Immortalising Evison Matafale, 15 years later
Fifteen years after Evison Matafale’s death on November 27 2001, the reggae icon’s image continues to be immortalised. After several artists have done renditions of some of his songs, his relation, Yamikani Mataka has brought branded T-shirts labelled ‘Matafale Yes Rasta’.
According to Mataka, the release of the new brand of Matafale T-shirts is in line with the family’s mission to celebrate his life. The T-shirts are currently available at DC Enterprise in Lilongwe, Kuwala Creations in Blantyre and Ziboliboli in Mzuzu.
The new T-shirts are selling at K9 500 and K6 500 due to differences in quality. Mataka described Matafale as a concrete brand.
Matafale, who died at the age of 32, became one of the Malawi’s favourite musicians in 1999 when he dropped his debut album Kuimba 1.
Since Matafale’s death, members of The Black Missionaries have been compiling series of ‘Kuimba’. Currently, the Black Missionaries comprises Anjiru and Chizondi Fumulani, and Peter Amidu.
The band’s frontman Anjiru said the mission of Matafale is still alive; hence, the Black Missionaries releasing ‘Kuimba’ series.
There is also a memorial concert which is organised annually at Singano village in Chileka, Blantyre.
Though Matafale’s daughter Teresa dismissed the annual memorial shows, Anjiru said it is in the spirit of reggae fans that the event is organized.
