FROM CHINAMWALI TO CHILANGIZO:

APPENDICES
APPENDIX A MKANGALI: Documentation as observed by Molly Longwe
from 4/09/01 to 8/09/01
The following explanation is a step-by-step description of the Mkangali ceremony
according to the traditional beer brewing calendar, for that is how the Chewa people
know what events take place on a particular day during the ceremony. Since I was not
allowed to observe everything, the information from the mock ceremonies and
interviews fill the gaps. More songs, sayings and variant teaching are also included.
For discretion purposes, informants' names do not appear in the 'Sources Consulted'
list while in the text I refer to them as 'my informants.'
DAY ONE: TSIKULOFULULA MOWA (THE BEER BEGINNING DAY)
My main informant, her two relatives, and myself arrived at my informant's parents'
home, about six kilometres away from Nathenje centre. The parents gladly welcomed
us. After a few minutes rest we were given some lunch. When we finished we went
to fetch water from a nearby dambo (brook). My informant disappeared and after
about ten minutes we were summoned to go and fetch some firewood from the chiefs
house where the other women were also collecting firewood. The three of us rushed
and collected our lot. My informant's mother (whom I will refer to as 'our mother' in
this paper) told us to put the firewood in a house slightly away from hers (their niece's
house). My informant's stepfather does not take part in the traditional initiation rites and
does not drink beer. However, he permits the wife to participate and even brew beer.
In front ofthe chiefs house was a tree, and about two metres away from the tree there
was fire with a big clay pot on it. My informant told me that she came to check for
the fire ritual, but it had already taken place, and that is why she just waited for the
firewood collection. When we dropped the firewood, we went again to fetch more
water from the dambo. Since the place was far away we made only two trips but
filled a 210 litres metal drum which was already heating. I was very tired then. But
my informant invited me to go and get some hot charcoal from the main fire at the
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