FROM CHINAMWALI TO CHILANGIZO:

Teaching on the observance of taboos is very important in Chewa society. Most of the
taboos require sexual abstinence. According to Van Breugel (2001: 172-73), this is due
to the belief that 'sexual activity, sexual and menstrual fluids are highly mysterious and
powerful and therefore dangerous.' Ifthe taboos are not properly observed, the result is
that the mizimu become angry, hence they can punish by withdrawing fertility, or
inflicting sickness on the 'law breaker', or even death to a child.
The demonstration on sexual taboos is usually through drama showing a husband mak­
ing sexual advances to his wife. The wife refuses because she is either having her
period; the mother is away; or a child is sick. The women demonstrate that the man suc­
ceeded after several attempts. They use the drama to teach that this should not happen
for it is the wife's responsibility to refuse.
The vigil for the girls and the machembere (elderly women) is the focal point for the
girls' chinamwali, at whatever occasion the girls' are initiated, and sex education is the
main event. The belief is that any girl who has not been traditionally initiated 'does not
know anything.' She is ignorant, therefore is a 'child' and cannot marry one who is ini­
tiated.
4.6 INTERPRETATION AND MEANING OF CHINAMWALI
The above description and analysis of the initiation ceremony for girls shows that ini­
tiation rites play a very significant religious, social and educational role in Chewa
society. However, in addition to the form, initiation rites, like other religious rituals, are
also symbolic in nature and an understanding of the generalized meanings and the
underlying particular meanings ofthe rite will be helpful in our evaluation as to whether
the Christian faith responded adequately to the chinamwali.
According to Van Gennep's classification of rituals, initiation rites come under the
category of rites ofpassage, which involve rites of separation, rites of transition, and
rites of incorporation (1960:1-11). Van Gennep's classification is similar to Turner's
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