Malawi
has a rich and colourful culture, with many
tribes, languages and customs that are unique
to this small land-locked country.
Use
the links below to find out more about the various
aspects of Malawian culture. If you would like
more information about a specific part of Malawian
life, email us at nick@experiencemalawi.com.
Contents:
Tribes
There
are a number of different tribes that inhabit
Malawi, including:
- Chewa
- Nyanja
-
Tumbuka
-
Yao
-
Lomwe
-
Sena
- Tonga
-
Ngoni
- and
Ngonde to name but a few!
The
Tonga Tribe
The
Tonga tribe that inhabit the Chintheche area (also
home to Sambani
Lodge), are known for being particulalry friendly
and welcoming. Their greeting is,“Timuwoneni”,
which translates to, “may we greet you?”
The reply to this is “Yewu”,
which means, “thank you”. (for further
language tips, download our Malawi
Phrasebook and make an optional donation to
the orphanage via PayPal)
The
Tonga were originally nomadic, but seem to have
settled in the Chintheche area.
There
are some local jokes about the Tonga people: As
a race, they are meticulous about their appearance
and it is often said locally that a Tonga man
will wear a suit complete with collar and tie,
while the shirt beneath the jacket will be in
tatters (except the collar, of course). They will
also carry a handkerchief and a briefcase –
the former so that they can dust themselves down
after a car has passed.
If
you don’t find this hugely amusing, don’t
worry – you’ll soon get the hang of
Malawian humour (which tends to be quite bitchy!)
The
Chewa Tribe
The
most prolific of the Malawian Tribes, Chewa has
become the officially recognised language in Malawi
- taught in schools from a young age, children
learn to speak Chewa alongside their regional
tribal language, and in addition to English.
National
Dress
Men
There is no specific national dress for Malawian
men as such - they mainly wear western clothes
such as jeans and t-shirts. There are a number,
however, who will wear religious robes or clothing.
Women
Women, on the other hand, traditionally wear a
Chitenje (phonetically pronounced
chi-ten-jay), similar to
a large sarong, often with an elaborate pattern
or design. They also often wear a matching headcloth
and blouse if they can afford it. The great thing
about the Chitenje is it has all sorts of ingenious
uses such as a baby carrier, head scarf, oven
mitts, and the list goes on!
There are different designs for different occasions,
and many women will get their finest clothes on
for a trip to church on a Sunday.
Relationships
Generally
Malawians do not show affection in public. It
is quite common, however, for men or women who
are friends to openly hold hands while walking
down the street - something which can feel quite
strange for people from a western culture.
Greetings
Hand-shakes
are the most common way of greeting people in
Malawi. Anyone seen as being younger, or slightly
lower in social standing may bow slightly, or
courtsey. Often you will see younger people also
rest one hand on the other as an extra sign of
respect.
Language
As
per the tribes above, there are many languages
in Malawi. English and Chewa are the most widely
spoken, though if you travel to the northern regions,
you will hear a lot more people speaking Tumbuka
as well. Why not download our Chewa
Phrasebook?
Food
The basic food of life in Malawi is Nsima
(phonetically en-see-ma), which is maize flour
mised with water to make a thick porridge. This
is generally served with beans, or vegetables
(such as spinach or 'greens' in a tomoto-and-onion
sauce, and if the family is well-off, sometimes
meat. Along with cassava and rice (a sometimes
expensive commodity) carbohydrates or stodge is
the cornerstone of any malawian meal, along with
a minimal amount of sauce - so anyone on atkins
is going to struggle!
Malawian
hospitality revolves around the food that they
feed you so don't be surprised if you are fed
first and the most!
