Flagging Spirits

The residents of Mulanje fear their ancestors' wrath/Communities

- ERNEST PONDANI

Slightly taller than Mount Olympus, the mythical home of the Greek pantheon, the 3,002-metre Sapitwa Peak, Malawi's highest point, is regarded by locals as a sacred place where the spirits of their ancestors reside. For centuries, it was believed to be unreachable-its name translates to "a place where people do not go." Although it was first climbed in 1894, many tourists attempting to scale the peak have died over the years, leading to the dominant narrative among locals that the spirits of the ancestors claim some lives when they are angry. Nevertheless, the peak remains a popular destination for mountaineers, while the Mulanje Massif, an inselberg of which Sapitwa is part, attracts thousands of tourists every year.

"I hear a lot about Mulanje mountain," a German tourist I met while visiting Mulanje, in August 2022, told me. He was in a white t-shirt, with the words "Welcome to the warm heart of Africa" in big letters at the back, denim shorts and hiking boots. "Some make sense, while other narratives are short of reasoning. I have chosen to disregard them in order to have a breathtaking experience. I strongly believe the benefits are more than the costs and I trust my cost-benefit analysis." He added that the spiritual beliefs about the mountain motivated him. "I am curious to see what really happens and capture all the memories and take them home. This is one of the sensitive ecosystems and valuable tourist attraction areas here in Malawi. If I'm risk averse, nothing will work. After all, life is about taking risks."