FROM CHINAMWALI TO CHILANGIZO:
FROM CHINAMWALI TO CHILANGIZO: FROM CHINAMWALI TO CHILANGIZO:
cross boundaries), and ziwanda ('evil spirits who wander about to haunt and hann peo pIe.' They are spirits of'deceased witches or murderers'). This study follows Van Breugel's use ofthe general term 'mizimu' to refer to the spirits of the dead as guardians of the ancestral customs (miyambo ya makolo). Being guardi ans ofmiyambo ya makolo, the mizimu have a double role in relation to the living; both positive and negative. Positively, their role is that of intercession; the mizimu speak to Chiuta on behalf of the living. The mizimu also protect the living by 'warning them of impending danger, and by being able to give success to their relatives' labour.' The Chewa believe that they are surrounded by enemies, and so their only recourse is to the mizimu for protection (Van Breugel 2001:77). Negatively, when the living offend the ancestors, especially when they neglect the miyambo (customs), the mizimu punish them. They can cause illness, can send all sorts of misfortunes, or they can bring infer tility to the living (Van Breugel 2001 :83-85). It is however not clear whether this nega tive function makes the mizimu to be called azimu or whether they remain two distinct groups. Basing himself on p'Bitek, Gelfand, Idowu, and Jacobs concerning the spirits, Scott Moreau also observed that: Spirits were often thought to be the source of medical problems in the community.... They were able to cause insanity or bring disease (malaria, smallpox, dysentery, polio, tuberculosis, etc)....They could also disrupt the reproductive cycle by causing infertility or miscarriages or by causing babies to be born with deformities....Spirits were thought to be one of the causes of social problems, such as loss of employment, social status, family stress, etc. (Moreau 1990: 105-6)14 The Chewa believe that the mizimu of the recently dead survive the body after death, and that they normally stay in the graveyard. But from time to time, the mizimu come and stay at the foot of a big tree in the village, and sometimes they trouble people. The scrupulous funeral rites among the Chewa are therefore meant to chase the mizimu away from the village so that they stay in the graveyard until all the necessary rites have been observed (Van BreugeI2001:80). Central to the Chewa traditional beliefs is the nyau, believed to be the symbolic repre sentation ofthe invisible spirit world. Van Breugel describes the nyau as a 'secret asso- 21
ciation of dancers using masks and animal structures' (2001: 125-168). Plate 1 shows one ofthe nyau. Usually referred to as zirombo (animals), or gule wamkulu (big dance), the nyau is: The vehicle of much of the religious thinking and aspirations of the Chewa and is also the means by which he becomes a true member of the tribe. The Nyau embodies tradition and has proved to be also the mainspring of resistance to outside interference throughout the centuries. It is into this tradition that a young man has to be initiated if he wants to be a real man, a real Chewa. (Van Breugel2001: 164) Everything about this institution is secret - the language, the meeting places (grave yards), their activities and even the identity of the dancers. Those who reveal these secrets are severely punished. Their behaviour is characterized by 'reversals' for they are said to be in a marginal state. Since they are a personification of the mizimu, the nyau too have a double role. At funerals, the nyau ritual is fundamentally a prayer intended to please and placate the mizimu so that they do not come to the village to trouble people. It also ensures the deceased's acceptance by the mizimu (Van Breugel2001 :164). Nyau is also believed to be a prayer for continued fertility in the village, hence their presence at the girls initiation rites, as well as at funerals. Van Breugel reported one of his informants saying that: Nyau is an integral part of the chinamwali ritual to ensure that the young woman will have children. It is a prayer to the mizimu that they may intercede with Chauta that the young woman will have many children and healthy children. If the Nyau were not to come, perhaps the young woman might die, perhaps she might be barren. (Van BreugeI2001:152) The nyau presence at the initiation of girls is also to 'inculcate right behaviour' and, at the same time, frighten them and punish previous bad behaviour. The nyau dancers' use of obscene language (zolaula)15 in their songs, where repeated mention is made of the male and female sexual organs, is to show the people's appre- 22
- Page 1: FROM CHINAMWALI TO CHILANGIZO: THE
- Page 4 and 5: MWACHIDULE Chimangiriro ichi chikuf
- Page 6 and 7: TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION n ABS
- Page 8 and 9: MAPS........................•...
- Page 10 and 11: 1. INTRODUCTION Ntchembere yanzeru,
- Page 12 and 13: My motivation, therefore, in the st
- Page 14 and 15: In her work, Women, Presbyterianism
- Page 16 and 17: This study covers female initiation
- Page 18 and 19: vation and interviewing. The method
- Page 20 and 21: church leaders, both men and women,
- Page 22 and 23: Scriptures in order to understand w
- Page 24 and 25: 2. THE 'RELIGIOUS ITINERARY'? OF TH
- Page 26 and 27: name of a person or his title to de
- Page 28 and 29: lineage, and the whole community. F
- Page 32 and 33: ciation and 'celebration ofthe powe
- Page 34 and 35: 3. THE EMERGENCE OF THE SOUTHERN BA
- Page 36 and 37: (2001:12) points out, three things
- Page 38 and 39: tongues. Hilary Mijoga (1998:31) no
- Page 40 and 41: 2002). The two groups continued sep
- Page 42 and 43: instrumental in supporting the idea
- Page 44 and 45: On the mission field not all missio
- Page 46 and 47: Autonomy is a term which expresses
- Page 48 and 49: that our likulu is in heaven, and t
- Page 50 and 51: Chewa is that menstrual blood is sa
- Page 52 and 53: girls are 'captured' and put in the
- Page 54 and 55: nity of both the living and the anc
- Page 56 and 57: evil intentions at the initiation c
- Page 58 and 59: Makanja or namkhwanya are masked da
- Page 60 and 61: The first day's activities end with
- Page 62 and 63: Then at the end ofthe song all the
- Page 64 and 65: In the evening the initiates perfon
- Page 66 and 67: While singing the same song above,
- Page 68 and 69: the other being 'cutting' one's thr
- Page 70 and 71: ishing them, especially if any of t
- Page 72 and 73: stand and makes her jump over the s
- Page 74 and 75: has her menses. Ulemu is also manif
- Page 76 and 77: Teaching on the observance of taboo
- Page 78 and 79: importance of the ritual. The prese
ciation of dancers using masks and animal structures' (2001: 125-168). Plate 1 shows<br />
one ofthe nyau. Usually referred to as zirombo (animals), or gule wamkulu (big dance),<br />
the nyau is:<br />
The vehicle of much of the religious thinking and aspirations of the Chewa and is also<br />
the means by which he becomes a true member of the tribe. The Nyau embodies tradition<br />
and has proved to be also the mainspring of resistance to outside interference<br />
throughout the centuries. It is into this tradition that a young man has to be initiated if<br />
he wants to be a real man, a real Chewa.<br />
(Van Breugel2001: 164)<br />
Everything about this institution is secret - the language, the meeting places (grave<br />
yards), their activities and even the identity of the dancers. Those who reveal these<br />
secrets are severely punished. Their behaviour is characterized by 'reversals' for they<br />
are said to be in a marginal state.<br />
Since they are a personification of the mizimu, the nyau too have a double role. At<br />
funerals, the nyau ritual is fundamentally a prayer intended to please and placate the<br />
mizimu so that they do not come to the village to trouble people. It also ensures the<br />
deceased's acceptance by the mizimu (Van Breugel2001 :164).<br />
Nyau is also believed to be a prayer for continued fertility in the village, hence their<br />
presence at the girls initiation rites, as well as at funerals. Van Breugel reported one of<br />
his informants saying that:<br />
Nyau is an integral part of the chinamwali ritual to ensure that the young woman will<br />
have children. It is a prayer to the mizimu that they may intercede with Chauta that the<br />
young woman will have many children and healthy children. If the Nyau were not to<br />
come, perhaps the young woman might die, perhaps she might be barren.<br />
(Van BreugeI2001:152)<br />
The nyau presence at the initiation of girls is also to 'inculcate right behaviour' and, at<br />
the same time, frighten them and punish previous bad behaviour.<br />
The nyau dancers' use of obscene language (zolaula)15 in their songs, where repeated<br />
mention is made of the male and female sexual organs, is to show the people's appre-<br />
22
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