Malawi


 * __Background Information__**
 * 1) Land and Climate
 * Landlocked country
 * Covers area of 45,747 square miles
 * 118,484 square kilometers
 * Mountains dot central and southern agricultural plains

2. History
 * Records identify the Kafula and Bantu speakers from Cameroon as the first ethnic groups to farm Malawi's fertile soil.
 * Maravi people migrated from the Congo in the late 13th century.
 * Forced the Kafula to flee to Zambia and Mozambique.
 * The word //Maravi// (the origin of //Malawi//) means “the sun's rays.”
 * The Maravi leader granted fertile land west of the lake to two groups who together became known as the Chewa, In the 15th century.
 * In the 18th century, more groups were migrating to Malawi, including the Tumbuka and Tonga in the northern and central areas, the Ngoni near Mzimba and Ntcheu, and the Yao in the south.


 * __The People__**

1. Population
 * Population of Malawi is 13.9 million and is growing at an annual rate of 2.4 percent.
 * More than 90 percent of the people are rural subsistence farmers.
 * The population is concentrated in the fertile southern region.
 * Which suffers from extensive deforestation and overcultivation.

.

2. Language
 * An official language, English, is used in government and business.
 * Chichewa and Chitumbuka are the two most widely spoken languages.
 * Chichewa dominates in central and southern regions, while Chitumbuka is spoken mostly in the north.
 * Smaller ethnic groups speak their own Bantu-related languages but usually know some Chichewa.
 * These Bantu languages are melodic and expressive; every syllable ends in a vowel, though some are not pronounced.

3. Religion


 * Malawians are about 80 percent Christians.
 * Popular denominations include Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Anglican, and Seventh-day Adventist.
 * Christians often mix their beliefs with local traditions.
 * The different belief systems are not considered contradictory because each plays a role in people's daily lives.
 * Muslims (13 percent) are concentrated in central and southern lakeshore areas.
 * Of the remaining 7 percent of Malawians, many practice traditional indigenous beliefs exclusively.
 * These are manifested through rituals, festivals, and dances.
 * For instance, the //gule wamkulu// (great dance), popular in the central and southern regions, uses various masks representing ancestral spirits, people, and animals to tell stories and teach traditions.



4. General Attitudes


 * Malawians are proud of their nation's reputation as the “warm heart of Africa.”
 * The people are kind, courteous, and hospitable.
 * They also describe themselves as friendly and trusting.
 * Many Malawians, especially young people, are optimistic about building a democratic and progressive nation.
 * Many older people remain unsure of democracy and would prefer a stronger leader.
 * Some tension also exists between generations due to the influence of Western culture among the youth.
 * Many people feel that Western influence threatens traditional ways of life.
 * For others, the debate is irrelevant; they focus their efforts on housing and feeding their families.
 * Material possessions are few but well cared for.
 * Bicycles are prized, and it is quite an achievement to own a car.
 * However, the family is considered a person's greatest asset.

5. Personal Apperance


 * Although poverty prevents people from always looking their best, Malawians strive to be clean, neat, and modestly dressed in public.
 * Western-style dress is common but may be combined with local fashions.
 * Men wear pants, shirts, and often a suit jacket.
 * Women wear blouses, skirts, and dresses.
 * They might also wrap a //chitenje// around their waist.
 * This 7-foot-long (2-meter-long) African-print cotton fabric protects dresses from dust and dirt.
 * The //chitenje// can also serve as a shield from wind and rain, as a baby carrier, or as a coiled support for baskets carried on the head.
 * Major cities and tourist spots are the only places where women wear pants, shorts, and short skirts.
 * Children are encouraged to wear school uniforms to help them develop a sense for “dressing smart” later in life.




 * __Customs and Curtesies__**

1. Greetings


 * When meeting, Malawians shake right hands while placing the left hand under the right forearm.
 * Showing both hands in this way demonstrates sincerity and trust.
 * Women and men dip their knees slightly when exchanging greetings.
 * If greeting elders or people of authority, they kneel down and clap their hands quietly two or three times.
 * Women dip their knees whenever they meet someone, even if the person has lower status.
 * Placing the prefix //a-// before a name or title shows respect.
 * For example, //bambo// is the word for man, but usually one would address him as //abambo//.
 * People greet with an exchange of “Hello, sir” (//Moni bambo// in Chichewa; //Monire adada// in Chitumbuka) or “Hello, madam” (//Moni mayi// or //Monire amama//).
 * This is followed by “How are you?” (//Muli bwanji?// in Chichewa; //Muli uli?// in Chitumbuka).
 * The common response is “I am fine” (//Ndili bwino// or //Ndili makola//).



2. Gestures


 * Malawians give and receive items with both hands.
 * Tossing food (such as fruit) is considered rude. A verbal “tss-tss” or “a-a-ah” expresses displeasure or disbelief.
 * A loud and long hiss is used to get someone's attention from far off.
 * When near, one says //Aisse// (Friend).
 * Public displays of affection between men and women are not acceptable in most places.
 * However, men may walk arm in arm or hold hands while laughing and exchanging stories; women will do the same.
 * Hand gestures are dramatic and conversation is lively.
 * Eye contact is important but direct gazes are limited, especially toward elders or persons of authority.
 * The youth use the “thumbs up” gesture and //Sure// (in English) in friendly exchanges.
 * It is offensive to make the U.S. “okay” sign, with the thumb and index finger forming a circle.
 * When describing a child's size to others, Malawians extend an upraised hand to the approximate height

3. Eating
 * Malawians usually begin their day with corn porridge or a piece of bread and tea.
 * They eat their main meal in the evening; lunch may or may not be available.
 * There is a greater abundance of food after the April harvest.
 * Women often cook meals over a fire, either in small mud-brick kitchens or over an open fire with three stones supporting a pot.
 * Food is kept covered until it is ready to eat.
 * Among some traditional families, women and children eat apart from men, who are served first.
 * All wash their hands in a basin of water before and after eating. Most food is eaten with the right hand.
 * //Nsima// (starchy porridge made of corn flour and water) is balled in the right hand, dipped in //ndiwo// (a sauce or condiment), and eaten.
 * //Ndiwo// may be made of fish, meat, beans, greens, or other ingredients, depending on what is available.
 * It is impolite to smell food or comment on the aroma of a meal.
 * Leaving a small amount of food on the plate when finished assures the cook that a person has had enough to eat.


 * __ Lifestyle __**

1. Family


 * Malawians value large families; a typical household includes extended members, especially the husband's brothers or the wife's sisters, depending on the ethnic group.
 * Most men assist with farming but may also hold jobs as teachers, health workers, fishermen, or general laborers, depending on where they live and their level of education.
 * Some men practice polygamy; in which case, they build a separate hut for each wife and her children.
 * Throughout Malawi, women raise the children, care for the home, cook, and farm.
 * They teach children socially acceptable behavior, responsibility, respect for elders, and work skills.
 * The elders of all ethnic groups reinforce these lessons.
 * Girls care for younger siblings, gather firewood, clean, and collect water.
 * They often drop out of school to assume these responsibilities.
 * Boys generally stay in school longer than girls but still assist with farming, tending livestock, and completing other chores.

2. Housing


 * In rural areas, extended families live together in a compound of several huts, typically thatch-roofed, mud-brick dwellings with one or two rooms.
 * A compound also includes a kitchen hut, a bathing hut, a //nkhokwe// (a structure for storing grain), a latrine, and perhaps an enclosure for livestock. The family's fields are located nearby.
 * Boreholes or wells may be located within or near the compound; women congregate there each day to collect water in large tins and plastic buckets.
 * Electricity is uncommon in rural homes, so villagers use lamps and candles at night.
 * Urban houses have electricity and running water and may be constructed of cinder blocks and tin roofs, though makeshift squatter areas are also common.



3. Dating and Marriage


 * There is little formal dating in Malawi; school dances are popular at secondary schools.
 * In rural areas, a young man may notice a young woman's quiet manner and hardworking character.
 * He must approach the girl's uncle to request marriage.
 * Before the wedding, a group of elders meets with the couple to discuss marriage roles and responsibilities.
 * In the north, the groom's family must pay a //lobola// (bride-price), usually in cattle or goats.
 * Village weddings are less elaborate than urban celebrations.
 * Typically, traditional dancing and food follow a church ceremony.

4. Life Cycle


 * Newborns are often named for the parents' emotion following the birth.
 * Common are names such as “Happy” and “Blessings,” and a difficult labor may yield a child with a name such as //Mavuto// (“Trouble”).
 * During the early teen years, children undergo rituals marking their transition into adulthood
 * Initiation practices vary by region and ethnicity, but generally they are done once a year, with an age group going through the rituals together.
 * Youth are prepared for their future roles as mothers and fathers, and young men are circumcised—an increasing number have it done in hospitals.
 * The celebrations surrounding the event last for days and include music, dancing, and feasting.
 * In some parts of Malawi, the males leave the village as a group to fend for themselves in a remote area for a certain length of time, up to several weeks.
 * When they return, they will have completed the transition to adulthood.
 * When a person dies, the women of the family gather in the deceased's house and wail over the body, which lays covered inside, while the men remain outside.
 * Later, the men take the casket to the graveyard, but according to Islamic tradition, women are not allowed there and must stay behind.
 * Among other groups, both men and women accompany the coffin to the graveyard.
 * When this occurs on a road, it is customary for drivers to slow down and turn off their radios.
 * Following the burial, the women prepare a large feast.

5. The Arts


 * Song, dance, and drumming festivals are an integral part of social and religious life.
 * For example, the //Ngwetsa// festival celebrates the harvest.
 * The Chewa perform the //gule wamkulu// dance at celebrations, funerals, and initiation rites.
 * Singing and drumming provide accompaniment.
 * The //ingoma// is a dance that celebrates past victories of the Ngoni ethnic group; male dancers hold spears and shields and wear a traditional costume of animal skins.
 * Unique Malawian instruments include the //zeze//, a one-string violin, and the //maseche//, a rattle attached to the legs and arms of dancers.
 * Reggae and Congolese //kwasa kwasa// music are popular in bottle stores.

6. Holidays


 * Malawi's official holidays include New Year's Day, Chilembwe Day (15 Jan.), Martyrs' Day (3 Mar., honoring those who gave their lives in 1963 in the quest for independence), Easter (Friday–Monday), Labor Day (1 May), Freedom Day (14 June), Independence Day (6 July), and Mother's Day (second Monday in October).
 * Malawians celebrate Christmas Day (25 Dec.) and Boxing Day (26 Dec.).
 * Muslims observe //Idul-Fitr//, a three-day feast at the end of the month of //Ramadan//.
 * During //Ramadan//, Muslims do not eat or drink from sunrise to dusk.
 * In the evenings, people visit friends and eat

__Society__

1. Government


 * The Republic of Malawi is governed by a president (currently Bingu wa Mutharika) who functions as head of government and chief of state.
 * The president is elected to a five-year term and appoints a vice president and a cabinet.
 * The 193 members of the House of Parliament are elected by district constituents to five-year terms.
 * All citizens may vote at age 18.
 * The judicial system is modeled after British courts.
 * A traditional authority system vesting power in village headmen and chiefs functions at the local level.
 * The official courts respect the authority and decisions of these traditional leaders.

2. Economy


 * Subsistence agriculture, deforestation, and high unemployment reflect Malawi's fragile economic climate.
 * Agriculture accounts for roughly two-thirds of Malawi's export revenue.
 * Malawi is the one of the largest tobacco exporters in the world; U.S. manufacturers purchase much of the annual crop.
 * Other exports are tea, sugar, coffee, peanuts, cotton, corn, and wood products.
 * Malawi relies on international aid for agriculture, health, education, and infrastructure development.
 * The country has few natural resources other than its soil, and most workers are unskilled
 * Industry is underdeveloped, as is tourism.
 * Many men work in South African cities, sending earnings back to their families in Malawi.
 * The currency is the //kwacha// (MWK).

3. Education


 * The government provides free primary education for eight years beginning at age six.
 * Teachers and facilities are in short supply, however.
 * Only a small number of students move beyond a primary education.
 * National examinations are taken after grade eight, grade ten (//form// two), and grade twelve (//form// four).
 * Students attend secondary school at government schools or at privately owned institutions.
 * The University of Malawi operates five campuses.
 * There are several other universities as well as teacher-training colleges and technical schools.

[] []

[] [] [] [] []

[] [] []

[] [] [] [] []

[] [] []


 * [[image:images/spacer.gif width="4" height="1"]] ||  ||


 * [[image:images/spacer.gif width="4" height="1"]] ||  ||


 * ||  || [[image:images/spacer.gif width="4" height="1"]] ||