‘’MALAWIAN HISTORIOGRAPHY BADLY NEEDS A NEW LOOK” A CLAIM BY VAIL’S

WRITINGS IN THE LATE 1970S

Historiography refers to the study of how history developed as an academic discipline,

specifically of the methodology of historians and how they write or record historical event.

The claim by Vail’s writing in the 1970s that Malawian historiography badly needs a new

look is true. Some of the ways that shows that Malawian historiography needs a new look

are;, only nationalist approach used to write history in Malawi, history of women was not

included in the history description of African as primitive by Johnston which is not true,

description of African as primitive by Johnston which is not true topics were censured,

access to archives was denied, field work prohibited to mention a few.

Only nationalist approach was used to write history of Malawi, this is one of the way that

shows that history of Malawi needs a new look. Nationalist approach refers to the way of

writing history where by much emphasis is on national heroes by glorifying them and the

production of history is restricted. An example was shown by the historian during the period

of Dr Hastings Kamuzu Banda where by history concentrated much on things that happen

before Dr Banda such as the pre- colonial period to avoid the connection with Dr Banda, and

also they were writing things that praise their president. History of peats economic

underdevelopment and other possible topic of research were neglected such as the

imprisonment in 1987 of Jack Mapanje, poet and head of the English Department at the

University of Malawi. The reason for his arrest was not made public, and he had never been

identified with any political organization or viewpoint. However, some of his more recent

poems had criticized Banda and his entourage, and he was thought to be preparing further

critical poems for publication. In prison Mapanje was denied writing materials, but kept his
sanity and self-respect by composing poems in his head. Denied by his literate upbringing

and schooling of the oral poet's exceptionally retentive memory, this method of

composition virtually ensured that by his release in1991, he had forgotten the content of

what he had composed.12 The recall of titles and fragments of these poems enabled him to

reconstruct them in freedom, but his work in its original form was gone. In the universities

the lecture who were trained in British universities during their employment they will teach

history about the empire not the Malawian history and the focus of the history was Europe

and expansion of the British empire and most of the lecture were of British empire and they

did not believe in African history and inclusion of Malawian history was difficult due to little

research have been undertaken and during that time it was Nyasaland. After Malawi

attended independence history writing centered on the growth of Malawian nationalism.