 1.36 feet
The first high tide of the day will be at 10:18 am at 5.89 feet
The next low tide at 4:45 pm at -0.19 feet
The final high tide of the day at Ocean Beach will be at 11:17 pm 5.63 feet
The Moon is currently 99% visible
We just had a 100 percent Full Moon this morning at 3:38 am
The Penumbral Eclipse of the moon ended less than a half hour ago at 6:23:06 am
We may not have another “Red Moon” for another 3 years
The March Full Moon is called the Snow Moon
The Cree called this the Bald Eagle Moon or Eagle Moon.
The Bear Moon by the Ojibwe
The Black Bear Moon by the Tlingit
The Dakota called this the Raccoon Moon
Algonquin peoples named it the Groundhog Moon.
The Haida named it Goose Moon.
The Cherokee names this the “Month of the Bony Moon” and “Hungry Moon”
Today is….
33 Flavors Day
Canadian Bacon Day
I Want You to be Happy Day
National Cold Cuts Day
National Moscow Mule Day
National Mulled Wine Day
National Soup it Forward Day
National Sportsmanship Day
Peace Corps Day
Peach Blossom Day
Purim
Also known as Festival of Lots
Talk in Third Person Day
TB-303 Appreciation Day
Unique Names Day
What if Cats and Dogs Had Opposable Thumbs Day
Today is also….
Hinamatsuri or “Girl’s Day” in Japan
Liberation and Freedom Day in Charlottesville, Virginia
Liberation Day in Bulgaria
Martyrs’ Day in Malawi
Mother’s Day in Georgia
Sportsmen’s Day in Egypt
World Hearing Day
World Wildlife Day
On this day in Women’s History….
1873 – Censorship in the United States: The U.S. Congress enacts the Comstock Law, making it illegal to send any “obscene literature and articles of immoral use” through the mail. Some of that “obscene” and “immoral” literature included valuable information for women about their reproductive rights.
The National Woman Suffrage Parade, 1913.
On March 3, 1913, 5,000 women marched up Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC, demanding the right to vote. Their “national procession,” staged the day before Woodrow Wilson’s presidential inauguration, was the first civil rights parade to use the nation’s capital. The event brought women from around the country to Washington in a show of strength and determination to obtain the ballot. The extravagant parade—and the near riot that almost destroyed it—kept women’s suffrage in the newspapers for weeks.
2005 – Margaret Wilson is elected as Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives, beginning a period lasting until August 23, 2006, where all the highest political offices (including Elizabeth II as Head of State), were occupied by women, making New Zealand the first country for this to occur.
If today is your birthday, Happy Birthday To You! You share your special day with….
1678 – Madeleine de Verchères, Canadian rebel leader (died 1747)
1778 – Frederica of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (died 1841)
1872 – Frida Felser, German opera singer and actress (died 1941)
1880 – Florence Auer, American actress and screenwriter (died 1962)
1882 – Elisabeth Abegg, German anti-Nazi resistance fighter (died 1974)
1893 – Beatrice Wood, American illustrator and potter (died 1998)ed 1962)
1900 – Edna Best, British stage and film actress (died 1974)
1902 – Ruby Dandridge, African-American film and radio actress (died 1987)
1911 – Jean Harlow, American actress (died 1937)
1913 – Margaret Bonds, American pianist and composer (The Ballad of the Brown King), pianist, arranger, and teacher, born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 1972)
1917 – Sameera Moussa, Egyptian physicist and academic (died 1952)
1921 – Diana Barrymore, American actress (died 1960)
1923 – Tamara Lisitsian, Soviet film director and screenwriter (died 2009)
1933 – Lee Radziwill, American socialite, sister of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (died 2019)
1945 – Hattie Winston, American actress
1947 – Jennifer Warnes, American singer-songwriter and producer (“Up Where We Belong; “Famous Blue Raincoat”),
1949 – Bonnie J. Dunbar, American engineer, academic, and astronaut
1949 – Roberta Alexander, American lyric and operatic soprano (Metropolitan Opera, 1983-91), born in Lynchburg, Virginia (d. 2025)
1950 – Re Styles [Shirley Macleod], Dutch-American actress (Space Is The Place), designer, and rock vocalist (The Tubes, 1976-79), born in the Netherlands (d. 2022)
1955 – Michele Singer Reiner, American film producer (died 2025)
1956 – Stephanie McCallum, Australian concert pianist and educator, born in Sydney, Australia
1958 – Miranda Richardson, English actress
1961 – Mary Page Keller, American actress and producer
1961 – Fatima Whitbread, English javelin thrower
1962 – Jackie Joyner-Kersee, American heptathlete and long jumper
1964 – Laura Harring, Mexican-American model and actress, Miss USA 1985
1982 – Jessica Biel, American actress, singer, and producer
1983 – Sarah Poewe, South African swimmer
1986 – Stacie Orrico, American singer-songwriter (“Stuck”), born in Seattle, Washington
1987 – Shraddha Kapoor, Indian actress, singer, and designer
1988 – Teodora Mirčić, Serbian tennis player
1991 – Park Cho-rong, South Korean singer-songwriter and actress
1991 – Anri Sakaguchi, Japanese actress
1994 – Umika Kawashima, Japanese singer and actress
1995 – Maine Mendoza, Filipina actress
1997 – Camila Cabello, Cuban-American singer-songwriter and actress (Fifth Harmony – “Work from Home”; solo – “Señorita”; “Havana”), born in Cojimar, Cuba
NEPM Book Club: The Emperor of Gladness Thursday, April 30 at 7 p.m. on Zoom Author Ocean Vuong will be joining us at the next NEPM Book Club virtual meet-up to talk about his second novel, The Emperor of Gladness. It tells the story of 19-year-old Hai who, on a late summer evening in a post-industrial Connecticut town, stands on the edge of a bridge in pelting rain, ready to jump, when he hears someone shout across the river. The voice belongs to Grazina, an elderly widow succumbing to dementia, who convinces him to take another path. Bereft and out of options, he quickly becomes her caretaker.
Corey Harris Bombyx, Florence Friday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. Corey Harris is a guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and band leader who has carved out his own niche in blues. He began his career as a New Orleans street singer. In his early twenties he lived in Cameroon, West Africa for a year. In 2007, he was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship — commonly referred to as a “genius award.” Insurrection Blues, Harris’ 20th album, is full of topical relevance, yet steeped in tradition and informed by his musical explorations over the decades. Recorded in Italy under shutdown conditions, the album returns to the solo acoustic format that’s been his base since his early days as a street singer.
Smith College Orchestra Spring Concert Sweeney Concert Hall, Smith College Friday, Feb. 27 at 7:30 p.m. The Smith College Orchestra presents a preview concert of its forthcoming performance at the College Orchestra Directors Association (CODA) national conference at the University of Rhode Island. Conducted by Jonathan Hirsh, the program features 2026 Concerto Competition winner Olivia Hwang ‘28 performing the first movement of Piano Concerto in A minor, op. 54 by Robert Schumann. Also works by Brahms, Valerie Coleman and Gabriela Ortiz.
Mount Holyoke Symphony Orchestra: Tr-ans-for-mat-ions Abbey Memorial Chapel, Mount Holyoke College Friday, Feb. 27 at 8 p.m. The Mount Holyoke Symphony Orchestra, welcomes lyric baritone Lucas Bouk, for a program of transformations, including Peteris’ Vasks haunting Symphony No.1 focusing on global change and Bedrich Smetana’s iconic tone poem depicting the Vltava or the Moldau river as it flows through the Czech Republic. Lucas Bouk made his Lincoln Center debut with New York City Opera in the World Premiere of Ian Bell and Mark Campbell’s Stonewall in 2019. Lucas is a regular collaborator with the composer-librettist team Felix Jarrar and Bea Goodwin. In 2018, the duo created the mezzo-soprano role of Tristan Tzara in Tabula Rasa to celebrate Lucas’ coming out as a transgender man.
Paul Taylor Dance Company Tillis Performance Hall, UMass Friday, Feb. 27 at 8 p.m. The Paul Taylor Dance Company has been a presence in Fine Arts Center seasons since 1978. One of the most revered and dynamic ensembles in modern dance, the company has been innovating and transforming dance since 1954. For this performance, the company will bring us a classic work by its founder, Speaking in Tongues (1988), along with How Love Sounds, a 2025 commission by Hope Boykin, whose celebrated career as a dancer includes twenty years with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
Norman Rockwell: The Human Touch Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge On view Saturday, Feb. 28 – Monday, May 25 Beneath their familiar narratives, Rockwell’s illustrations are grounded in empathy. His art established a shared sense of national identity that was embraced by audiences who shared his vision and recognized their own aspirations in the stories he chose to tell. At the same time, his work acknowledges life’s many contradictions. The artworks in this exhibition highlight Rockwell’s enduring commitment to portraying people not as heroes or villains, but as individuals rich with emotion and inner life.
Policy Playhouse Playwriting & Film Festival Smith College’s Julia Child Campus Center, Smith College Saturday, Feb. 28 from 2 – 5 p.m. Founded by Mary Clare Michael, The Policy Playhouse is a nonprofit arts organization dedicated to connecting policymakers and constituents through the power of storytelling and performance. The festival will bring together 22 artists, community members, and local civic leaders to explore pressing policy issues through short plays, films, and a live public forum. The event will conclude with a community reception and artist awards.
Young@Heart: Hope & Glory A Tribute to Evelyn Harris Hope Center for the Arts, Springfield Saturday, Feb. 28 at 4 p.m. The Young@Heart Chorus returns to Springfield for a special tribute to the life and legacy of Evelyn Harris, whose artistry and activism left an indelible mark on our region, the nation, and the world. The program will feature special guest appearances by Sweet Honey in the Rock and Yasmeen Betty Williams. Students and faculty of the HOPE Center will perform alongside Young@Heart, embodying the Center’s mission to foster creativity, mentorship, and shared purpose through the arts.
Mtali Banda De La Luz, Holyoke Saturday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. A native of Amherst, Mtali Banda is the son of a Malawian refugee father and an African American mother. His work uses performance and autoethnography to explore Black history in the global African diaspora. His use of musical composition and personal narrative help to bridge Black experiences throughout the diaspora, with an emphasis on Malawian history.
Cochemea MASS MoCA, North Adams Saturday, Feb. 28 at 8 p.m. This performance is part of MASS MoCA’s series highlighting some of the best and brightest in contemporary jazz. For over 25 years, multi-instrumentalist and composer Cochemea has built a distinct career as a soloist, section player, and composer/arranger, collaborating with artists across genres — from his long tenure with Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings to work with Kevin Morby, Run The Jewels, Jon Batiste, Amy Winehouse, The Roots, Archie Shepp, Mark Ronson, and Quincy Jones, among others.
Ms. Lisa Fischer & Grand Baton Iron Horse, Northampton Sunday, March 1 at 7 p.m. Ms. Lisa Fischer spent much of her career as an elite backup singer for artists such as Luther Vandross, the Rolling Stones, Sting, Tina Turner or Nine Inch Nails. But when her story was featured in the 2013 documentary “20 Feet From Stardom,” Fischer experienced a course-changing epiphany. “The film gave me a chance to take stock and realize I could start defining my own path.” Seizing the moment, Fischer partnered with string wizard and arranger JC Maillard’s Grand Baton, a group capable of following her in just about any musical direction.
UMass Symphony Orchestra Concerto Winners 2026 Tillis Performance Hall Monday, March 2 at 7:30 p.m. UMass Director of Orchestral Studies Gonzalo Alexander Hidalgo Ardila will conduct a program featuring three winners from the UMass 2025-26 concerto competition. Steven Hu will play the third movement from Elgar’s Cello Concerto; Rishi Ramsingh will plat the first movement of Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 2; Jonathan Maginnis will play Debussy’s Rhapsody for Clarinet.
Powerful Pairings—A Conversation with Claudia Friddell and Kip Wilson Kittredge Center, Holyoke Community College Wednesday, March 4 at 6:30 p.m. The Massachusetts Center for the Book presents an engaging, behind-the-scenes conversation with acclaimed YA and middle grade authors Claudia Friddell and Kip Wilson. They’ll explore their latest books, show how they research and build new stories, and share how their experiences as educators continue to shape their work. It promises to be a lively evening of history, creativity, and inspiration.
Madison Curbelo The Drake, Amherst Thursday, March 5 at 8 p.m. Madison Curbelo is a singer songwriter with Latin roots based in Massachusetts. Her warm vocals and storytelling earned her a spot in the Top 9 of Season 25 of The Voice, Madison currently tours across the U.S. with her band, connecting with audiences in venues ranging from intimate rooms to large outdoor stages. Influenced by Olivia Dean, Stevie Nicks, Bruno Mars, and Paul Simon, Madison writes songs that feel like scenes in motion, drawing listeners into her world through clear, intentional lyrics.
A City in Flux: Reflecting on Venice Smith College Museum of Arts On View through Sunday March 22 This installation celebrates the enduring but ever-changing allure of Venice in art. Curated by undergraduate students at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, it draws from the Five Colleges’ vast collections of historic and contemporary drawings, photographs, prints, and paintings. Other exhibits to check out: “Don’t Mind if I Do,” a collaborative experiment demonstrating how temporary changes in power structures create pathways of access; “Crafting Worlds: Japanese Decorative Arts from the 18th through 21st Centuries; and more.
COMING SOON
Easthampton Theater Company: Enchanted April Williston Theater, Easthampton Saturday, March 14 – Sunday, March 22 In this his heartwarming and witty play based on the beloved novel by Elizabeth von Arnim, four very different women rediscover laughter, hope and their own voices during an impulsive seaside getaway. Directed by Gilana Chelimsky, this production is packed with regional talent on and behind the stage.
Valley Classical: “A Far Cry” Chamber Orchestra Sweeney Hall, Smith College Saturday, March 21 at 3 p.m. A Far Cry is known for its innovative and compelling programs, stellar communication, and a democratic process that is the group’s north star. The March 21 program includess “SAY,” Shelley Washington’s searing response to being of mixed race in contemporary America; Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring in its original chamber scoring; and an 1811 string sextet arrangement of Beethoven’s 6th symphony, “Pastoral,” re-expanded for the full string orchestra.
Hayato Sumino Bowker Auditorium, UMass Thursday, March 26 at 7:30 p.m. Hayato Sumino is a preternaturally talented risk taker who brings both charm and humor to his work. He grew up in Tokyo, started playing piano at age three. At twenty-three, he won the Grand Prix at the PTNA Piano Competition. At twenty-four, he won third prize at the Lyon International Piano Competition. And at twenty-six, he was semi-finalist in the International Chopin Piano Competition, drawing a record 45,000 online viewers with his second-round performance.
Back Porch Festival Northampton Friday, March 27 – Sunday March 29 The Back Porch Festival is returning for its 12th year. The “Ramble Pass” gets you access to 50+ artists performing in venues all over downtown Northampton over three days. And, every night there’s a ticketed show at the Academy of Music: Bertha: Grateful Drag on Friday, the Bluegrass Spectacular on Saturday, and I’m with Her on Sunday.
Yagódy Bombyx, Florence Thursday, April 16 at 7 p.m. The Ukrainian band Yagódy was founded in 2016 in Lviv to revive and reinterpret folk songs. In 2020 they released their debut album along with a music video for the song “Kalyna-Malyna.” The ensemble consists of three vocalists, an accordionist, a bass guitarist, a drummer, and a cimbalist.
NEPM’s Smart & Funny People: An Evening with Fran Lebowitz Academy of Music, Northampton Saturday, April 18, at 8 p.m. NEPM is rolling out a new event series called “NEPM’s Smart & Funny People.” In a cultural landscape filled with endless pundits and talking heads, Fran Lebowitz stands out as one of our most insightful social commentators. Lebowitz’s essays and interviews offer her acerbic views on current events and the media — as well as pet peeves including tourists, baggage-claim areas, after-shave lotion, adults who roller skate, children who speak French, or anyone who is unduly tan. Now, she’s one of NEPM’s Smart & Funny People.
Kouoh’s framework proposed a Biennale that “refuses orchestral bombast,” inviting viewers to slow down and inhabit moments of contemplation. Photo by AVZ. Courtesy of La Biennale di Venezia.
After the sudden and tragic passing of curator Koyo Kouoh, it was unclear whether the 2026 Venice Biennale would go ahead and, if so, whether it would still reflect her vision. Ultimately, the organizing body chose to move ahead with Kouoh’s curatorial concept “as she designed it, as she imagined it,” president Pietrangelo Buttafuoco said at a May 2025 press conference. Today (Feb. 25), La Biennale announced the 111 artists who will take part in the 61st edition of the longest-running and most important international exhibition. The list is truly global and expansive, with names well known in international art circles, particularly within the institutional system, alongside more regionally rooted pioneers. Yet the former are notably more prominently represented, suggesting “In Minor Keys” will lean less toward marginal or historically overlooked voices outside the system and more firmly toward the contemporary art discourse of the present moment.
While the selection leans visibly toward institutional, socially engaged and research-based practices, many of the included artists are represented by established galleries and maintain an active presence in the commercial ecosystem. And although throughout her career Kouoh tirelessly championed African artists—becoming the first woman from the continent selected to curate the Venice Biennale—the list of 2026 Biennale artists reflects a more balanced and globally distributed constellation of voices, positioning the continent as an integral presence within a wider interconnected field of discourse addressing shared concerns. As for historical figures, the Biennale will celebrate the rebel genius of Marcel Duchamp in what is shaping up to be an especially high-profile year for the avant-garde artist, with major surveys scheduled at the Museum of Modern Art and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
The 2026 Venice Biennale artists will each respond to Kouoh’s “In Minor Keys”—a concept carried forward by the multicultural team of advisors who worked closely with her from the outset, including curators Gabe Beckhurst Feijoo, Marie Hélène Pereira and Rasha Salti, critic and editor-in-chief Siddhartha Mitter and assistant Rory Tsapayi. Kouoh had already submitted a full and comprehensive proposal before her death, writing in her curatorial essay that the exhibition she envisioned was going to be “a polyphonous assembly of art… convening and communing in convivial collectivity, beaming across the void of alienation and the crackle of conflict.” She also clarified that the 2026 Biennale would be “neither a litany of commentary on world events, nor an escape from compounding or continuously intersecting crises.”
What to expect from “In Minor Keys”
As the musically inspired title suggests, the curatorial framework for the upcoming edition of the biennial promises intimate and introspective moments of listening, contemplation and exchange, encouraging a form of embodied transpersonal understanding capable of countering the overwhelming overstimulation and saturation of our time. According to Rasha Salti, Kouoh envisioned a Biennale that “refuses orchestral bombast,” rejecting both the grandiosity of major global art events and society’s performative behaviors in favor of a call to decelerate—to “take a deep breath. Exhale. Drop your shoulders. And close your eyes.”
“The artists are channels to the minor keys,” said curatorial team member Rory Tsapayi during the announcement press conference, describing them as a collective score composed of practices operating at the boundaries of form. “These are artists whose practices seamlessly bleed into society.” Gabe Beckhurst Feijoo emphasized that the structure is “not abstractly determined… it is not organised in sections but in respect to undercurrent priorities.” The exhibition will unfold across thematic strands spanning the Arsenale and the Giardini: Shrines, Procession/Invocation, Schools, Enchantment, Physical and Spiritual Rest, the Threshold and the Creole Garden. In the Central Pavilion, “The Shrines” will create a suspended, sanctuary-like space, paying tribute to the late Senegalese artist Issa Samb and the late African American artist Beverly Buchanan.
Artists whose work resonates with the motif of Procession/Invocation include Nick Cave, Alvaro Barrington, Daniel Lind-Ramos, Ebony G. Patterson, Johannes Phokela, Tammy Nguyen and Kenya’s Kaloki Nyamai. “Visitors are invited to become part of these assemblies,” said curator Marie Hélène Pereira, underscoring the participatory dimension of this strand. “The Schools” section will foreground collective practices and organizations dedicated to sustaining artistic networks, including the Nairobi Contemporary Art Institute, the G.A.S. Foundation in Lagos founded by Yinka Shonibare and Denniston Hill in New York State. It reflects an approach that is becoming increasingly common among artists, particularly in emerging scenes, as a way to withstand the pressures of global circuits. “Performance and innovation” is another key curatorial thread, but there will also be space for more immaterial forms of art. Drawing inspiration from Kouoh’s Poetry Caravan, a 1999 voyage of nine African poets that she curated, a procession of poets will take place in the Giardini. “Poetry was to her the guiding light of curatorial gesture,” said Salti.
Special mention during the announcement conference was given to the catalogue, which will intentionally highlight a “collaborative mode of making,” as Siddhartha Mitter explained. Each artist will be featured in a four-page spread including sketches and photographs foregrounding studio spaces and working processes.
“I am tired. People are tired. We are all tired. The world is tired. Even art itself is tired,” wrote Kouoh in a 2022 text—evidence that she had long been aware of the need for a shift in how art is produced, circulated and experienced if it is to retain impact in today’s world. This was something she sought to pursue with this Biennale. “Perhaps the time has come. We need something else,” she wrote. “We need to heal. We need to laugh. We need to be with beauty, and lots of it. We need to play, we need to be with poetry. We need to be with love again. We need to dance. We need to rest and restore. We need to breathe. We need the radicality of joy. The time has come.”
“Can an exhibition on the scale of the Biennale offer a place to rest your body?” Rory Tsapayi asked during the conference, explaining how certain sections and clusters aim to create space for collective rituals of contemplation and embodied reconnection. Works by Wangechi Mutu, Otobong Nkanga, Carsten Höller and Sandra Knecht in the Creole Garden will help generate relational and spiritual currents between humans and other species.
With its focus on socially engaged and research-driven practices oriented toward a transpersonal conversation, the 2026 Venice Biennale promises to set the tone for broader collective reflection on the state of human existence in relation to everything else at this stage of civilization, encouraging shared practices of reflection and reconnection between individuals and the larger wholes to which they belong.
The full list of 2026 Venice Biennale artists
Pio Abad Born 1983 in Manila, Philippines. Lives in London, U.K.
Philip Aguirre y Otegui Born 1961 in Schoten, Belgium. Lives in Antwerp, Belgium.
Akinbode Akinbiyi Born 1946 in Oxford, U.K. Lives in Berlin, Germany.
Laurie Anderson Born 1947 in Chicago, IL, USA. Lives in New York City, NY, U.S.A.
Fabrice Aragno Born 1970 in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Lives in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Nancy Brooks Brody Born 1962 in New York City, NY, USA. Lives in New York City, NY, U.S.A.
Joy Episalla Born 1957 in Bronxville, NY, USA. Lives in New York City, NY, U.S.A.
Zoe Leonard Born 1961 in Liberty, NY, USA. Lives in New York City, NY, U.S.A.
Carrie Yamaoka Born 1957 in Glen Cove, NY, USA. Lives in New York City, NY, U.S.A.
Jo-ey Tang Born 1978 in Hong Kong, China. Lives in New York City, NY, U.S.A.
Kader Attia Born 1970 in Dugny, France. Lives in Berlin, Germany and Paris, France.
Sammy Baloji Born 1978 in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Lives in Brussels, Belgium and Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Ranti Bam Born 1985 in Lagos, Nigeria. Lives in Paris, France and Lagos, Nigeria.
Alvaro Barrington Born 1983 in Caracas, Venezuela. Lives in London, U.K.
Éric Baudelaire Born 1973 in Salt Lake City, UT, USA. Lives in Paris, France.
Sabian Baumann Born 1962 in Zug, Switzerland. Lives in Zurich, Switzerland.
Beverly Buchanan Born 1940 in Fuquay, NC, U.S.A. Lives in the U.S.A.
Seyni Awa Camara Born 1945 in Oussouy, Senegal. Lives in Senegal.
Nick Cave Born 1959 in Chicago, IL, U.S.A. Lives in Chicago, IL, U.S.A.
Carolina Caycedo Born 1978 in London, U.K. Lives in Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A. and Caguas, Puerto Rico.
Annalee Davis Born 1963 in St. Michael, Barbados. Lives in St. George, Barbados.
BuBu de la Madeleine Born 1961 in Osaka, Japan. Lives in Nara, Japan.
Dawn DeDeaux Born 1952 in New Orleans, LA, U.S.A. Lives in New Orleans, LA, U.S.A.
Nolan Oswald Dennis Born 1988 in Lusaka, Zambia. Lives in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Bonnie Devine Born 1952 in Toronto, Canada. Lives in Toronto, Canada.
Godfried Donkor Born 1964 in Accra, Ghana. Lives in London, U.K. and Accra, Ghana.
Marcel Duchamp Born 1887 in Blainville-Crevon, France. Lives in France.
Edouard Duval-Carrié Born 1954 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Lives in Miami, FL, U.S.A.
Torkwase Dyson Born 1973 in Chicago, IL, USA. Lives in Beacon, NY, U.S.A.
rana elnemr Born 1974 in Hannover, Germany. Lives in Cairo, Egypt.
Theo Eshetu Born 1958 in London, U.K. Lives in Berlin, Germany and Rome, Italy.
Rachel Fallon Born 1971 in Dublin, Ireland. Lives in Dublin, Ireland.
Sofía Gallisá Muriente Born 1986 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Lives in Puerto Rico.
Adebunmi Gbadebo Born 1992 in Livingston, NJ, U.S.A. Lives in Philadelphia, PA, USA and Newark, NJ, U.S.A.
Leonilda González Born 1923 in Minuano, Uruguay. Lives in Uruguay.
Linda Goode Bryant Born 1949 in Columbus, OH, U.S.A. Lives in New York City, NY, U.S.A.
Joana Hadjithomas Born 1969 in Beirut, Lebanon. Lives in Beirut, Lebanon and Paris, France.
Khalil Joreige Born 1969 in Moussaitbeh, Lebanon. Lives in Beirut, Lebanon and Paris, France.
Alexa Kumiko Hatanaka Born 1988 in Toronto, Canada. Lives in Toronto, Canada, New York City, NY, U.S.A. and Japan.
Ayrson Heráclito Born 1968 in Macaúbas, Bahia, Brazil. Lives in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
Clarissa Herbst Born 1959 in Crailsheim, Germany. Lives in Zurich, Switzerland.
Dominique Rust Born 1960 in Basel, Switzerland. Lives in Zurich, Switzerland.
Nicholas Hlobo Born 1975 in Cape Town, South Africa. Lives in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Carsten Höller Born 1961 in Brussels, Belgium. Lives in Stockholm, Sweden, Biriwa, Ghana and Tuscany, Italy.
Sohrab Hura Born 1981 in Chinsurah, India. Lives in New Delhi, India.
Alfredo Jaar Born 1965 in Santiago, Chile. Lives in Lisbon, Portugal.
Mohammed Joha Born 1978 in Gaza, Palestine. Lives in Marseille, France.
Michael Joo Born 1966 in Ithaca, NY, U.S.A. Lives in New York City, NY, U.S.A.
Nina Katchadourian Born 1968 in Stanford, CA, U.S.A. Lives in New York City, NY, U.S.A. and Berlin, Germany.
Bodys Isek Kingelez Born 1948 in Kimbembele Ihunga, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Lives in Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Sandra Knecht Born 1968 in Buus, Switzerland. Lives in Buus, Switzerland.
Marcia Kure Born 1970 in Kano State, Nigeria. Lives in Princeton, NJ, USA, Abuja and Kaduna, Nigeria.
Natalia Lassalle-Morillo Born 1991 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Lives in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Florence Lazar Born 1966 in Paris, France. Lives in Paris, France.
Dan Lie Born 1988. Lives in Berlin, Germany.
Werewere Liking Born 1950 in Mgombas, Cameroon. Lives in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Daniel Lind-Ramos Born 1953 in Loiza, Puerto Rico. Lives in Loiza, Puerto Rico.
Alice Maher Born 1956 in Tipperary, Ireland. Lives in County Mayo, Ireland.
Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons Born 1959 in Matanzas, Cuba. Lives in Nashville, TN, U.S.A.
Kamaal Malak Born 1962 in Philadelphia, PA, U.S.A. Lives in Nashville, TN, U.S.A.
Senzeni Marasela Born 1977 in Thokoza, South Africa. Lives in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Guadalupe Maravilla Born 1976 in San Salvador, El Salvador. Lives in New York City, NY, U.S.A.
Manuel Mathieu Born 1986 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Lives in Montreal, Canada and Paris, France.
Georgina Maxim Born 1980 in Harare, Zimbabwe. Lives in Harare and Mutare, Zimbabwe.
Tiona Nekkia McClodden Born 1981 in Blytheville, AR, U.S.A. Lives in Philadelphia, PA, U.S.A.
Big Chief Demond Melancon Born 1978 in New Orleans, LA, U.S.A. Lives in New Orleans, LA, U.S.A.
Avi Mograbi Born 1956 in Tel Aviv, Israel. Lives in Lisbon, Portugal.
Wangechi Mutu Born 1972 in Nairobi, Kenya. Lives in New York City, NY, U.S.A. and Nairobi, Kenya.
Eustaquio Neves Born 1955 in Juatuba, Brazil. Lives in Diamantina, Brazil.
Tuấn Andrew Nguyễn Born 1976 in Sài Gòn, Việt Nam. Lives in Hội An, Việt Nam.
Tammy Nguyen Born 1984 in San Francisco, CA, U.S.A. Lives in Easton, CT, U.S.A.
Otobong Nkanga Born 1974 in Kano, Nigeria. Lives in Antwerp, Belgium and Uyo, Nigeria.
Kaloki Nyamai Born 1985 in Nairobi, Kenya. Lives in Nairobi, Kenya.
Temitayo Ogunbiyi Born 1984 in Rochester, NY, U.S.A. Lives in Lagos, Nigeria.
Pauline Oliveros Born 1932 in Houston, TX, U.S.A. Lives in the USA.
Kambui Olujimi Born 1976 in Brooklyn, New York City, NY, U.S.A. Lives in New York City, NY, U.S.A.
Hagar Ophir Born 1983 in Jerusalem. Lives in Berlin, Germany.
Uriel Orlow Born 1973 in Zurich, Switzerland. Lives in Lisbon, Portugal, London, U.K. and Basel, Switzerland.
Ebony G. Patterson Born 1981 in Kingston, Jamaica. Lives in Kingston, Jamaica and Chicago, IL, U.S.A.
Rajni Perera Born 1985 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Lives in Toronto, Canada.
Marigold Santos Born 1981 in Manila, Philippines. Lives in Calgary, Canada.
Thania Petersen Born 1980 in Cape Town, South Africa. Lives in Cape Town, South Africa.
Alan Phelan Born 1968 in Dublin, Ireland. Lives in Dublin, Ireland.
Johannes Phokela Born 1966 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Lives in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Léonard Pongo Born 1988 in Liège, Belgium. Lives in Brussels, Belgium and Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Walid Raad Born 1967 in Chbanieh, Lebanon. Lives in Medusa, NY, U.S.A.
Mohammed Z. Rahman Born 1997 in London, U.K. Lives in London, U.K.
Tabita Rezaire Born 1989 in Paris, France. Lives in Cayenne, French Guiana.
Guadalupe Rosales Born 1980 in Redwood City, CA, U.S.A. Lives in Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A.
Yo-E Ryou Born 1987 in Seoul, South Korea. Lives in Seoul and Jeju Island, South Korea.
Khaled Sabsabi Born 1965 in Tripoli, Lebanon. Lives in Sydney, Australia.
Rose Salane Born 1992 in New York City, NY, U.S.A. Lives in New York City, NY, U.S.A.
Issa Samb Born 1945 in Dakar, Senegal. Lives in Senegal.
Amina Saoudi Aït Khay Born 1955 in Casablanca, Morocco. Lives in Sousse, Tunisia.
Carrie Schneider Born 1979 in Chicago, IL, U.S.A. Lives in New York City, NY, U.S.A.
Hala Schoukair Born 1957 in Beirut, Lebanon. Lives in Beirut, Lebanon.
Berni Searle Born 1964 in Cape Town, South Africa. Lives in Cape Town, South Africa.
Mmakgabo Mmapula Helen Sebidi Born 1943 in Marapyane, South Africa. Lives in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Wardha Shabbir Born 1987 in Lahore, Pakistan. Lives in Lahore, Pakistan.
Yoshiko Shimada Born 1959 in Tokyo, Japan. Lives in Chiba, Japan.
Himali Singh Soin Born 1987 in New Delhi, India. Lives in London, U.K. and New Delhi, India.
David Soin Tappeser Born 1985 in Bonn, Germany. Lives in London, U.K. and New Delhi, India.
Buhlebezwe Siwani Born 1987 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Lives in Amsterdam, Netherlands and Cape Town, South Africa.
Cauleen Smith Born 1967 in Riverside, CA, U.S.A. Lives in Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A.
Vera Tamari Born 1944 in Jerusalem, Palestine. Lives in Ramallah, Palestine.
Tsai Ming-liang Born 1957 in Kuching, Malaysia. Lives in New Taipei City and Taipei, Taiwan.
Victoria-Idongesit Udondian Born 1982 in Uyo, Nigeria. Lives in Lagos, Nigeria and New York City, NY, U.S.A.
Celia Vásquez Yui Born 1960 in Pucallpa, Peru. Lives in Pucallpa, Peru.
Kemang Wa Lehulere Born 1984 in Cape Town, South Africa. Lives in Cape Town, South Africa.
Kennedy Yanko Born 1988 in St. Louis, MO, U.S.A. Lives in Miami, FL, U.S.A.
Raed Yassin Born 1979 in Beirut, Lebanon. Lives in Beirut, Lebanon and Berlin, Germany.
Sawangwongse Yawnghwe Born 1971 in Shan State, Myanmar. Lives in Zutphen, Netherlands and Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Billie Zangewa Born 1973 in Blantyre, Malawi. Lives in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Feuding among hip-hop artists has for long been part of the music genre globally.
The battles, which are loosely referred to as beef, are propelled through lyrical content as artists aim digs at each other through media engagements or any other possible platforms.
Here in Malawi, the culture is also prevalent and of late, it has taken an upward turn. New names in the game such as IKK, Toast, Bssecube and C Scripture, have added a new layer to the beef culture.
It is not uncommon to see artists attack each other lyrically and it is something that has not gone unnoticed by music fans.
One music fan, Tiberro Walulu, said: “To my understanding, hip hop is not just about the music. It implies the culture of black Americans. It is not about the strength of the music content alone. They throw mud at their rivals while praising themselves. That is real hip-hop.”
Hyphen: I just had to remind everyone . | Hyphen
On Wednesday, one of the country’s pioneering modern hip hop acts, Hyphen, who was previously known as Young Kay, elevated the beef culture to another level through his new song Tiziti Mwayiwala in which he has taken a swipe at his hip hop rivals.
The artist has come out charging, claiming that although he has been silent for long, he is still one of the top players of the game. Hyphen has also reflected on the standards the hip-hop has taken.
He says in the opening stanza: “Makape ndawawona litsilo, ngini yake itiyo mukusimbwirayo? Nyimbo zonse nthabwala ngati Winiko. Kamandinyasa ine ndikachisimo kofuna kufufuta mbiri ko. Munthu ndinali pompa when they popped up, I am the one who cut your umbilical…”
The no-holds barred approach the artist has taken in the song is in stark contrast with the serene image and status he has retained until now. But regardless of that shift, Tiziti Mwayiwala has reaffirmed his status as one of the country’s lyrists.
Speaking in an interview yesterday, Hyphen said with the ever-changing times where people often gravitate towards trending issues, he needed to make a statement that he is still a force in the industry.
“Why were people acting as if the people who were there before do not matter together with their contributions? I just had to remind everyone that I am still here,” he said.
The Anakabango creator said he has no problem with the beef culture as it is just a trait of the genre that keeps one competitive.
Hyphen’s last project came in 2024 through a single titled Experience which features Pon G. Apart from featuring in several songs, his silence on the radar has been noticeable. He has attributed it to other commitments such as personal businesses.
He said: “Music is evolving and with that there will always be some good and bad aspects. The social media era has made it easy for artist to get content to their fans. Many times people are consuming content that is not serious and other artists have chosen that path too.”
Hyphen, real name Francis Kaphuka, released his album Exhale in 2007 which was followed by First Impression in 2012. He later released a mixtape Pachidolo. To date, he is among the five artists that had the chance to perform at the MultiChoice Africa’s television reality show Big Brother show in South Africa
their talent.
He also highlighted the need for increased corporate support toward the poetry industry. He noted that while musicians often receive sponsorship, poets continue to struggle for similar support.
“Poetry is a powerful medium for information expression. If supported properly, it can drive meaningful social change,” he said, adding that he remains optimistic that partnerships with corporate institutions will grow.
The event’s spokesperson William Shumba described Seunda as a purpose-driven artist committed to contributing to Malawi’s socio-economic development through art.
“Being in the poetry industry is not only for him to showcase his talent, but also to show that Yankho Seunda is a purpose driven individual who has always looked forward to contribute toward the country’s socio-economic development,” he said.
The event, scheduled to start at 5pm, will also feature performances from other artists, including Chifundo Chikonga, with additional surprise acts expected.
The launch on is expected to attract poetry lovers, corporate representatives and members of the public eager to engage in conversations that shape Malawi’s future.
MZUZU-(MaraviPost)-Questions continue to mount following President Peter Arthur Mutharika’s declaration during his State of the Nation Address in Parliament on Friday that his government will procure heavy-duty passport printing machines to ease the burden of producing travel documents locally.
Socioeconomic advocates have expressed concern that the government persists in relying on Madras Security Printers (MSP) of India—a company widely accused of corruption and failed projects—despite the enormous strain this continues placing the Department of Immigration in issuing passports to citizens.
Commentators argue that MSP secured its contract under the previous administration through the influence of then-Acting Director General of Immigration Ananchuma Kalindangoma and Principal Secretary for Homeland Security Steven Kayuni, allegedly sidelining other qualified competitors in favour of kickbacks.
Mervin Nxumayo, chairperson of the Young Human Rights Defenders Network (YHRDN), warned that procuring more machines will not resolve the crisis:
“Madras Security Printers pocketed about IS$12.8 million upfront before processing a single passport as part of the US$27 million deal. Yet today, the government is buying printers for them. What was that US$12.8 million for if not heavy-duty printers? Malawi is obsessed with procurement,” lamented Nxumayo.
It is reported elswhere, MSP faces serious allegations of corruption and failed projects across multiple countries, including Kenya, South Sudan, Mauritius, and India.
Bangladesh even banned the company over fraudulent practices involving tax stamps and stolen data.
In early 2025, then-Leader of Opposition Hon. George Chaponda urged the Malawi Congress Party-led government to cancel MSP’s contract after a severe passport printing crisis left thousands stranded.
“Reports indicate that MSP failed to roll out passport printing months after being paid over K8.7 billion. The company was alleged to have been awarded over K100 billion in contracts through secretive, non-transparent processes,” Chaponda told Parliament, pressing for a “reputable and scandal-free company.”
An informant within the Department of Immigration revealed that Malawi already possesses heavy-duty passport printers capable of producing 150,000 passports in two days—enough to clear the backlog.
He further alleged that despite objections, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) was pressured by senior MCP and State House officials to approve a US$35 million deal with MSP for blank national ID cards.
Homeland Security Minister Peter Mukhitho recently announced that three new heavy-duty machines destined for Mzuzu, Mangochi, and Blantyre are expected to arrive next week.
“The machines are part of a contract signed in February 2025 between the Malawi Government and MSP. By the time the current administration assumed office, only US$9 million had been paid out of the required US$17.9 million. This funding gap disrupted implementation and contributed to delays,” Mukhitho explained.
Critics argue that MSP continues to print passports in India despite receiving millions for “setup costs.” Local firm Technobrain, they note, managed to establish operations in two weeks at less than US$500,000, printing over 200,000 passports in under a year despite political hostility and limited capacity. MSP, by contrast, has printed fewer than 50,000.
Social media advocate Leonard Chimbanga criticized the government’s continued dealings with MSP:
“Here in Malawi, Lazarus Chakwera and Madame Colleen Zamba are happily handing them a aUS$29.9 million passport deal. What could go wrong? Maybe next, we shall let bank robbers handle our treasury,” he wrote.
Chimbanga further alleged that continuing to work with MSP amounts to direct government funding of the former ruling Malawi Congress Party, which initially offered the contract under undisclosed terms.
In 2024, Malawi transitioned to a secure e-passport system after a major system hack and the cancellation of the previous supplier left thousands stranded.
To stabilize the situation, the government engaged local firm E-Tech Systems under temporary contracts.
The upgraded system was capable of processing over 10,000 passports daily, offering express services within 1–2 days and ordinary processing within 10 days—a significant improvement compared to delays of up to 12 months.
Despite the availability of six heavy-duty printers, political interference prevented their integration into the system.
Instead, authorities pursued new procurement deals, reportedly 40 times costlier than local solutions and payable in USD, allegedly to secure campaign kickbacks.
Progress was further marred by corruption, poor contract management, and abrupt termination of agreements without proper transition.
This locked in over 200,000 processed applications, forcing citizens to reapply. Reports also suggested that senior officials demanded bribes from E-Tech Systems, undermining efforts to clear the backlog.
In March 2024, passport fees were revised to MK100,000 for a 64-page (10-year) booklet and MK50,000 for a 32-page (5-year) booklet.
Citizens were also introduced to an online application system allowing renewals and real-time tracking—developed under the emergency solution but later publicized as MSP’s package.
Observers warn that the government is once again being misled into endless procurement.
The real problem, they argue, is not printing capacity but processing inefficiencies, politicization, poor contract management, and lack of system transitions.
LONDON-(MaraviPost)-Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, brother of King Charles III of England, has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
According to CNN, officers arrived at Mountbatten-Windsor’s home at Sandringham, King Charles’s estate in Norfolk, early Thursday morning.
Police said they were searching addresses in Norfolk and Berkshire, where the former prince lived until he left his home at Windsor this month.
Police had previously said the force was reviewing allegations that a woman was trafficked to the UK by Jeffrey Epstein to have a sexual encounter with Mountbatten-Windsor, and claims he shared sensitive information with the convicted sex offender while serving as the UK’s trade envoy.
Mountbatten-Windsor has denied all accusations against him and insisted that he never witnessed or suspected any of the behaviour of which Epstein was accused.
He has not commented on recent allegations of misconduct in public office.
The British loyal family is also yet to comment on the matter.
