In many African countries, people do have different norms and beliefs according to the ethnic group that one belongs to.
So, if you are a member of one ethnic group, you are automatically abided by the norms and beliefs of that particular group.
This is done for the sake of uniformity and at some point for cultural preservation.
Malawi is one of the African countries that is well known on cultural traditions and beliefs.
And there are different ethnic groups that have different norms and traditions some of those groups are Lhomwe, Tumbuka, Chewa, Ngoni and Yao.
So, this blog, will take us to Malawi where we are going to look at some of the ethnic groups and their traditional beliefs.

Let’s start by looking at the Lhomwe tribe.
Lhomwe people are found in southern part of Malawi, within the districts of Thyolo, Mulanje, Chiladzulu as well as Phalombe. They Used to speak chilhomwe.
It is believed that the Lhomwe tribe was originated from Mozambique, where they migrated to Malawi.
Lhomwe cultural tribe has been known by various aspects such as dances, songs, foods, marriage systems among others.
In cultural dances, the Lhomwe tribe has been known by Tchopa.
This is the type of traditional dances that involves both men and women.
It is useful in various occasions such as in wedding ceremonies, chief installation ceremonies, initiation ceremonies, and also it was used as a welcoming function to a very important person who has just come to visit the territory.
In the past years, Tchopa dance was very useful when there is shortage or no rainfall.
So in that situation, people used to dance and sing so that they beg their ancestors to forgive their wrong deeds, and give them rain for their crops and animals.
When the rain came, they know that gods have answered their prayers, but when there is no rain, they set another day for the same occasion up until they have answered.
So Tchopa dance was used as a mediator among people and ancestors.
Though nowadays this activity does not exist.

On top of cultural dances, Lhomwe people are also known for their food.
In fact, they like local foods than western foods.
For example, they eat pigeon peas (Nandolo), Cow peas (Kalongonda), Thobwa among others.

In addition to that, the Lhomwe culture has got its own marriage system known as Chikamwini, whereby a man is supposed to stay at a wife’s home, and it’s rarely to find a woman at the husband’s home.
So, they believe that women are the ones to own the land in the community, whereby men are wanderers, so that they going to cultivate wherever they married. In Tumbuka tradition, they have also aspects that specify them from other ethnic groups.
Tumbukas are found in the northern part of Malawi specifically in Mzimba, Rumphi, Karonga and Chitipa districts.
They speak Chitumbuka as their mother language.
So Tumbuka culture has been known by various aspects such as dances, songs, foods marriage systems among others.
Their common dance is Vimbuza the healing dance, this is called the healing dance in a sense that, whenever someone is sick, Vimbuza is performed to ask for the healing mercies from the ancestors.
So Vimbuza is a very important traditional dance in the northern region of Malawi.
Below is an illustration of the Vimbuza dance.

Not only that, but also there is Chewa ethnic in Malawi.
Actually, this group is found in the districts within the central region such as Ntchisi, Dedza, Dowa, Lilongwe, Kasungu and Mchinji.
But also, it exists in some parts of Zambia.
Chewa as well, has its own beliefs which specify their beliefs from others. Some of them are traditional dances and their type of food. To be honest, Chewa is the most cultural preserving ethnic in which most cultural dances are performed.
Some of the dances are Gule wa mkulu, Kang’wing’wi, Makanja, Kamano and others.
Unlike lhomwe, all these dances are performed by men which are known as “zilombo”. These dances are performed on various occasions such as Kulamba, which is a big ceremony which takes place once a year.
At this ceremony all Chewa people from various locations come together to have their annual cerebration.
They choose where to celebrate either in Malawi or in Zambia where their leader Kalonga Gawaundi reside.
So, all the cultural dances move from their residing places (kudambwe) to where the ceremony is taking place.

Apart from local dances, Chewa is known for their type of food. Most of the Chewa are familiar with nsima and pumpkin leaves (nkhwani) as their local food.
Mice is also taken as their food by the Chewa tribe.

In case of marriage, Chewa use lobola system of marriage, where a man supposed to pay bride price whether in form of money or cattle.
All aforementioned beliefs, Chewa people try to familiarize themselves while they are young. To continue with, let’s see another group known as the Ngoni.
This ethnic is said to from Kwazulu Natal in south Africa.
Due to disagreement among Ngoni, there was a fight which led some of them to left south Africa to come here in Malawi under the leadership of Zwangendaba (Zwangendawa).
Upon reaching here in Malawi, they divided into two groups, the Jere Ngoni (Northern region) and the Maseko Ngoni (central region).
Though they divided into two groups, they still share the same beliefs such as traditional dances and food.
On traditional dances, Ngoni performs Ngoma/Ingoma. Ngoma is mostly performed by males in different occasions such as chief installation, initiation ceremonies, they also perform it before settling war and as a sign of victory.

They usually wear animal skin’s head gears and also bow and arrow in their hands. Hunting is a habit in the Ngoni ethnic group.
So, the Ngoni’s are well known for their four pillars namely meat, beer, Ngoma and ladies (womanizing).

Once in a year, Ngoni people gather at a certain occasion known as “unthetho wa angoni,” whereby all Ngonis from different parts of Malawi and outside the country are gathered to share their common views.

Yao is another ethnic group that exist in Malawi. This group is found in the eastern region of Malawi in the districts of Mangochi, Machinga, Balaka and in some parts of Zomba.
Their ancestors were from Mozambique, where they migrated to Malawi through Mangochi and settled in various aforementioned districts.
Yao people known to be great traders just because there are one to introduce trading activities in Malawi since they traded with Arabs.
There are reasons that made them cling to trade rather than farming or any other activities, these are mountainous land that was not suitable for crops in Mozambique, and also droughts.
So due to the reason of trade, the Yaos were wanderers in a sense that they spread along the lake shore in searching for better place for trading, with this reason others are found to be settled in Nkhotakota.

Apart from trade, the Yao has contributed to the coming in of Islam in Malawi.
This is because they connected with Arabs whereby in the process of trade, they spread their religion.

Yao as well has its own cultural dances. But the well-known dance is manganje, which is danced by both males and females.
This dance is performed in various occasions such as in chief installation and initiation ceremonies both Jando (for males) and Nzondo (for females).
On other hand, the Yao’s type of food is Abit different from other ethnic groups.
Their food is like “kondowore”(nsima of cassava flour), in a case there is a ceremony, they prefer rice to any other food, and in most cases nsima does not exist during ceremonies.
In fact, Yao is a special ethnic group in a sense that they mixed up the culture and religion.
Almost 95% of the Yaos are Muslims.

To sum up, this text was discussing about cultural traditions among some tribes within Malawi such as Lhomwe, Tumbuka, Chewa, Ngoni as well as Yao.

Mmaiko ambiri Muno mu Africa anthu Ali ndi makhalidwe komanso zikhulupiliro zosiyanasiyana motengera NDI mtundu omwe anabadwira. Izi zikusinyeza kuti ngati Uli m’modzi mwa mtundu winawake, umayenera kusatira chikhalidwe Ndi zikhulupiliro zomwe anthu amasatira kumeneko. Izi zimachitika kuti pasakhale kusiya maganizo komanso kungosunga chabe Mmiyambo ya makolo. Malawi NDI limodzi mwa maiko a mu Africa omwe amaziwika Ndi kusunga mitambo komanso zikhalidwe. Ndipo kuli mitundu yosiyanasiyana yomwenso Ili ndi miyambo komanso zikhalidwe zosiyanasiyana. Ina mwa mitundu imeneyi ndi monga; Lhomwe, Tumbuka, Chewa Ndi ena otero. Tsopano nkhaniyi, ititengera Ku Malawi komwe tiwone mitundu Ndi zikhalidwe komanso miyambo yawo.

Tiyeni tiyambe ndikudzukuta mtundu wa chi Lhomwe. Lhomwe Ndi mtundu wa anthu omwe umapezeka Ku chigawo Cha kum’mwera kwa Malawi, Mmaboma a Thyolo, Chiladzulu, Mulanje komanso Phalombe. Chiyankhulo chawo NDI chilhomwe. Kafukufuku amaonetsa kuti mtundu wa chilhomwe unachokera m’dziko la Mozambique pomwe adasamukira Muno M’malawi. Mtundu wa chilhomwe umadziwika ndi zichitochito zosiyanasiyana monga magule, nyimbo, zakudya ngakhalenso njira zamaukwati. Kumbali ya magule, alhomwe amaziwika Ndi Gule wa Tchopa, yemwe amavinidwa ndi abambo ngakhalenso amayi omwe. Guleyu ndi ofunika muzochitika zosiyanasiyana monga pa mwambo wa ukwati, mwambo olonga ufumu, mwambo wa chinamwari ngakhalenso kulandira alendo omwe Ali ofunika kwambiri omwe abwera kuzacheza. Kalekale, Tchopa amavinidwa ngati kuli chilala, munthawi imeneyi, anthu am Ina komanso kuimba ngati njira imodzi yopempha milungu yawo kuti iwakhululukire zolakwa zawo nkuwabweretsera mvura. Ngati mvura yagwa, amaziwa kuti milungu yayankha mapemphero awo, koma ngati Sinagwe, amakhalanso ndi mwambo wina kufikira milungu itawayankha mapemphero awo. Choncho Tchopa anali ngati nkhawa pakati wa pakati pa milungu Ndi anthu. Ngakhale kuti masiku ano izi sizichitika.

Alhomwe amaziwikanso Ndi zakudya zosiyanasiyana. Iwo amakomda zakudya za makolo kusiyana Ndi za makono. Mwachitsanzo amakonda kudya nandolo, kalongonda ngakhalenso Thobwa ndi Zina.

Mongonjezerapo alhomwe Ali NDI njira yawo yomwe amapezera maukwati yotchedwa chikamwini. Iyi NDI njira yomwe Mwamuna amayenera kukakhala kwa mkazi wake. Ndipo kawirikawiri nzosowa kuchilhomwe mkazi kukakhala kwao kwa Mwamuna, popeza Iwo amakhulupilira kuti akazi ndiwo eni nkhaka, pamene amuna ndi oyendayenda amakalima komwe akakwatire.

Nako Ku chitumbuka Ali Ndi zichitochito zawo zomwe zimawasiyanisa Iwo ndi mitundu ina. Mtundu wa chitumbuka umapezeka kumpoto kwa Malawi Mmaboma monga Mzimba, Rumphi, karonga Ndi Chitipa. Iwo amayankhula chitumbuka ngati chiyankhulo chawo Chapaphata. Choncho nawo mtundu wa chitumbuka umaziwikanso Ndi zichitochito zawo monga magule, Nyimbo, zakudya, njira zopezera maukwati Ndi Zina. Kuchitumbuka Gule yemwe Ndoziwika bwino Ndi Vimbuza. Guleyu amamutchula kuti Gule ocheza chifukwa choti pamene munthu wadwalika anthu amabwera nkudzavina guleyu nkupempha milungu kuti imuchize odwalayo. Choncho Gule wa Vimbuza adali ofunika kwambiri kuchitumbuka, ngakhale kuti Pano mapemphero Ndi mauthenga a zaumoyo anapangitsa kuti anthu asinthe kaganizidwe. Chithunzi chili pamusipa chikuonetsa momwe anthu amavinira Gule wa Vimbuza.

Sizokhazo ai, Ku Malawi kulinso mtundu uja umatchedwa kuti Chewa. Mtundu umenewu umapezeka mchigawo Cha pakati chadziko la Malawi M’maboma a Ntchisi, Dedza, Lilongwe, kasungu and Mchinji. Komanso mtundu umenewu umapezekanso mzigawo Zina za dziko la Zambia. Nawo achewa Ali Ndi zikhulupiliro zawo zomwe zimasiyanitsa pakati pa Iwo ndi mitundu ina, zomwe Zina mwa izo Ndi magule Ndi zakudya. Kunena mosabisa, mtundu wa achewa Ndi okhawo omwe umasunga kwambiri chikhalidwe Muno M’malawi, Ndi omwenso Uli Ndi magule ochuluka monga Gule wamkulu, kang’wing’wi, makanja, Kamano Ndi ena otero. Mosiyaniranapo Ndi mitundu ina ngati wa chilhomwe, magule a chichewa amavinidwa kwambiri Ndi amuna okhaokha omwe amatchedwa kuti “Zilombo.” Magule amenewa amavinidwa pa mwambo osiyanasiyana monga mwambo wa kulamba we Ndi mwambo waukulu omwe umachitika pa Chaka kamodzi. Pa mwambo umenewu, achewa onse ochokera Madera osiyanasiyana amabwera pamodzi nkupanga chikondwerero chawo Cha pachaka. Chaka chilichonse amasankha Malo omwe akapangire chikondwerero chawo Kaya Ndi Ku Malawi Kuno kapena Ku Zambia komwe mkulu wa achewa otchedwa Karonga Gawaundi amakhala. Munthawi imeneyi, magule onse amachoka kuthengo ( kudambwe) komwe amabisala nkukakumana pamodzi.

Kupatula magule, mtundu wa achewa wakhala ukuziwika Ndi zakudya zomwe Iwo amakonda. Achewa ambiri amakonda nsima ya ndiwo nkhwani otendera, komanso mbewa.

Pankhani ya ukwati, achewa amagwirisa ntchito njira ya lobola yomwe Mwamuna amayenera kupereka Ndalama kapena ng’ombe ngati akufuna Kutenga mkazi. Miyambo yonse yakambidwayi, mchewa aliyense amayenera kumaiziwa ndikuizolowera adakali wachichepere. Popitiliza, tiyeni tioneko mtundu wina otchedwa a Ngoni. Kafukufuku amaonetsa kuti mtundu umenewu unachokera m’dziko la South Africa kuchigawo chotchedwa Kwazulu Natal. Chifukwa Cha mikangano komanso kumenyana, zinachititsa kuti angoni ena athawire Kuno Ku Malawi motsogozedwa Ndi Zwangendaba (Zwangendawa). Atafika Ku Malawi Kuno, adagawika pawiri, angoni akwa Jere omwe amapezeka Ku mpoto, Ndi angoni a kwa Maseko omwe amapezeka mchigawo Cha pakati. Ngakhale izi zili chomwechi, Iwo amachitira limodzi zinthu zawo komaanso zikhulupiliro zawo nzofanana monga magule komanso zakudya. Angoni amavina Gule otchedwa Ngoma/Ingoma yemwe kawirikawiri amavinidwa kwambiri Ndi amuna Pa mwambo osiyanasiyana monga mwambo wa kulonga ufumu, chinamwari komanso akamapita kunkhondo, komanso magulewa amavinidwa ngati chikondwerero Cha kupambama kwao pa nkhondo.

Angoni amakonda kuvala zikopa za nyama, nduwira kumanja atanyamula ma uta. Nkhani yosaka nyama angoni ndiye kudya kwawo, ndipo Iwo amaziwika Ndi ngodya zawo zinayi zomwe Ndi nyama, mowa, Ngoma komanso akazi. Pachaka angoni amakhala NDI mwambo waukulu omwe amautchula kuti “unthetho wa angoni” omwe angoni onse kuchokera mzigawo zosiyanasiyana M’malawi Muno ngakhalenso kunja amakumana pamodzi nkukumbusana Zina mwa zikhulupiliro zawo.

Yao Ndi mtundu wina umapezeka Ku Malawi. Mtundu umenewu umapezeka Ku mvuma kwa Malawi M’maboma a Mangochi, Machinga, Balaka Ndi Madera ena a boma la Zomba. Makolo awo a mtundu umenewu anachoka m’dziko la Mozambique pomwe adasamukira Muno M’malawi kudzera Ku mangochi nkukhazikika M’maboma omwe atchulidwawo. Ayao amadzika kwambiri Ndi malonda popezanso Ndi omwe anayambitsa malonda M’malawi Muno chifukwa amalumikizana kwambiri Ndi Aluya. Pali kafukufuku wina yemwe amaonetsa zifukwa zomwe ayao amakakamira malonda kusiyana Ndi ulimi kapena zochita Zina. Izi Ndi  monga nthaka ya miyala yomwe imapezeka Ku Mozambique yomwe ndiyovutirapo pankhani ya ulimi, komanso chilala, izi zinapangisa ayao kuti akhale okonda zamalonda kwambiri poganiza kuti nzochita zokhazo zomwe angamapezereko zosowa zawo. Tsono chifukwa cha malonda, ayao anasanduka anthu osakhazikika pamalo popeza ankangiyendayenda posankha Malo abwino opangira malonda awo makamaka mphepete mwa nyanja ya Malawi. Ndipo pa chifukwa chimenechi, ayao ena amapezeka M’boma la Nkhotakota.

Kupatula nkhani za malonda, ayao Ndi omwenso anachitisa kuti chipembezi Cha chi silamu chipezeke Kuno Ku Malawi. Izi zili chomwechi chifukwa ankalumikizana kwambiri Ndi Aluya, omwe pochita za malonda ankafalisa za Chipembezo Cha Ku dziko lakwao. Pachifukwa chimenechi, mtundu wa chiyao Ndi mtundu wa paderadera chifukwa Iwo chikhalidwe Ndi Chipembezo zimayendera pamodzi. Kafukufuku amaonetsa kuti pafupifupi 95% ya ayao Ndi a Chipembezo Cha chisilamu.

Ayao amaziwikanso Ndi Gule yemwe amatchedwa manganje yemwe amavinidwa ndi abambo ngakhalenso amayi mu zachitika zosiyanasiyana monga mwambo wa kulonga ufumu, Ndi chinamwari otchedwa “Jando”(anyamata) komanso “Nzondo”(atsikana).

Mwazina, mtundu wa zakudya zomwe ayao amakonda umasiyaniranapo Ndi mitundu ina. Iwo amakonda nsima ya kondowore. Pakakhala zochitika, Iwo amakonda kudya mpunga kusiyana Ndi zakudya zina ngati nsima, munthawi Zina nsima sipezeka nkomwe. Ponalizitsa, nkhaniyi unakamva zambiri za miyambo ya zikhalidwe zosiyanasiyana mwa mitundu ina yomwe imapezeka Ku Malawi. Choncho nkhaniyi yakhuza kwambiri mitundu ngati ya chilhomwe, chitumbuka, Chichewa, chingoni ngakhalenso chiyao.