Poly Alumnus Masauko Chipembere '88 Visits Poly














On October 14, Poly alumnus Masauko Chipembere '88 discussed his recent work in conducting Permaculture workshops in Malawi through the Malawian Women's Initiative Network, an organization that runs out of All Saints Church and founded by his mother, Catherine Chipemembere. He is the son of Henry Masauko Blasius Chipembere, who was a Malawian nationalist who orchestrated a campaign of civil disobedience against the colonial authorities, Masuko’s father was imprisoned until late 1960, and then died in exile in Southern California, of complications arising from diabetes. Massuko shared his unique music, which is a mixture of Southern African traditional music with jazz, folk, funk, hip-hop and reggae. He uses music as a means to give a voice to people struggling against inequality.


Masauko Chipembere was born in Los Angeles while his parents were in exile and he believes that “music is the thing that unifies us and actually makes us one people as Malawians. To consciously use it as part of how to raise our way of thinking about ourselves and educating ourselves, that is what I am hoping for.” Mr. Chipembere is a member of Blk Sonshine, which “went on to share stages with artists from every genre, including Stevie Wonder, Joan Baez, Gil Scott Heron, Bonny Rait, Mary J. Blige, Dead Prez, Susana Baca, Ernest Ranglin, Hugh Masekela, Ismael Lo, Queen, India Arie in the USA and Africa. By 2005, Blk Sonshine was a household name in South Africa. That year, they performed at the Nelson Mandela’s 46664 concert in front of thousands of fans. Blk Sonshine was featured on the Putumayo, South Africa release in 2010 and performed for the FIFA World Cup. Masauko was nominated for a South African music award (SAMA) in 2010 as part of the group Blk Sonshine.”

A consummate musician, Masauko Chipembere has also performed New York´s Carnegie Hall and has recorded with Grammy Award-winning hip hop artists, RZA from The WuTang Clan and Ladybug Mecca from Digable Planets.  He supports bringing Permaculture to people in rural areas through music in Malawi. In early August, he partnered with Luwayo Biswick who runs Permaculture Paradise in Malawi. It is the first permaculture training space run by a Malawian in the country.