FROM CHINAMWALI TO CHILANGIZO:

Traditional beliefs. Things do change, for in the past 'we were told not to put salt in
the food when cooking. Now Jesus conquered all that.' The girls were instructed to
continue putting salt even when they are in their menses. They should even warm water
for their father and respectfully tell him 'Ababa, ndaika madzi kubafa' ('Dad, I have put
water in the bathroom').
Changed behaviour. The instructresses urged the girls to show by their good behaviour
that they attended dambwe ya BaibuZo (biblical initiation). For even 'the chiefs and the
church deacons know that you have come here for instruction.' They are expecting to
see changed lifestyles from them. The girls must also show their parents that aonana ndi
Mzimu Woyera Zero (they have met with the Holy Spirit today).
The oral instruction took about twenty minutes.
In the end I was asked to pray. The girls were then released. After a while, food was
served and the five ofus shared the meal together. I am sure the girls had their share as
well. The whole ceremony took about an hour.
6.4 CHILANGIZO CEREMONY AT MTENDERE BAPTIST CHURCH 71
Mtendere Baptist Church is a multi-ethnic urban (all Malawian) church in the northern
part ofthe city (see Map B).
I arrived at the pastor's house just after two in the afternoon. I set off with his wife to
the girl's home. It was a ten-minute walk but we took a bit longer because of the greet­
ings on the way. One instructress joined us on the way. The initiate was a child in the
home of one of the instructresses. We waited for almost thirty minutes for another
instructress to arrive.
Two instructresses, amayi busa and I, were ushered into a small bed-sitter room. Two of
us sat on the bed while the others sat on the floor. I was asked to pray. Then the pastor's
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