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.
Now up until today, the Malawians are still living in their huts or long houses which is where their forefathers stayed in. It is true that there are places in the country that have been modernized but many still do not want to let go of their old ways. However, these days the huts and long houses are now made out of better material like bricks other than the flimsy straw material.
The Malawian people are also known to have captivating dances that stem from their religions and traditional practices. The most common one would be the Gule Wamkulu which came from one of the more secretive tribe religions. Back in the olden days, this dance was said to be able to bring forth the spirits of people who have died as well as forest and animal spirits.
Now aside from these religious dances, the Malawians also had dances that were done just for entertainment or for fun. The Chitalele is one of them and is done usually at night by the young women of each tribe. There are even competitions held where in each tribe will send a representative who will compete in an inter tribe dance battle.
Now another thing that is very unique to the Malawians would be the of the women. The Chitenje is a piece of clothing that all women would wear over their skirts. This piece of cloth is actually a cloth that can be used to carry just about anything like fruits, pots, or even a baby.
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.
Now up until today, the Malawians are still living in their huts or long houses which is where their forefathers stayed in. It is true that there are places in the country that have been modernized but many still do not want to let go of their old ways. However, these days the huts and long houses are now made out of better material like bricks other than the flimsy straw material.
The Malawian people are also known to have captivating dances that stem from their religions and traditional practices. The most common one would be the Gule Wamkulu which came from one of the more secretive tribe religions. Back in the olden days, this dance was said to be able to bring forth the spirits of people who have died as well as forest and animal spirits.
Now aside from these religious dances, the Malawians also had dances that were done just for entertainment or for fun. The Chitalele is one of them and is done usually at night by the young women of each tribe. There are even competitions held where in each tribe will send a representative who will compete in an inter tribe dance battle.
Now another thing that is very unique to the Malawians would be the of the women. The Chitenje is a piece of clothing that all women would wear over their skirts. This piece of cloth is actually a cloth that can be used to carry just about anything like fruits, pots, or even a baby.
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.
No comments:
Post a Comment