Malawi and Scotland Together in the Talking Place Since 1859

Acknowledgements

  Acknowledgements The knowledge on which this book is based has been formed primarily through conversations with friends over the many years since I first arrived in Malawi in 1988. First and foremost, I acknowledge my debt to my colleagues at the University of Malawi and in the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian who have immeasurably expanded my understanding by generously sharing their experiences and perspectives with me. Likewise at the Scottish end I have been fortunate indeed to benefit from the knowledge and wisdom of many colleagues within the Scotland Malawi Partnership and the Church of Scotland. In particular, discerning readers of the following pages will not fail to notice the extent of my debt to three distinguished historians of Malawi: Andrew Ross, John McCracken and Jack Thompson. Not only their written works but also their willingness to converse at length about matters pertaining to Malawi and Scotland has exercised a strong formative influence on this book. Its deficiencies are, of course, entirely my own responsibility. I am honoured to be able to include photographs taken from the private collection of Dr Jack Thompson and express my sincere gratitude to him for making these available for the purpose. I also acknowledge with sincere thanks the Scotland Malawi Partnership which provided me with the cover photograph and the two photographs which feature in Chapter 11. Grateful acknowledgement is due to the Drummond Trust, 3 Pitt Terrace, Stirling, for a generous grant towards the cost of publishing this book in Malawi. From beginning to end it has been a pleasure to work with Mzuni Press, not least because it provided the opportunity to work once again with Klaus Fiedler with whom I have been privileged to collaborate on many publishing projects over the past 20 years. Kenneth R. Ross Netherlorn, Argyll November 2012 ...