Malawi--Culture Smart! by Kondwani Bell Munthali

Author:Kondwani Bell Munthali
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kuperard
Published: 2018-07-02T04:00:00+00:00

THE CHIEF’S FUNERAL

In all tribes the chief’s funeral is treated differently from other people’s. The Chewa traditional ceremony is led by the Gule Wamkulu religious brotherhood, and secret rites, including the ritual Nyau dance, are observed. Before this ceremony there is a formal memorial service at the home of the deceased. Owing to the sensitivity of the Gule Wamkulu ceremony, protocol requires that outsiders attend the earlier service only.

The Tumbuka bury their chiefs at night, so people are asked to leave after the funeral service, while the coffin is outside the grave. Interment takes place later, attended only by chiefs.

The Ngoni are more colorful, and have a longer mourning. Traditionally they bury their chiefs (though it used to be everyone) seated. The belief is that kings don’t die; they just sleep. In the past, the dead king’s possessions were buried with him for his use in the afterlife. This has now been reduced to essential personal effects.

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