Maloto Woo!

(Abstract and whole story published in WASI* Volume 18 Number 2, April 2008)

Mayeso Mwahara has a unique way of narrating his stories. He crafted a wooden scroll box and illustrated the major scenes on a roll of paper. As he tells the story, he rolls the paintings on the relevant scene until the end of the story. He has written several original narratives in the manner of folk stories and re-written other folk stories for his performances. He entertained his audience in this manner in Cape Maclear before moving to Zomba.

“Maloto Woo!” (Dreams Come True) is one of his own creations.
In the story, young Zoona mysteriously grows long hair in Mpala, a land of the bald-headed. For this disobedience the chief chases him away. Meanwhile, Mpala village is terrorized by a huge bird which emits fire from its claws. The bird burns down all property and people. The chief and his men flee leaving behind their women, children and the elderly. Zooma returns, brings the bird down with his long hair, and kills it.
Having thus saved the village, Zoona is made the chief and the village is renamed Dzera, after his long-knotted hair.