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The people of Malawi were originally called the Maravi and
they first came to present day Malawi around six hundred years
ago, dividing into two groups, one, the forefathers of the
present day Chewas, settling on the west bank of Lake Malwai and
the other, the forefathers of the Nyanjas, settling on the east
bank. These Bantu people formed an empire, but an empire in name
only with conflict and division precluding a cohesive society. The official language inside Malawi is English (although many
people, particularly in rural areas, speak Chichewa), its
currency is the Kwacha, and its people are made up from various
cultures. These
include the Chewa people who live in the central area, the Nyanja
people in the south, the Tumbuko people in the north along with
the Tonga, the Ngoni and Ngonde people who live in the lower
northern and lower central regions of Malawi and the mainly
Muslim Yao who live on the border with Mozambique. Other Malawi
people include the Lomwe and Sena as well as people of European
and Asian descent, however this latter group is mainly confined
to city areas.
Inside Malawi
the population is predominantly Christian with 55%
being Protestant, 20% being Roman Catholic and a similar figure
20% being Muslim. Unlike many other African countries indigenous
beliefs account for only 3% of the population whilst just 2% are
classified as 'other.' People inside Malawi, outside of urban areas, typically live in
huts with their extended families, and its traditional to share
out work and resources between family members. Malawi is in 174th place out of 189 countries and territories in 2019 and
levels of poverty and living standards for lose living in Malawi fall far
short of even sub-Saharan standards. Malawi is one of the poorest countries on the planet with 85% of its population
living in rural areas
and 61.7% of its population are multidimensionally poor with causes attributed to an inefficient agricultural sector and poor health.
The country is often afflicted by severe famines and these have a devastating imapct on food production pushing rural communities in particular into deeper poverty and leaving them without proper food supplies. Four million people in Malawi lack access to safe drinking water and, based on international standards, just 6% of the population has access to a sanitation facility making childhood disease common. HIV is still rampant despite
efforts by the democratic government to address the issue, and tere are an estimated 500,000 orphans in Malawi (ages 0-17) as a result of AIDS. Part of the reason for the chronic underdevelopment inside
Malawi was the mismanagement of the economy by President
Hastings Kamuzu Banda for thirty years after the country's
independence. However, after he left power in the 1990s, political stability
has provided a footing for a reformation of the country with the
privatisation of many loss making state run institutions.
Uranium exports are also helping to boost export earnings in a
move away from reliance on foreign humanitarian aid.
One important aspect of life in Malawi is dance which is epitomised by the
Gule Wamkul. It's the traditional
Malawi dance of the Chewa people and reflects the traditional
belief of Malawi society in the existence of spirits. Dressed in
cloth and animals skins, the dancing is usually performed wearing
masks. The dancers even kick
up dust in a further attempt to disguise their identities and are
traditionally only known to the chief who appointed them to
safeguard the village from evil. Whilst the Gule Wamkul
is the most popular dancing associated with Malawi, in
the north of the country the Vimbuza is danced by
the Timbuka people. This is a
dance alleged to heal sick patients and is performed by
healers and witch doctors. Reports indicate that the Vimbuza is gaining in popularity in recent years and is
even being adopted by other tribes such as the Ngoni. Ingoma dancing is
one of the most popular dances amongst the Ngoni people
of Malawi themselves and was originally performed to
celebrate victory in battle with male performers wearing
headgear and carrying a spear or club dancing in straight
lines whilst the women danced alongside singing and
clapping in support of the men's performance.
Other popular
dances in Malawi include the more recent Kalele or Bewni
dancing developed during the world wars based on military
parades and the Indingala dance imported into Malawi by
the Nyakyusa and Ngonde people as they migrated there
from Tanzania. Music in Malawi is
different from traditional African music in that it is heavily
influenced by its British colonial past as well as its African
roots in addition to influences from migrants travelling to and
from the country particularly during the second world war. However as
the 1960s saw an explosion of new musical styles across
the globe, Malawi was gripped by a puritanical
dictatorship and all music was restricted to praise of
then Malawi president, Dr Hastings Kamuzu Banda. Since his fall in 1994, music has
again flourished. Some of the best known musical artists
from Malawi include Wambali Mkandawire, Lucius Banda, Tay
Grin and Esau Mwamwaya. The video (below) givce a good insight into village life in Malawi with images of its people
and landscapes set against a backdrop of traditional Malawi music.
Life in Malawi: Volunteer in Malawi
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Life in Malawi: Malawi Children
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Life in Malawi: Malawi Street Children
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Life in Malawi: Child Sponsor Malawi
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Life in Malawi: Malawi Country Profile
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