FROM CHINAMWALI TO CHILANGIZO:
FROM CHINAMWALI TO CHILANGIZO: FROM CHINAMWALI TO CHILANGIZO:
that our likulu is in heaven, and the local church is the centre around which all work should be done. In the traditional structure of most African societies there is a central authority and a central place at the chiefs court. In the Chewa society for example, while a chief con curs with his people, they still look to him as a decision-maker and his court is where decisions and policies are made. It is this concept that is in the people's minds with regard to both the executive committees as decision makers, and Lilongwe as their headquarters. 25 This loose ecclesiastical structure with its absence of centralized author ity has both positive and negative effects with regard to the work of chilangizo in the Baptist churches. 3.9 CONCLUSION This chapter has traced factors from the history that influenced the emergence of na tional Baptist Convention churches in Malawi (then Nyasaland). It has been shown that their Western cultural background shaped the North American Baptist missionaries as carriers ofthe Gospel to Africa. Africans too, as receivers and evangelists ofthe Gospel, were influenced by their religious and political environment and background. These historical factors have shaped the impact of the Gospel on Malawi women who then raised a new set of questions, especially in the area that touched them most - that of chinamwali which traditionally is a key element in the religious framework of the Chewa. Some elements of Baptist doctrine and polity that directly or indirectly influ ence the issue ofchilangizo have been highlighted. Ecclesiastically, this study limits itself to the geographical area of Lilongwe, which is predominantly Chewa. As this study is on the Christianization of a traditional practice, the following chapter discusses the Chewa traditional rite for the girls called china mwali. 39
4. CHEWA TRADITIONAL FEMALE INITIATION RITES: CHINAMWALI 4.1 INTRODUCTION It has been demonstrated by scholars such as V Turner (quoted by Bourdillon 1990:18 24) and Van Gennep (1960) that the meaning and significance ofreligion is 'essentially entrenched and transmitted' through its rituals. Although Chewa traditional society has undergone many changes during the past centuries (Chaponda 1998: 1-1 0), initiation rites still form an integral part of contemporary Chewa culture. There are male initiation rites into nyau society, as well as female initiation rites. Isabel Phiri (1997:34-36) has argued that the importance of female initiation rites 'can also be measured in terms of the fact that the Chewa had four stages of initiation ceremonies for women. ,26 In order to understand the impact and significance of initiation rites on Chewa society, this chapter gives a phenomenological description of the traditional initiation rites for girls and an analysis of the instruction given to the girls. It is argued that apart from the sociological and cultural importance, it is within the religious context that initiation rites have the most significant impact on Chewa society. 4.2 THE CHEWA PUBERTY RITES As in many African societies, female initiation rites were and are still very important in Chewa society. When a young Chewa girl is initiated upon her first menstruation she becomes a member not only ofher family but also of the whole community, 'and takes on adult responsibilities and community responsibilities, including that of replenishing the race' (Oduyoye 1992:12). The girls' initiation rites have much religious significance for the Chewa people as seen in the following exposition of a girl's journey from her first menstruation experience through to the time she undergoes the chinamwali cere mony, called mkangali. When a girl experiences her first menstruation she undergoes a ceremony called chikule performed for a smooth transition from childhood to adulthood. The belief among the 40
- 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 30 and 31: cross boundaries), and ziwanda ('ev
- 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 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
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- Page 82 and 83: 5. CHILANGIZO: A CHRISTIAN RESPONSE
- Page 84 and 85: Merely to condemn their rites and g
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- Page 94 and 95: 6.2 CHILANGIZO CEREMONY AT CHIMENYA
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4. CHEWA TRADITIONAL FEMALE INITIATION RITES: <strong>CHINAMWALI</strong><br />
4.1 INTRODUCTION<br />
It has been demonstrated by scholars such as V Turner (quoted by Bourdillon 1990:18<br />
24) and Van Gennep (1960) that the meaning and significance ofreligion is 'essentially<br />
entrenched and transmitted' through its rituals. Although Chewa traditional society has<br />
undergone many changes during the past centuries (Chaponda 1998: 1-1 0), initiation<br />
rites still form an integral part of contemporary Chewa culture. There are male initiation<br />
rites into nyau society, as well as female initiation rites. Isabel Phiri (1997:34-36) has<br />
argued that the importance of female initiation rites 'can also be measured in terms of<br />
the fact that the Chewa had four stages of initiation ceremonies for women. ,26 In order<br />
to understand the impact and significance of initiation rites on Chewa society, this<br />
chapter gives a phenomenological description of the traditional initiation rites for girls<br />
and an analysis of the instruction given to the girls. It is argued that apart from the<br />
sociological and cultural importance, it is within the religious context that initiation rites<br />
have the most significant impact on Chewa society.<br />
4.2 THE CHEWA PUBERTY RITES<br />
As in many African societies, female initiation rites were and are still very important in<br />
Chewa society. When a young Chewa girl is initiated upon her first menstruation she<br />
becomes a member not only ofher family but also of the whole community, 'and takes<br />
on adult responsibilities and community responsibilities, including that of replenishing<br />
the race' (Oduyoye 1992:12). The girls' initiation rites have much religious significance<br />
for the Chewa people as seen in the following exposition of a girl's journey from her<br />
first menstruation experience through to the time she undergoes the chinamwali cere<br />
mony, called mkangali.<br />
When a girl experiences her first menstruation she undergoes a ceremony called chikule<br />
performed for a smooth transition from childhood to adulthood. The belief among the<br />
40
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