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specifically of the methodology of historians and how they write or record historical event.
The claim by Vail’s writing in the 1970s that Malawian historiography badly needs a new
look is true. Some of the ways that shows that Malawian historiography needs a new look
are;, only nationalist approach used to write history in Malawi, history of women was not
included in the history description of African as primitive by Johnston which is not true,
description of African as primitive by Johnston which is not true topics were censured,
Only nationalist approach was used to write history of Malawi, this is one of the way that
shows that history of Malawi needs a new look. Nationalist approach refers to the way of
writing history where by much emphasis is on national heroes by glorifying them and the
production of history is restricted. An example was shown by the historian during the period
of Dr Hastings Kamuzu Banda where by history concentrated much on things that happen
before Dr Banda such as the pre- colonial period to avoid the connection with Dr Banda, and
also they were writing things that praise their president. History of peats economic
underdevelopment and other possible topic of research were neglected such as the
imprisonment in 1987 of Jack Mapanje, poet and head of the English Department at the
University of Malawi. The reason for his arrest was not made public, and he had never been
identified with any political organization or viewpoint. However, some of his more recent
poems had criticized Banda and his entourage, and he was thought to be preparing further
critical poems for publication. In prison Mapanje was denied writing materials, but kept his
sanity and self-respect by composing poems in his head. Denied by his literate upbringing
and schooling of the oral poet's exceptionally retentive memory, this method of
composition virtually ensured that by his release in1991, he had forgotten the content of
what he had composed.12 The recall of titles and fragments of these poems enabled him to
reconstruct them in freedom, but his work in its original form was gone. In the universities
the lecture who were trained in British universities during their employment they will teach
history about the empire not the Malawian history and the focus of the history was Europe
and expansion of the British empire and most of the lecture were of British empire and they
did not believe in African history and inclusion of Malawian history was difficult due to little
research have been undertaken and during that time it was Nyasaland. After Malawi