FROM CHINAMWALI TO CHILANGIZO:

There are many things in these ceremonies in conflict with the demands of Christianity....The
initiation ofthe young pagan girl is accompanied with much cruelty and degradation,
and it was to rescue our young girls from this that we had to decide which
steps had to be taken. Experience shows us that the African regards his traditional rites
as something possessing very great power, and even now with civilisation coming to
them at such a rapid pace, we fmd it difficult to let them realise that there is no actual
power in these tribal rites.
(quoted by Ross 1996:103)
Other factors, such as the association of chinamwali with nyau, the association of chi­
namwali with low attendance of girls at school, and the belief that chinamwali was sin­
ful, also contributed to the ban (pauw 1980:332-333, Phiri 1998:56). Right from the
beginning, the mission set about building schools and churches, as well as providing
medical facilities for the people. Women missionaries in particular, 'concentrated on
work among women and girls in evangelism and primary education, general mission
programmes ofprimary education, and hospital work' (phiri 1998:45). Boarding homes
for girls were set up in order to lead them to faith in Christ and to build up good Chris­
tian character in them, 'while also training them as future wives and mothers of Chris­
tian families and as useful members of society' (Pauw 1980:200). While the establish­
ment of these programmes coupled with the condemnation of the rite were meant to be
liberative for the girls, many people failed to join DRCM, some withdrew, while others
continued secretly practising chinamwali (phiri 1998:133). This showed how important
chinamwali was (and still is) in the social organisation ofthe matrilineal Chewa people,
for without undergoing initiation, it is not possible to be accepted as a full adult member
in Chewa society.
In the 1920's some change of attitude towards cultural practices was felt at interna­
tional, national, and at local levels. Similarly, at the Church level, one ofthe DRC mis­
sionaries suggested that 'the church should consider starting a Christian initiation cere­
mony,' for mere banning, without any alternative, 'did more harm than good.' (Phiri
1998:133). Although others saw only the negative elements and disagreed with the sug­
gestion, the Church officially endorsed what some Christian women had already started
informally. In 1930 the Church officially accepted the 'christianized' chilangizo (Pauw
1980:333, Phiri 1998:134). This was also reflected in Stegmann's extract:
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