University of Zambia Institute for African Studies THE KACHAMBA BROTHERS’ BAND A STUDY OF NEO-TRADITIONAL MUSIC IN MALAWI by GERHARD KUBIK VI ZAMBIAN PAPERS, No. 9 THE KACHAMBA BROTHERS’ BAND ZAMBIAN PAPERS 1. Co-operation, leadership and village structure by Bruce Kapferer 2. The inaugural lectures of the University of Zambia 3. A phonemic analysis of Bemba by Mubanga E. Kashokı 4. Development of and factors in the employment of African migrants in the copper mines of Zambia, 1940-66 by Patrick O. Ohadike 5. Gathering among African woodland savannah cultivators by Thayer Scudder 6. The growth of co-operatives in Zambia, 1914-71 by C. Stephen Lombard 7. The colour of class on the copper mines by Michael Burawoy 8. Recent population movements in Zambia by Mary Elizabeth Jackman THE KACHAMBA BROTHERS’ BAND A STUDY OF NEO-TRADITIONAL MUSIC IN MALAWI by GERHARD KUBIK ZAMBIAN PAPERS No. 9 © 1974 UNIVERSITY OF ZAMBIA Published on behalf of THE INSTITUTE FOR AFRICAN STUDIES UNIVERSITY OF ZAMBIA P.O. Box goo, Lusaka, Zambia by MANCHESTER UNIVERSITY PRESS Oxford Road, Manchester M13 QPL ISBN O 7190 1408 5 Printed in Great Britain by Butler & Tanner Ltd., Frome and London CONTENTS The opinions expressed are those of the author alone page List OF PLATES vi INTRODUCTION 1X THE STORY OF THE KACHAMBA BROTHERS I BIOGRAPHICAL DATA 8 THE MUSIG OF THE KACHAMBA BROTHERS ANDITS PLACE IN SOUTHERN AFRICA 12 REPERTORY AND ORIGIN OF THE MUSICAL PIECES 26 MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS 30 I. The ‘pennywhistle’ or Kwela flute 30 2. Ihe guitar 35 3. The one-string bass 39 4. The rattle 43 THE CONTENTS OF THE RECORD 45 VI BIBLIOGRAPHY 72 Vv