FROM CHINAMWALI TO CHILANGIZO:

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ABSTRACT This dissertation critically reviews chilangizo in the Baptist Convention of Malawi (BACOMA) and assesses its impact on Chewa society. Christian History has shown that the Christian attitude towards traditional customs and practices surrounding life cycle rituals has ranged from negative and hostile to positive and acceptance, resulting in of fering alternative 'Christian' rituals. The issue of chilangizo and chinamwali have been a real pastoral and missiological problem to the Baptist Convention churches because of the churches' failure to understand the meaning ofthe traditional rites in the light ofthe mother tongue Scriptures. This study aims at guiding the Church in Malawi and in Af rica to engage with more openness with the cultural issues. This should assist BACOMA to thoroughly understand this cultural phenomenon and the meanings asso ciated with all aspects of the rites. Studying the Scriptures to understand how they re interpret chinamwali and its associated meanings should lead BACOMA churches into an interactive process of discussion, reflection, teaching and action. This study is there fore an attempt to begin this process and make recommendations for BACOMA. After the introductory chapter, the second chapter gives a survey ofthe 'religious itiner ary' ofthe Chewa pre-Christian life and thought. The third chapter traces the emergence of BACOMA churches within the American Southern Baptists' religious and Western cultural contexts on one hand, and the African context on the other. The fourth chapter gives a phenomenological description and analysis of chinamwali. It also shows the socio-religious significance of chinamwali within the Chewa culture. The fifth chapter surveys the historical context of chilangizo as the Christian response to the traditional rite. It then analyses the Baptist chilangizo liturgy and its contents. The sixth chapter gives the phenomenological description and analysis of chilangizo at the grassroots level. It also assesses its impact and makes recommendations towards an improved rite. In view of the assessment and recommendations made in chapter six, the final chapter allows the Chewa Scriptures to re-interpret the rite and its meanings. It also presents a proposed Christian chinamwali that maintains the traditional ritual frame and dyna mism. The proposal leaves room for creativity and improvement by the individual con gregations. 111
Page 1: FROM CHINAMWALI TO CHILANGIZO: THE
Page 5 and 6: ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to acknowle
Page 7 and 8: 4. CHEWA TRADITIONAL FEMALE INITIAT
Page 9 and 10: ABBREVIATIONS APIM BACOMA BC BMCA B
Page 11 and 12: 1.1 MOTIVATION As a researcher, I a
Page 13 and 14: emergence of chilangizo in the Bapt
Page 15 and 16: The above responses to the issue of
Page 17 and 18: 1.4 OBJECTIVES The importance ofthe
Page 19 and 20: Focus Groups. From February to Augu
Page 21 and 22: Photographs visually enhance writte
Page 23 and 24: argued, must have come from a peopl
Page 25 and 26: (September-December). The rainy sea
Page 27 and 28: Usually the chief chooses two anamk
Page 29 and 30: 2.5 THE CHEWA COSMOLOGY Lilongwe is
Page 31 and 32: ciation of dancers using masks and
Page 33 and 34: 2.6 CONCLUSION The Chewa people of
Page 35 and 36: zeal for missions abroad was a 'con
Page 37 and 38: transition period gaining its indep
Page 39 and 40: as Walls (1996:101) remarks, 'the f
Page 41 and 42: When the Albrights moved to Lilongw
Page 43 and 44: 3.7 THE EMERGENCE OF WOMEN'S MINIST
Page 45 and 46: Although Baptist doctrines have no
Page 47 and 48: Congregational form of government.
Page 49 and 50: 4. CHEWA TRADITIONAL FEMALE INITIAT
Page 51 and 52: one informant stated, 'this must be
Page 53 and 54:
mony, that is, the first stage in t
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this function, they are planted aga
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Njobvu (the elephant) is the hub of
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in the festival, its preparation ha
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1. 2. 3. Mzako akati tsegula Kodi m
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At the ground the instructresses an
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Or Bvulani tioneko, tioneko, kodi B
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down, the wife holds his sexual org
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utes they are dropped down and walk
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girls are taken to their respective
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money. If an initiate is alone, he
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Much skill and more time are given
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interpretation as referred to by Bo
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the needs of the initiates and prov
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lood decreases, the colour also bec
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There are many things in these cere
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Learning games and songs, knitting,
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information must be in black and wh
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The missionary wives, together with
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denced in the physical changes that
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6. CHILANGIZO AT THE GRASSROOTS LEV
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for us the Chewa people!' (This tim
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They must know that their bodies ar
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Amayi busa requested one instructre
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their own bath dish, or wash at the
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wife welcomed us, greeted the girl,
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just keep them stained and say that
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Indirect teaching on the importance
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trated from the statement in the bo
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terms, but 'in terms of their own A
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ceremonies were also restricted to
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6.8 WHAT IS THE PRACTITIONERS' PERC
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oth the booklet and the perfonnance
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namwali the young woman is treated
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should highlight and endorse what t
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customs brings other blessings to t
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dience to the ancestral customs so
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dangerous happens, resulting in mdu
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etween humans and Chiuta. It is als
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mwana (birth of the child). The aim
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When you have been informed that a
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While the girl is seated with her t
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7. Papanda Mulungu kundikonda ine N
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Anamkungwi amuonetse mtsikana kabva
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After school, one girl goes straigh
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umboni kwa atsikana ena kuti nawons
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Learning about chinamwali and its m
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vention churches in Malawi adopted
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42. The whole girls' ceremony at th
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Chapter five 60. For Roman Catholic
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78. Both Christian and non-Christia
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Lipenga, D amayi 28/6/2001. Intervi
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Howell, A M 2001. The religious iti
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Sundkler, B and Steed, C 2000. A hi
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Longwe, H H 2000. Identity by disso
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Chiwanda Chizimba Dambo Dambwe Fisi
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PLATES PLATE 1 PLATE 2 Nyau- The He
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PLATE 4 Chilangizo at Chimenya Bapt
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APPENDICES APPENDIX A MKANGALI: Doc
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ground. While crawling, each one pu
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Later in the afternoon I heard sing
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initiate is tested by the old, eith
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5. Insa 4 , maye, insa Insa yatukul
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The instrucress begins: 13. Mwana n
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After this ceremony, all the chiefs
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The meaning of this ritual was that
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Adaona opanda nyini odede! They saw
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No explanation was gIven but the wo
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Secondly, and using the same song,
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Meaning: If you keep your legs clos
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67. Amuna anga mtsegule x 3 Nchiani
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as well as preventing it from falli
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wamkulu by zirombo. In almost every
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sleeps at a friend's house during t
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APPENDIX B: Nkhoma CCAP Booklet Out
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APPENDIX E PROPOSED MAPHUNZIRO A AL
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the first baby, as well as to all w
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You must be committed to faithfully
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The night's ceremony may be as foll
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anausunga ndikumvera konse monga mw
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Anamkungwi amuonetse mtsikana kabva
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ana a RN/AIDS amene alibe mankhwala
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FROM CHINAMWALI TO CHILANGIZO:

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