Stomp on the Devil: Lazarus Cigwandali and "Timponde Satana"

Today's random tune is by Malawian albino singer and guitarist Lazarus Chigwandali. The subject of a recent documentary produced by Madonna, Lazarus was discovered playing on the streets of Malawi's capital, Lilongwe, where he was in constant danger due to his condition. A common belief is that the body parts of people with albinism can bring wealth or good luck, and albinos are frequently abducted, murdered and mutilated in that region of Africa. Rape is another danger, because a myth states that having sex with an albino can cure someone of HIV. Along with that, albinos are shunned and Lazarus grew up suffering the violence that can occur to a person with albinism. But he found solace in church and music, and he wrote songs with his younger brother, Peter, while playing a makeshift guitar, which led their village to embrace them where they had once been shunned. Tragically, Peter died of a malignant skin cancer, and Lazarus moved to the capital where he lived a hard lifestyle busking. A tourist happened to catch him on camera playing on the street, and a video of his performance made it to Swedish born, London based musician Johan Hugo, who was impressed with Lazarus' "punk rock version of traditional music." He arranged to record Lazarus, but a few days before the session, Lazarus disappeared. He had gone to his home village because he became convinced it was an elaborate kidnapping scheme. However, once Hugo and his associates managed to convince Lazarus all was on the up and up, and Lazarus said the recording was the biggest moment for him and his family, conferring respect and admiration upon them. Where before, Lazarus said he wanted to jump in front of a car and end his existence, he is now able to use his music to dismantle cultural stereotypes and promote the cause of people with albinism. This song, Timponde Satana, is the song that was recorded on the street and brought him to such attention. It is a song of hope and survival, and can be found on Lazarus' debut EP of the same name (2019).

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lazarus_Chigwandali; https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-48021425