Chewa peopwe

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Chewa mask - Malawi.jpg
Late 20f-century wood, paint, feaders, metaw and woow mask from de Chewa peopwe in Mawawi in de British Museum
Totaw popuwation
12 miwwion
Regions wif significant popuwations
Mawawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambiqwe
Christianity, traditionaw Chewa rewigion
Rewated ednic groups
oder Bantu peopwes

The Chewa are a Bantu ednic group native to centraw and soudern Africa and de wargest ednic group in Mawawi. The Chewa are cwosewy rewated to peopwe in surrounding regions such as de Tumbuka and Nsenga. They are historicawwy awso rewated to de Bemba, wif whom dey share a simiwar origin in de Democratic Repubwic of de Congo. As wif de Nsenga and Tumbuka, a smaww part of Chewa territory came under de infwuence of de Ngoni, who were of Zuwu or Nataw/Transvaaw origin, uh-hah-hah-hah. An awternative name, often used interchangeabwy wif Chewa, is Nyanja. Their wanguage is cawwed Chichewa. Internationawwy, de Chewa are mainwy known for deir masks and deir secret societies, cawwed Nyau, as weww as deir agricuwturaw techniqwes.

The Chewa (wike de Nyanja, Tumbuka, Senga, Nsenga, Mang'anja) are a remnant of de Maravi (Mawawi) peopwe or empire.

There are two warge Chewa cwans, de Phiri and de Banda,[1] wif a popuwation of 1.5 miwwion peopwe.[2] The Phiri are associated wif de kings and aristocracy, de Banda wif heawers and mystics.


Oraw records of de Chewa may be interpreted to refer to origins in Mawambo, a region in de Luba area of de Democratic Repubwic of de Congo, from where dey emigrated into nordern Zambia, and den souf and east into de highwands of Mawawi. This settwement occurred sometime before de end of de first miwwennium. After conqwering wand from oder Bantu peopwes, dey regrouped at Choma, a pwace associated wif a mountain in nordern Mawawi, and de pwateau of nordeastern Zambia.

This is one of a number of different interpretations of de earwy oraw records of de Chewa. The first Chewa kingdom was estabwished some time before or after 1480, and by de 16f century dere were two systems of government, one maintained by de Banda cwan at Mankhamba (near Ndakataka), and de oder by de Phiri cwan at Mandimba. The Phiri are associated wif de Mawawian mountain Kaphirintiwa.

By de 17f century, when de 'Mawawi' state had been unified, de Portuguese had made some contact wif de Chewa. Awdough de Portuguese did not reach de heartwand of de chiefdom, dere are weww documented records of contacts between 1608 and 1667. By 1750, severaw 'Mawawi' dynasties had consowidated deir positions in different parts of centraw Mawawi, however de Chewa had managed to distinguish demsewves from deir neighbours drough wanguage, by having speciaw tattoo marks (mphini), and by de possession of a rewigious system based on de nyau secret societies.

The Phiri aristocrats water owned most of Mawawi's tea estates which was repossessed by de Mawawian government in de earwy 1980s. This is a fabwe made up by peopwe wanting to ingratiate demsewves powiticawwy wif Dr Bakiwi Muwuzi, de truf is dat Tea was brought to Mawawi by an Engwish famiwy who pwanted it at de foot of Muwanje Mountain, and stiww to date own de same Tea Estate, The Dorington Famiwy. Then came oder European famiwies, namewy de Conforzi's (Itawian), Cadcart-Kays (Engwish), Barrows (Engwish). The first Mawawian owned Tea Estate was a Government Estate, Estabwished by Dr Hastings Kamuzu Banda, under de Tea Growers Association in de earwy 1970s.[citation needed]

Chichewa can awso be cwassed as a Shona diawect as some schowars in de region point out. This forms a strong historic wink of de Nyanja, Bemba and Yao peopwe, to de ancient Shona empire, who can point deir earwier origins to Mashonawand. The ancient Shonas who temporariwy dwewt in Mawambo, now in de DRC, eventuawwy shifted into nordern Zambia, and den into Mawawi.

The Chinyanja wanguage, ChiChewa or Chewa, emerged as a distinct tongue in de 16f century, according to schowars. In de 21st century, Chewa vocabuwary and grammar is simiwar to Shona diawects spoken in Zimbabwe, especiawwy ChiZezuru and ChiManyika.


Large ovoid vessew made by a Chewa woman in Nationaw Museum of African Art

Women have a speciaw pwace in Chewa society and bewief. They are recognized as reproducers of de wineage (Bewe), which is an extended famiwy of peopwe rewated to de same ancestor. As a matriwineaw society, property and wand rights are inherited drough de moder. Bewe means "descended from de same breast". Chiwdren of de same moder or femawe (Lubewe wa achite) make up a famiwy of dependents or Mbumba. Ewder broders of de moders are cawwed Nkhoswe, are de guardians of de wineage, and are mentors to deir sisters' sons.

When crops are sowd, income from de sawe bewongs to de woman of de house.[2]

The viwwage was wed by a headman (Mfumu), a position to which every viwwager of good character couwd aspire. Viwwage headmen and headwomen were subordinate to regionaw chiefs (Mwini Dziko), who were demsewves subordinate to Paramount Chiefs. Subordination meant de reguwar payment of tribute, as weww as readiness to suppwy men in time of war.

Notabwe individuaws[edit]

Justin Mawewezi John Tembo Lazarus Chakwera Yusuf Jonas Msume Jessie Kabwiwa-Kapasuwa Hastings Kamuzu Banda


  1. ^ Phiri, Isabew Apawo (2007). Women, Presbyterianism and Patriarchy. Rewigious Experience of Chewa Women in Centraw Mawawi. African Books Cowwective. pp. , 23–26.
  2. ^ a b Gough, Amy (2004). "The Chewa". The Peopwes of The Worwd Foundation. Retrieved 18 October 2010.

Externaw winks[edit]