Thursday, June 27, 2013
The Malawi Culture And Customs
By Leonor Rivera
Malawi is one of the most well known countries in south eastern part of Africa and is very famous for its rich culture and customs among the whole continent. Now always remember that there is no single Malawian culture simply because there are so many tribes in this country. However, the Malawi culture all share some common customs and practices which will probably never die out.
Language for example, is one thing that the Malawians differ in because each part of this country will have their own unique dialect. Of course in the entire country, there are three primary languages that are being used by the people which are Chitimbuka, Chichewa, and Chiyao. Probably the most dominant of these three would be the Chichewa which came from the Chewa tribe and is known to be one of the biggest tribes in the country.
As for religion, there is actually a small percentage of those who still fully practice their traditional religious customs. Surprisingly, a big percentage of the entire country are all made out of either Islams or Christians. Although many are of a different religion, all of these people still do their small religious practices like blessing their houses and such.
Also, just as their forefathers did, many tribes of these Malawians still live in huts or community long houses. Although some areas have already been modernized, many people still stick to the traditional way of doing things. Probably the only difference in building huts would be that the huts today will also make use of some cement or bricks in order to be sturdier.
Of course the Malawian dance is something that makes them unique from other cultures as it incorporates many summoning rituals. The Gule Wamkulu is probably one of the most significant dances in this entire because it is a religious one. This dance is said to be able to summon different kinds of spirits like forest spirits, animal spirits, and even spirits of the dead.
Now do not think that all of these Malawian dances were just used for religious practices. In fact, there are also some dances that were used for the sole purpose of entertainment. The Chitalele is a dance where in young women from each tribe would perform during an inter tribe dance competition.
Lastly, one will always notice that the clothing of the women are extremely distinct as compared to other African tribes. They wear clothing that is known as a Chitenje which is a piece of clothing that is worn over a top and a skirt. It is actually a multipurpose piece of clothing that can be used as a baby carrier, pot holder, or even a basket.
So for those who are interested in studying Malawi culture, take a look at some of these things. Even if the country has a hundred tribes present, all of them will definitely share some common practices and customs. The ones that were mentioned above are probably the most common ones in the entire history of this African region.
Language for example, is one thing that the Malawians differ in because each part of this country will have their own unique dialect. Of course in the entire country, there are three primary languages that are being used by the people which are Chitimbuka, Chichewa, and Chiyao. Probably the most dominant of these three would be the Chichewa which came from the Chewa tribe and is known to be one of the biggest tribes in the country.
As for religion, there is actually a small percentage of those who still fully practice their traditional religious customs. Surprisingly, a big percentage of the entire country are all made out of either Islams or Christians. Although many are of a different religion, all of these people still do their small religious practices like blessing their houses and such.
Also, just as their forefathers did, many tribes of these Malawians still live in huts or community long houses. Although some areas have already been modernized, many people still stick to the traditional way of doing things. Probably the only difference in building huts would be that the huts today will also make use of some cement or bricks in order to be sturdier.
Of course the Malawian dance is something that makes them unique from other cultures as it incorporates many summoning rituals. The Gule Wamkulu is probably one of the most significant dances in this entire because it is a religious one. This dance is said to be able to summon different kinds of spirits like forest spirits, animal spirits, and even spirits of the dead.
Now do not think that all of these Malawian dances were just used for religious practices. In fact, there are also some dances that were used for the sole purpose of entertainment. The Chitalele is a dance where in young women from each tribe would perform during an inter tribe dance competition.
Lastly, one will always notice that the clothing of the women are extremely distinct as compared to other African tribes. They wear clothing that is known as a Chitenje which is a piece of clothing that is worn over a top and a skirt. It is actually a multipurpose piece of clothing that can be used as a baby carrier, pot holder, or even a basket.
So for those who are interested in studying Malawi culture, take a look at some of these things. Even if the country has a hundred tribes present, all of them will definitely share some common practices and customs. The ones that were mentioned above are probably the most common ones in the entire history of this African region.
About the Author:
For current information about the Malawi culture, go to the home pages at www.inaturals.net today. You can see details about products here at http://www.inaturals.net now.
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