FROM CHINAMWALI TO CHILANGIZO:

lood decreases, the colour also becomes lighter. When the menstruation finishes, the
girl will see white substance coming from her private parts. White, therefore, stands for
purity. It means that she can now have sexual relations.
4.7 CONCLUSION
The phenomenological description of chinamwali has shown that the rite is not just a
socio-cultural practice, but that it fulfils a most significant socio-religious purpose
within the Chewa society. The initiates are separated from the 'profane' world and put
into a five-day sacred seclusion period to receive instruction for their new roles as
adults. The main focus of chinamwali is instruction in sexuality. We have seen that the
girls are brought in touch with the realm of the spirits, represented by the presence of
nyau throughout the ceremony. The girls' relating to the ancestral spirits and the myste­
rious atmosphere gives them a different understanding ofthe spiritual realm in terms of
their powers. If they disobey any of the customs, punishment will befall them. If they
carry out all the customs they will be blessed with healthy children. The young women
come out ofthe chinamwali ceremony with a new perspective on their identity; they con­
fidently recognize that they are now fully Chewa women. The Chewa chinamwali for
girls can be likened to the Ashanti nubility rites in Ghana as summarized by Sarpong:
The facts have shown that the rites are, in the ftrst place, a religious exercise... They purify
the girl and thus orientate her into adult womanhood in which her former a-sexual life is
replaced by access to sexuality (within legitimate and decent limits), and this gives her the
right to marry. The rites focus attention on the girl and give her that publicity through which
she hopes to attract a husband. They further serve as an instrument of instruction in the qualities
of a wife, in motherhood, and in maternal attributes... The same rites engender social
solidarity and reciprocal assistance among members of a community. They also act as sanctions
against bad husbands.
(Sarpong 1977:89)
The above phenomenological description and analysis reflects the socio-religious sig­
nificance of chinamwali in Chewa society. In chinamwali the young woman is treated
as a whole person and is re-incorporated back into the community as an adult. In section
3.7 it was mentioned that Baptist women's conversion to the Christian faith caused
them to ask more questions concerning their new faith. The following chapter discusses
the developments that led to these questions and the nature ofthe Church's response.
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