Chewa in Malawi had held the power of rain. In
effect, the priestesses or mediums were really the
protectors of the social, physical, and moral life of
the people. They were not rhetorical analysts or
theologians, but rather defenders of the true faith
of the people in the power of the Supreme God
to bring about order and harmony in the midst of
chaos. The pattern of medium intervention in
society is a religious one because the aim is to
reorient the society toward balance.
Zimbabwe grew out of the Mutapa Empire,
which was steeped in the traditions of mediums.
Indeed, in its history, there is the story of a great
king, Matope, who found his army cut off by the
forces of the priestess Chikara. He had to discover
the source of her genius and strategy. Once he was
able to detect the source of what was considered
her magical powers, Matope was able to protect
his soldiers, and the priestess Chikara vanished in
the Great Pool.
No medium has ever reached the significance
or importance of Nehanda, who was the daughter
of the founding king of the Mutapa Empire. Her
ritual marriage to Matope gave supernatural pow-
ers to the Mutapa Empire. After her death, she
became a mhondoro spirit who could be appealed
to by mediums,masvikiro. When thesvikirowas
possessed by the spirit of Nehanda, she was said
to be the personality and voice of Nehanda, and
thus she was able to sanction the actions of the
traditional state.
In the 19th century, the greatest of these medi-
ums was Charwe, who led the battle against the
British colonial settlers in the First Chimurenga in
- She refused to convert to Christianity and
struggled against her enemies even as she was
being hanged by the British. This established a
long line of Nehandas in the country, making it
universally understood by the traditional Shona
that the people are never without their medium.
Molefi Kete AsanteSeealsoChaminuka; Nehanda
Further Readings
Asante, M. K., & Nwadiora, E. (2006).Spearmasters:
Introduction to African Religion. Lanham, MD:
University Press of America.
Mbiti, J. (1997).African Religion. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis
Books.
Parrinder, G. (1954).African Traditional Religion.
London: Hutchinson House.MENDE
The Mende people, who number about 1 million,
are found in West Africa, more precisely in the
southern and eastern parts of the country known
today as Sierra Leone. However, the presence of a
small Mende community is also attested in the
western part of neighboring Liberia. The Mende
oral tradition, as well as linguistic evidence, indi-
cates that the Mende migrated from western
Sudan, probably in several waves, between 200
and 1500 AD. Their language is also called
Mende (sometimes spelled Mande).
Mende cosmology is based on the belief in one
Supreme Being and a multiplicity of spirits. The
Supreme Being, commonly calledNgewo, is also
known by the more ancient name ofLeve. Ngewo
is thought of as the supreme force and power
responsible for the creation of the universe and all
that it contains: human beings, animals, plants,
medicine, and so on. Although omnipresent in
daily Mende life and thought, Ngewo is, as in
most other African religious traditions, with-
drawn from the world, having retired in the heav-
ens above. Thus, Ngewo’s direct involvement in
human affairs remains minimal.
Instead, Ngewo is assisted by the ancestors and
other spirits. Spirits act as intermediaries between
the living and Ngewo. As such, they are venerated
and receive prayers, offerings, and sacrifices.
Some scholars divide Mende spirits into two broad
categories: ancestral and nonancestral spirits.Ancestral Spirits
The ancestral spirits refer to the spirits of departed
family and community members. Ancestral spirits
are the object of much care. Upon dying, and to
access the ancestral world, a person must embark
on a most critical journey that involves the suc-
cessful crossing of a river. To assist the recently
deceased individual, the living must perform
certain rituals, known astindyamei. Of particular422 Mende