In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

ϵ  1. Introduction: Two Nations in Conversation Amidst the conflicts, wars, tensions and tumults of the early 21st century, one inter-national relationship which could easily be overlooked is the one between Malawi and Scotland. Why should there be any significant relationship between one small nation on Europe’s north-western seaboard and another in the interior of Africa? How did it reach the stage where in 2012 Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs in the Scottish Government, could describe Malawi as Scotland’s “sister nation”?1 This book attempts an answer. It traces the way in which this relationship began and evolved across a century and a half. It recognises that the connections of the two nations have found a special place in the hearts of individuals and communities on both sides. It observes that today these underpin both an inter-Governmental Cooperation Agreement and a remarkable plethora of interaction at the level of civil society. It detects particular qualities which bring a distinctive character to the relationship and explains why these continue to have a compelling quality for the people of both nations today. Its starting point is the very simple observation that Malawians and Scots have been in conversation since 1859. Apart from a short interlude at the beginning, the conversation has been continuous. From the time of the establishment of Scottish Missions in the mid-1870s it is safe to say that there has not been a single day when Malawians and Scots have not been talking to one another. Over the years they have found that they have much to discuss and this remains the case today. What have they been talking about all this time? This book will identify important episodes which have proved to be talking points but will also discern salient threads which run through the entirety of the conversation. One Scot who had a particularly sympathetic understanding of Malawian community life was Thomas Cullen Young, a Livingstonia missionary during the first three decades of the 20th century. Young observed that at the heart of a Malawian village was found the “talking- ϭϬ  place” – a place where people would gather to discuss current affairs, settle disputes, arrange religious observance, air political issues and affirm community life and tradition. Many of the Scots who have shared his sympathy have had the privilege of being admitted, at least to some degree, to the “talking-place”. This book aims to offer a brief summary of the talk which has taken place across more than one hundred and fifty years. It makes no claim to be comprehensive. Inevitably, it is selective – edited highlights rather than the whole match. It is limited by the perspective of the author, a Scot closely involved with Malawi over the past twenty-five years, a mere one-sixth of the total. While this has been a wonderful vantage-point it is inevitably one from which some things are seen very clearly while others are hidden from view and others again are seen only in hazy outline. Therefore many of the by-ways – and some of the highways – of the Malawi-Scotland story have not been explored in this book. Future travellers across this terrain will find much ground that is still waiting to be explored. Recognising these limitations, the book aims to be an introductory reader for anyone enquiring as to what the Malawi-Scotland relationship is all about. Its focus is on the major points at which the histories of Malawi and Scotland have intersected and exercised influence in both directions. If the relationship is to be regarded as a long conversation, this book identifies some of the main participants, some of the main topics, and some of the main conclusions which have emerged. It recognises disappointments and negative elements but its main focus is on the best moments from which lasting inspiration may be derived. For a new generation of Malawians and Scots entering into this longrunning relationship, as they are doing in large numbers today, this book aims to assemble the lore which gives particular content and meaning to the axis between the two nations. In doing so, it offers an example of what can be achieved through the determination of the people of two nations to listen, in depth, to each other’s concerns over an extended period of time and in the context of profound mutual respect and affection. It is written out of the conviction that the contribution of such [3.145.15.205...

Share