Malawi MisAdventures of Tess and Jim

Village Ceremonies and the Gule Wamkulu

While walking through rural villages in Malawi, it is easy to get lost in time, forgetting that it is the 21st century. Women cooking over wood fires and pounding maize in wooden vessels, men forming bricks from mud by hand, and the incessant wide eyed stares of the inevitable throng of barefoot ragtag children pointing fingers at the “muzungu” (white person). As most of the “muzungu’s” live and work in town, this scene is generally a fleeting moment as we whiz by the roadside villages in our 4x4 trucks, or the occasional stopover to check that the borehole is working, or to monitor HIV/AIDS care centers and clinics.

Yesterday, Jim and I had the rare opportunity and honor to be invited to a traditional ceremony in Kalumba village, in rural Lilongwe. As the guests of the “Group Village Headman” (aka Chief), we were able to witness traditional and “sacred” ritual dances that still form the backbone of Chewa society and culture. The ceremony taking place was the commemoration of a graveyard, and all the chiefs from the surrounding villages were in attendance. Central to the ceremony was the Gule Wamkulu. Literally translated as the “great dance”, is the oldest form of music and dance practiced by the Chewa tribes in Malawi performed by the Nyau brotherhood, which is a secret society of initiated Chewa men. The Nyau dancers wear homemade costumes and masks representing wild animals and spirits of the dead. Each of these figures plays a particular evil character representing certain forms of misbehavior in order to teach proper conduct and moral values to the audience.

To the other members of the village, the masked Nyau dancers are not considered “human” and are revered, respected, and feared by children. During the “great dance” drummers help to control the Gule Wamkulu dancers as they summon the spirits through dance and their antics. Some of the costumes were elaborate such as the elephant costume with 4 dancers inside, while others were simpler such as the dancer with a bucket over his head and animal skins tied around his loins. After each “act” the audience would go into the circle and give money to the dancers. The more talented and enjoyable acts obviously getting more cash than the others.

To us, the Gule Wamkulu dance was entertaining, comical at times, and insightful, as well as expensive as the Gule Wamkulu dancers inevitably demanded money from the white people with the cameras. (which wasn’t too bad considering the 5 kwacha bill is equivalent to 4 cents…. but it started add up when we ran out of small change, and had to start 100 kwacha dollar bills to each dancer). But despite the relentless heat, dust and stares by the hundreds of children, it was definitely a memorable and culturally fascinating afternoon.

To see the pics from the ceremony, click here.

Coming soon, (as soon as Jim has some free time) video clips of the Gule Wamkulu!

Cheers,
:) tess n jim

posted by Tess and Jim O @ 11:30 AM