FROM CHINAMWALI TO CHILANGIZO:

78. Both Christian and non-Christian informants made this remark to me. In addition to remarks from the
Baptist circles, one Presbyterian woman leader, Mrs. Mzandu, who is also a Women's Coordinator with
the Evangelical Association of Malawi, remarked that she had witnessed more than two couples who
divorced soon after marriage because the women did not have the elongated labia minora. She
emphasized how serious the issue is in some ethnic groups in the country.
However, in my field work, when I asked the Chewa women as to what they think about the ethnic groups
who do female circumcision (like the Agikuyu in Kenya, [Hinga 1998: 168-179)), and those who do
nothing to the labia minora; their reaction was that they thought elongation of the labia minora was a
universal practice. They did not believe there is female circumcision.
79. This communitas in Lilongwe Association is also evidenced in the women's weekly Bible Study
groups, montWy meetings for fellowship, prayer and encouragement; in weddings; and in funerals.
Women, more than men, show their solidarity in many ofthe social interactions.
This will, to some degree, parallel the initiation of young girls before puberty as performed in Southern
Malawi (see Banda 2001: 193-227).
81. Pre-puberty instruction guide is given at the beginning ofthe second section.
82. The churches can utilise programmes that are already in use in the churches to teach the young people
sexual abstinence until marriage, such as TRUE LOVE WAITS programme.
83. Banda (200 I) shows that in the Southern Malawi there is also a lot of instruction on sex in marriage
in addition to purity before marriage. However, the Church needs to be sensitive here on sex education to
the young women before marriage.
84. Part of the ceremony was constructed by one of the alangizi groups and the rest is mine. It is in the
process ofbeing developed. But it has not yet been used at the actual chinamwali.
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