FROM CHINAMWALI TO CHILANGIZO:

,
Many infonnants called mkangali the last level ofkukhwima for the chiefs. However,
I learnt that the new chief is not told the actual magical herbs used in the chitamba. If
he wants to know, he must buy such knowledge from the chief in charge, but
infonnants told me it is costly. In the meantime the new chief would be perfonning
the fortification rites together with the older chief without the knowledge ofthe actual
herbs used. When the new chiefpays for it, he would then be working independently
when other new chiefs would hire him to fortify their initiation ceremonies.
DAY THREE: TSIKU LOTANDAZA MOWA (DAY WHEN BEER JUST
STAYS)
The morning hours were spent just chatting, while others were cooking 'sweet beer'
for those who do not drink beer. I, with my infonnant, was invited by a nearby
Baptist family for lunch. Their pastor had infonned them about my presence at the
ceremony. In the afternoon a few zirombo went around the village 'playing' with
women and children. Late in the afternoon, I heard some drumming and singing at
the ground, so I rushed there, leaving my infonnant behind as she was busy. I missed
observing the girls going to the tree (mtengo) and then to the ground. I arrived when
they had already reached the ground. It was another chiwulu-wulu time, but the girls
were not decorated. They were put on their tutors' shoulders and went round dancing.
After being dropped, they danced for about thirty more minutes. Men and women
kept on going in to give them money. It was getting dark. The singing stopped and
all the girls went back to their seclusion house. In the evening the zirombo danced
and the girls' vigil commenced after the zirombo had left.
Mchezo wa Atsikana (The Girls' solemn vigil»
As the previous night, we slept first so that we could attend the girls' night ceremony.
It was about 1 o'clock in the morning when we heard the drumming. We arrived
when the first song was being sung:
31. Adayika pamnyendo
Adaona opanda kanthu, odede!
Adaika pamnyendo
They put her on the legs
They saw she has nothing, odede!
They put her on the legs
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