Malawi

History and Culture

Malawis history and culture is a flavorful blend of activities and traditions of

the many tribes which make up this formerly isolated country occupied for
countless millennia by early humans. Tolerance of diverse religions, customs
and beliefs is paramount as 90 percent of Malawis population still lives the
same village they have for generations.

History
The human race began on the shores of Lake Malawi, confirmed by the 1991
discovery of a hominid jawbone near Uraha village dated about two and half
million years ago, with further human settlement proven between 50,000 and
60,000 years ago. Modern man didn't arrive in the area until about 8,000 BC.
Travelers admiring the dramatic Great Rift Valley and its massive lake are
gazing on lands first viewed by humanitys most remote ancestors.

Hunter-gatherers with characteristics resembling the Bushmen of South Africa

wandered the country until a thousand years ago. Successive waves of
migration by Bantu people displaced the original tribes and established the
Maravi Empire by 1500 AD, reaching north of Nkhotakota to the River
Zambezi and from the Luanhwa River to Lake Malawi. A hundred years later,
tribal people began trading with the Portuguese military and by 1700, the
kingdom had broken into individual enclaves.

The Arab/Swahili slave trade was at its height by the 19th century, with an
estimated 20,000 people captured and transported in groups of 500 through
Nkhotakota to the island of Kilwa to be sold. Chewa tribes were the main
traders, selling iron, ivory and slaves destined for plantations in Brazil or
Mozambique to the Portuguese and Zanzibar Arab slavers. The 1859 arrival of
British missionary and explorer David Livingstone brought links to the
Scottish Presbyterian church resulting in a missionary invasion of the region

in an attempt to end the slave trade and convert the tribes.

By Livingstones arrival, Malawi, then called Nyasaland, was under British

control, and by the turn of the century, slavery had been abolished. British
rule continued until 1953 when Britain linked the country with neighboring
Northern and Southern Rhodesia under the umbrella of politically-inspired
Central African Federation. African nationalists objected, and the previouslyformed Nyasaland African Congress began to gain support. Dr Hastings
Banda became its leader, resulting in his imprisonment in 1959.

Banda was released a year later and his Malawi Congress Party was elected in
1961, becoming Prime Minister in 1963. A year later the country won
independence and became the single-party state of Malawi. Banda ruled for
30 years, fiercely suppressing opposition, and turning the poverty-stricken
country into a progressive African nation through the construction of his own
business empire. Towards the end of Bandas life, demands for increased
freedom resulted in a national vote for a multi-party democracy to which he
agreed in 1993, thus ending his autocratic rule.

During the last 20 years the political environment under several successive
presidents has changed considerably, although the multi-party system
remains in the present day. President Mutharika was considered by many to
have ignored the growing need for human rights and in July 2011, violent
protests took place, resulting in a number of deaths for the cause. In April
2012, Mutharika died from a heart attack, with his position taken over by Vice
President, Joyce Banda. It remains to be seen what effect she will have on the
country, although the signs are encouraging.
Culture

Malawi's culture is rich and fascinating due to the countrys ethnic mix of
tribes, all of which have unique customs and traditions. Most Malawians live
outside the cities in traditional villages based on agriculture, with each family
working as a group. Housing, languages, dress, song, dance, and beliefs are
as varied as the tribes themselves. The style and decoration of clothing
denotes the individual's tribe, with the most important garment the chitenge,
a wrap-around skirt worn by women over a regular skirt to be used as a babycarrier, apron, basket, and more.

The dominant religion is Christianity, seen in various forms including

Jehovahs Witnesses and more conventional sects. However, traditional
beliefs still flourish, with Malawians seeing no conflict between the two
extremes. Many Christians consult with local healers and take part in ancient
animistic rituals led by spiritual chiefs. Religious persuasion, tribal identity
and political affiliation are closely intertwined in Malawi, along with tolerance
of all beliefs including Islam, the second most prominent religion.

Music and dance are an essential part of cultural life, both urban and rural
communities, with a-capella gospel songs and reggae from the countrys
Rastafarian community the most-loved. The oldest forms of music and dance
are found in the mysterious Gule Wamkulu region with its unique, ancient
beliefs. Gule dancers are believed to have the power to summon the spirits of
ancestors and animals through their movement, while Chitelele dances are
performed across the country at inter-village contests by young girls.

Batik and carving are highly-respected art forms in Malawi, with designs
representing stylized pictures of village life and animals. Teak, ebony and
mahogany carvings including masks, figurines, traditional three-legged
tables, and chiefs chairs are highly coveted souvenirs. Literature is via oral
tradition, although nowadays ancient legends and tales are written down for
posterity. Traveling performers are welcomed into the villages for shows of
morality and slapstick comedy based on stock characters and interpreting the
events of daily life.