FROM CHINAMWALI TO CHILANGIZO:

for us the Chewa people!' (This time I saw a little bit ofthe girl's labia). I walked out as
the second girl was about to go out. I went and waited in the living room together with
one instructress.
The other instructress walked in, followed by the two girls, looking smart, but not in
new clothes. One lady came in and complained about the third girl who had delayed and
said: 'It is not good for them to bath separately; they are supposed to leave all their dirt
at the same time!' So the bathing of the dirt symbolised dying to the old life. However,
the third girl arrived during the instruction time. She was led and ushered in to where
her friends sat. I am sure it was after her bath as well.
In the house, the girls were seated together on one long chair, I sat on another chair and
the two instructresses sat on another chair. One instructress, who was also related to the
girls, called in all the other women for prayer. Some of them sat on the floor. One
instructress prayed. After prayer, all the other women went out and continued preparing
food. The two instructresses and I remained inside with the girls.
While we were all seated, one instructress read to the girls from the booklet the whole
section concerning the puberty rite, including the instructions for the instructresses. The
girls were seated still, with their heads slightly bowed down (see Plate 4). She read for
about fifteen minutes.
In the end she asked the girls, 'Mumamvetsera? (Have you been listening?) Then in
turns the two instructresses emphasized the following points, sometimes repeating the
same point several times. Below is my own arrangement, but the instruction was given
randomly.
Respect. The girls were instructed to respect their parents, chiefs, and all elderly people.
Vlemu (respect) is very precious wealth. They should kneel before their father for he is
their second 'god.' They should not despise the parents just because they are now
adults. They have brought them to where they are now. 'In the past we used to help the
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