West Branch – People in Malawi will be dancing to the tune of Marree MacKenzie’s fiddle in May.
MacKenzie, a 17-year-old from West Branch, has been chosen to participate in the Youth in Mission program through the Presbyterian of Canada. Normally offered to young people between the ages of 18 and 30, an exception was made for the Grade 12 Northumberland Regional High School student because of her keen interest in the program.
“I’m pretty excited – I was just ecstatic when I heard I’d gotten accepted,” MacKenzie said. “I think going to Malawi will give me a different outlook on how many differences there are between life in Canada – which, admittedly, is a very rich country, we’re third on the human development index, compared to Malawi, with is 162 out of 179 on the list.”
The program gives young people the chance to see on the ground what’s being done by Presbyterian World Service Development workers – jobs that range from building schools and churches to administering AIDS programs and running orphanages.
“They bring young people over in the hopes that they’ll want to come back and help,” MacKenzie explained. “It gives you a broad idea on what you can go over to do.”
Getting there won’t be easy – it will take her two days to fly through London and the Republic of Congo before finally arriving in Malawi, aboard several tiny planes – but it’s been a lifelong dream for the teen to visit Africa.
“I’ve always had this passion to go there and help,” she said, adding that she’s hoping this will just be the first of many trips to the continent.
MacKenzie will spend three weeks in the southern section of the country, visiting spots like the Likhubula House, a home for orphaned children who lost their parents to AIDS but want to educate themselves and learn a profession. She’ll also walk from village to village – sometimes up to 45 minutes one way – as she sees some of the work being done.
“It’s not like I’ll be going to a resort for three weeks,” MacKenzie said.
She’ll also get first-hand experience on what life is like in the villages when she spends two weeks living with a local family.
The family will likely know at least some English – Malawi was under British rule as recently as 15 years ago, so many people do know the language, although dialects of the various tribes in the area are also common – but MacKenzie will have to adhere to strict clothing requirements to follow the cultural traditions.
“We’re not allowed to do v-necks, it needs to be cowl-necked, we have to wear cap sleeves at least, and no shorts – only long skirts or dresses are allowed,” she said.
Her aunt, a seamstress, is busy sewing her clothing for the trip – “you have to be careful with fabrics, if you were wearing spandex it would just stick right to you,” she says – and plans to leave some of the clothing she brings with her with the family.
“Fabric is really valued over there, so I’ll bring some with me, and we’re encouraged to leave something with the family we stay with when we leave,” MacKenzie explained, adding that she may also bring a piece of tartan and a few other Nova Scotia treats, like maple syrup, for the family.
She’s also planning to bring her fiddle along on the trip. Music is an integral part of life in Malawi, where locals know intricate dances and songs, and she wants to share some of Nova Scotia’s music with them.
“I’ve been playing for 12 years, so I definitely want to share my love of music with them,” MacKenzie said. “They’ll share their culture and I’ll share mine.”
When she returns, McKenzie is also planning a free public talk about her experiences, which will include a video and pictures chronicling life in Malawi.
