FROM CHINAMWALI TO CHILANGIZO:

frightening them, or punishing them, especially if any ofthe initiates is reported to be
rude. The tutors stay close and rescue the girls by giving money to the zirombo. It
really depends on the zirombo themselves to decide what to do with the initiates.
The initiates may be buried in the ground, and the zirombo dance around them until
their tutors redeem them. They may be told to climb a tree, while the zirombo light a
fire underneath and put either tobacco leaves, or chillies on the fire. The girls are not
supposed to run away but to persevere, again until they are redeemed. Sometimes the
zirombo hold a rope or a stick and the girls hold the other end and pull against each
other. The zirombo then pull hard until the girls fall down. They continue pulling
them until they are redeemed.
During the same night the girls are taken to liunde and shown the nyau structures.
They are taken into the elephant structure (njobvu) to see what it is made of but
severely warned never to reveal what they have seen and been taught. In the past, the
vigil would end early in the morning when the zirombo would go with the girls to a
nearby dam. The zirombo begin to dip themselves in the water, followed by the girls
and their tutors. After the ritual bath, the zirombo would go their way back to the
dambwe, and the girls would go back to the tsimba.
On this particular day I heard some singing early in the morning. I was informed that
another chirombo, Sara had came to the ground. As soon as the zirombo, anamkanya
saw Sara coming, they ran to the liunde, and the girls were also to run to their tsimba.
Then the Sara went to where the beer was to be drunk. The song was:
70. Sara kuendera mowa de, de
Kuendera gule wamaliro, e
Sarah go and visit the beer, de, de,
Go and visit the funeral 'dance'
They went round the village to every home that had beer to collect monetary gifts.
DAY FIVE: TSIKU LAKUMWA MOWA (THE FINAL DAY)
The last day ofthe Mkangali ceremony was marked by feasting - eating and drinking,
and dancing - mnjeza by the chiefs and their wives and instructresses, and gule
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