Huffman, T. N. (2005).Mapungubwe:Ancient African
Civilization on the Limpopo. Johannesburg: Wits
University Press.
Mukanya, S. (2003).Dynamics of History. Harare:
College Press.
Mutswairo, S. (1994).Chaminuka:Prophet of
Zimbabwe. New York: HarperCollins.
Nyathi, P. (2005).Zimbabwe’s Cultural Heritage.
Bulawayo: amaBooks.
CHEWA
The Chewa people live in Malawi and Zambia.
There are more than 2 million Chewa spread
throughout these countries. They claim origin
from the Nyanja people, who were part of the
great migration of the tropical people from West
Central Africa to the southeast. The Chewa
people believe, as told in their oral traditions, that
they came from the region of Nigeria and
Cameroon around 1000 AD. They are related to
the Baluba of Congo. Many of the people moved
to the high mountainous region of northeastern
Zambia and northern Malawi, where they are
concentrated around the city of Lilongwe. This
entry looks at their culture and the religious roles
of men and women.
The Chewa CultureThe Chewa people have always been deeply
devoted to their ancestral traditions, exercising an
enormous energy toward preserving the records of
their origins and migrations. They are rich in cul-
tural forms, dances, societies, and art. They are
committed to advancing their cultural values
among their children through rituals and ceremo-
nial dramas. In fact, most cultural elements in
Malawi are influenced by the Chewa.
The Chewa people retain much of their cul-
ture from the past in terms of religion and orga-
nization. For example, the unity of the Chewa
based on their ethnic divisions, such as the Phiri
and Banda clans, remains a factor in Malawian
politics and society. The surnamesBanda Phiri
suggest the widespread presence of the ancient
Chewa identity.
Religion among the Chewa starts with the idea
of the Creator Deity Chiuta, who created all living
things on the mountain of Kapirintiwa along the
borders of Malawi and Mozambique. Like many
other traditional beliefs, the Chewa hold that the
ancestors and spirits are necessary for the proper
organization and operation of society. They
believe that one can contact the ancestors and
spirits and they can reciprocate through ritual.
One way to ensure contact is to be initiated into
Nyau, a society of secrets.
In general, the Chewa people have incorpo-
rated many ideas from the West into their
culture. Surrounded by neighbors who have dif-
ferent origins, the Chewa have been steadfast in
keeping their African traditions at the center of
their social and religious lives. This strong pro-
tectionism of Chewa culture may be what is
responsible for their constant support of cultural
rituals and ceremonies.Men’s and Women’s Roles
It is traditional to speak of the “giant dance”
called Gule Wamkulu among the Chewa as the
best way to understand the religious culture.
These formal dances, Gule, are organized to allow
the spirits and the ancestors to appear in the soci-
ety. Dancers who are selected through initiation
are considered powerful because of their spiritual
state of possession. Men dressed as ancestral spir-
its in the form of trees, humans, and animals pre-
sent themselves in formal societies. During these
dances, the men who are dressed as ancestral fig-
ures are not to be touched. Indeed, if you pass one
of these men on the road, you must make a sacri-
fice, give some money or a gift, or else you might
fall victim to the unpredictable behavior of the
Gule in their ancestral state.
The strength of Chewa kinship seems to be the
Gule formations in small groups of four or five
members who move about a village. They create a
spirit of order and community as they move
through the villages. People run inside houses to
avoid approaching or touching the Gule Wamkulu
spirits as they move about. Nevertheless, there is a
sense of security and solidarity when the people
see them because they are a part of the continua-
tion of the society.
Gule dancers may be requested by the king to
perform at funerals, weddings, and births. They
are always present at initiation rites and cere-
monies. The dances are celebratory and ritualistic,Chewa 159