FROM CHINAMWALI TO CHILANGIZO:

The night's ceremony may be as follows. (This is just oneexample of chinamwali. The instructresses should
come up with many songs and drama with words from the Scriptures to make the rite more meaningful and
interesting to the young women.)
Machemebere ayimbe nyimbo (ziwiri ngakhale zitatu) kuti namwali adziwe chimene anthu
abwerera, monga,
The women should sing two or three songs concerning the purpose for the vigil, such as,
1. M'Baibulo, m 'Baibulo
Muli mwambooo
M'Baibulo, m 'Baibulo
Muli mwalankhula
In the Bible, in the Bible
There is counsel
In the Bible, in the Bible
There is speaking
Machembere aziimba akumuzungulira mtsikana atakhala. Ena a amayiwo atanyamula
maBaibulo kumanja kwawo ndikumamusonyeza namwaliyo. Tanthauzo lake ndikuti
ulangizi umene apatsidwe tsikanayo ndiochokera m'Baibulo. Popeza baibulo ndi Mau a
Mulungu, ndipo Mulungu ndi amene adatilenga. Mwambo wa Mulungu ndiye wotiyenera
ife.
The women should be singing while going round in a circle with the initiate seated. Some of the women can
hold a Bible in their hands and show it to the initiate. The meaning is that their counsel is from the Word of
God, who is our Creator. It is God's counsel which we must follow.
2. Sinkadabweratu ine
Sinkadabweratu pano
Yandiendetsa mnkhole yakoyi
I would not have come me
I would not have come here
It is your menses that have made me walk
Mtsikana ali chikhalire ndi phungu wake pambali, onse adziimba atachita bwalo.
Azizungulira, koma ena atayerekeza kubvala mwele, koma osabvula zobvala zawo.
Atanthauza kuti onse abwera chifukwa cha mtsikana amene wakula. 'Tsopanotu walowa
mbungwe la anthu akulu. '
While the girl is seated with her tutors, the others should be dancing in a circle while wearing something like
the menses linen, but not actually taking offtheir clothes.
They should explain the meaning that 'now you are mature, you are no more a child!'
3. Mukatere, mukatere
Ndiko kukula kumeneku
What you have done, you have done
This is what maturity is
Zimene zikuchitika panOZl ndichifukwa chakuti mwakula ndipo mulandire mwambo
woyenera.
What is happening here is because you have now come ofage and you need to be instructed.
Tsopano ndi nthawi yakuti atsikana akale aperekere maumboni a khalidwe lawo kupyolera
mu nyimbo ndi kubvina. Popezatu iwo tsopano ndi anthu akhalidwe labwino kunyumba
kwawo, mmudzi, komanso kumpingo kwawo.
After singing and dancing, the older girls should take the floor. The aim is to give their testimonies through
songs and dancing that it is because they received the same teaching they are now good girls in their
community, in their homes, even at church.
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