Movie delves into Yao traditions

Young Travellers Theatre, a group of up-and-coming actors who mainly do stage plays, have embraced film acting and released A Beautiful Hen From The Yao Mountain, a movie celebrating Yao culture and traditions.     

“We are basically a group that does stage plays. Adapting the stage play into a movie was not easy,” said Imraan Shaban, director of the group.

He said the group decided to use the movie to promote the Yao cultures.

“It was not easy. We had to rehearse for five months just to master the Yao language and sing Yao songs perfectly,” he said.

Shaban said they shot the movie in Che Moto Village, Traditional Authority Chowe in Mangochi, with the aim of getting extras easily and give it an authentic touch.

“We had my mother and some Yao chiefs from around the area who helped us to get the Yao accent and songs perfectly,” he said.

Shaban said as a Yao himself he thought it wise to use the movie to tell an entertaining story while showing the world the beautiful elements of the Yao culture.

The movie, which was premiered last week at Mibawa Multipurpose Hall in Limbe, has received positive feedback from movie lovers.

One of the patrons, Grace Lule, said the movie was impressive.

“These up-and-coming actors are doing wonders. We can no longer call them up-and-coming, they are already here,” she said.

Lule also applauded the producers for the clear pictures, entertaining use of music, and clear audios.

“In a nutshell this production is well put together, Malawi has got talent” she said.

The movie is about a young man Amadu who fell in love with Asuwema. After a few years of dating, Asuwema gets pregnant and the young lovers agree to get married. But when they introduce each other to their parents, it is discovered that Asuwema is Amadu’s sister in the sense that their father abandoned Asuwema’s mother when she was pregnant.

Some of the highlights of the play is the rich use of Yao language, the music and use of traditional drums and dance.

Malala’s music is also another impressive element of the move which has a running time of 71 minutes.

The movie stars Blessings Kachala, Ken Kananji, Bertha Nkhoma, Abdullah John, Maurice Mangochi, Adbulah Saidi, Alie Kainga, Imran Kananji and Hiji Mmbaya, among others.

Shabaan disclosed that over K3 million was used to produce the movie.The movie is now on the market.n