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Republic of

2014

Malawi Dziko la Malawi

The word Maravi (the name of the tribe for which Malawi is named) means “the sun’s rays” or “flames of fire.” Malawians describe themselves as friendly and trusting; they call their country “the warm heart of Africa.” There are about four hundred kinds of orchids in Malawi. Wildlife found in Malawi's national parks includes elephants, lions, antelopes, leopards, and zebras. Crocodiles and hippos live along rivers and lakes. The country’s first television station began broadcasting in 1999. By the time a Malawian is 12 years old, he or she is considered an adult in traditional society. To describe the size of a child, an adult holds a hand, palm facing up, to the approximate height. To describe the size of an animal, the palm faces down. A traditional Malawian belief is that a child is old enough to start school when they can stretch their arm over their head and touch their opposite ear. The Malawian Baobab tree looks like it is growing upside down! The twisted branches look like roots and are leafless for most of the year. The Boehm’s bee-eater bird of Malawi catches bees and smashes them against rocks to remove their stingers before eating them.

Flag Malawi’s flag was most recently adopted on 28 May 2012. This change is actually a re-adoption of the original independence flag of 1964. The rising sun represents the hope of freedom for the continent of Africa. The black band is for the native peoples. The red represents the blood of the freedom fighters. The green is the color of nature.

National Image Lake Malawi is the eighth largest body of freshwater in the world and the third largest lake in Africa. More than 360 miles (579 km) long and 50 miles (95 km) wide, it covers one-fifth of Malawi’s total area. Hundreds of fish species live in Lake Malawi, and many, such as the Chambo, cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Lake Malawi is sometimes called the Lake of Stars. At night, fishing boat lights sparkle on the water and resemble stars in the night sky.

Land and Climate Area (sq. mi.): 45,747 Area (sq. km.): 118,484

Malawi is located in southeastern Africa, bordered by Zambia, Tanzania, and Mozambique. Malawi is just smaller than North Korea or the state of Pennsylvania. The country is long and thin, stretching 560 miles (900 km) north to south and 30–100 miles 1

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(48–160 km) east to west.  Malawi is a warm and beautiful country of plentiful grasslands and scattered mountains. The country is separated into sections by three plateaus (highland plains). In the north, the Nyika Plateau is high and cool. In central Malawi, the Lilongwe Plain is hilly. In the south, the Shire Plateau is low, warm, and home to the most people.  A long, deep split in the earth called the Great Rift Valley runs through Malawi. Lake Malawi fills this rift in the north and central regions. Lake Malawi is one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world and takes up about 20 percent of the country. Many rivers flow from Lake Malawi, providing water for farming and electricity. Hydroelectric dams capture the water power from these rivers and turn it into energy for cities. Malawi has many natural resources, including limestone, granite, diamonds, rubies, and coal. Most of Malawi is covered in savanna, with a mixture of rough grasses, thorn bushes, and a few scattered trees. However, forests are found in wet areas. Evergreen trees grow in the mountains, while mahogany, ebony, and palm trees are often found in the lowlands.  Wildlife and cattle survive on the marsh grasses of dambos (wet lowlands) during the dry season. Malawi is home to many animals, including leopards, baboons, porcupines, lions, zebras, elephants, and over six hundred species of birds. Fish, crocodiles, otters, and snakes live in Lake Malawi. Insects such as the mosquito and the tsetse fly cause health problems by spreading diseases. Termites also cause problems by eating bamboo supports in homes and buildings. Other insects include grasshoppers, baboon spiders, and straight horn spiders. Although Malawi lies in the tropics near the equator (the imaginary line that runs around the middle of the earth, dividing it into northern and southern hemispheres), its high altitude (distance above sea level) keeps temperatures comfortable all year. It is dry and dusty for much of the year, so Malawians eagerly wait for the rainy season (November to April), which turns the country lush and green. The lowest areas, such as parts of Lake Malawi and the Shire River Valley in the south are the hottest and most humid, with daily high temperatures often above 100°F (37°C) in the dry season (May to October). In the north, the Nyika Plateau rises to 8,000 feet (2,500 m) and has cooler temperatures.

Population Population: 16,777,547

Nearly all of Malawi’s people are African, but they come from different ethnic groups. The largest is the Chewa. Other groups include the Yao, Tumbuka, Nyanja, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni, and Ngonde. More than half of all Malawians live in the south on rich farmland or in large cities like Blantyre and Zomba. The capital city, Lilongwe, is in central Malawi. About 40 percent of Malawians make their homes in this region. About 10 percent of Malawians live in the north. Although cities are crowded, the countryside is home to more than 80 percent of all Malawians.

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Language English is an official language used in government and business. However, the most commonly spoken languages are Chichewa (also an official language) and Chitumbuka. Chi means “the language of,” so Chichewa means “the language of the Chewa tribe,” and Chitumbuka means “the language of the Tumbuka tribe.” Chichewa is spoken mostly in the central and southern regions, while Chitumbuka is used in the north. Small ethnic groups speak their own languages at home, including Chitonga, Chisena, and Chingonde. But most people know some Chichewa because it is taught in school.  Proverbs (sayings that give advice or wisdom) are popular in many African countries, including Malawi. One popular Malawian proverb is Kamba anga mwala (The tortoise looks like a stone). This proverb warns that things are not always what they seem.

Can You Say It in Chichewa? Hello

Moni

(MOE-nee)

How are you?

Muli bwanji?

(MOO-lee BWAHN-jee)

Good-bye

Tsalani bwino

(t-sah-LAH-nee BWEE-no)

Thank you

Zikomo

(zih-KOE-moe)

Yes

Inde

(IN-day)

No

Iayi

(ee-YAH-ee)

Religion

During the 1800s, Malawi became a center for Christian missionaries in Africa. Today, most Malawians are Christian. Among these are Protestants, Roman Catholics, Presbyterians, Baptists, Anglicans, Central African Presbyterians, and Seventh-day Adventists. President Banda outlawed the Jehovah’s Witnesses during the 1980s. The religion became legal again under President Muluzi in 1995 and continues to grow. Christian churches throughout Malawi help with education and health services. Malawian Christians often mix their beliefs with native African religious beliefs. Many use African healers or practice Gule Wamkulu, a traditional Chewa worship of spirits. Arab slave traders first brought Islam to Malawi in the early 1800s. Today, about 13 percent of the population is Muslim. The Yao peoples along the southern shores of Lake Malawi make up much of the Islamic population. Many of the remaining Malawians follow native African religions. Most traditional Malawian religions teach that all animals and humans, both alive and dead, are an important part of daily life. Relatives who have passed away are believed to watch over their families and villages.

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Time Line 100,000 BC ca. 100,000 BC

Remains and stone tools show ancient peoples live in prehistoric Malawi

50,000

Early humans make settlements around Lake Malawi

3000

The Katanga and Kafula tribes settle in the Lake Malawi region

AD 1 AD 1

Yao and Bantu peoples move from present-day Tanzania into what is now Malawi

ca. 700s

The first Arab slave traders arrive

1200s

The Maravi people begin migrating from central Africa and come upon the Kafula people and others living near the lake

1400s

The Maravi give the land west of the lake to two new migrant groups, who together become the Chewa

1480

The Maravi people establish the Maravi Confederacy, an empire ruled by a karonga (king)

1500s

The Maravi fight the Kafula, driving them into Zambia and Mozambique; Portuguese explorers arrive

1600s

The Chewa and Maravi begin trade with coastal Tanzania

1700 1700s

More people move into the area to escape the slave trade

1817

An agreement to stop the slave trade in Madagascar leads to the capture of many Maravi for slavery

1859

Dr. David Livingstone enters the area via the Shire River

1860s

Livingstone fights the slave trade in the region; Malawi becomes a Christian missionary center

1891

Britain claims the area as the British Protectorate of Nyasaland

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1900 1915

Workers rebel against poor conditions on British farms

1944

The Nyasaland African Congress is formed to resist the British

1949

A severe drought and famine leaves many people dead

1953

Britain joins Nyasaland with Northern and Southern Rhodesia to form the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, also called the Central African Federation

1958

Hastings Kamuzu Banda begins to lead the struggle against the British

1961

Banda’s Malawi Congress Party wins national elections

1964

Malawi becomes a nation within the British Commonwealth

1966

Malawi becomes a fully independent nation with Banda as president; only one political party is allowed

1971

Banda is named president for life

1992

Malawi suffers from severe drought; the Catholic Church and foreign countries speak out against Banda’s human-rights crimes; people call for a new government

1994

Banda’s one-party state is replaced by a multiparty government led by Bakili Muluzi

2000

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2002

Drought leads to severe food shortages, threatening much of the population with malnutrition or starvation; a railway reopens, connecting Malawi to the Indian Ocean port in Mozambique

2004

Bingu wa Mutharika is elected president in what many consider an unfair election

2005

Poor crops and drought leave five million people hungry; a hydroelectric (water-powered electricity) dam brings energy to Malawian cities Blantyre and Limbe

2008

Malawi cuts off diplomatic ties to Taiwan in favor of relations with China

2010

A new national flag is adopted; protests erupt when the retirement age is set above the average life expectancy; Mozambique and Malawi fight over the Zambezi River trade route

2011

Many government protesters are killed; Britain stops aid over human-rights crimes and government corruption

2012

President Mutharika dies, and Vice President Joyce Banda becomes the first female president of Malawi

PRESENT

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Before the British Malawi comes from the word Maravi, which is the name of a tribe that migrated from central Africa to Lake Malawi in the AD 1200s. However, ancient remains and stone tools show humans have lived in the area since prehistoric times. The first people to settle by Lake Malawi used stone tools to hunt large animals, such as elephants.  About five thousand years ago, the Katanga and Kafula peoples lived by the shores of Lake Malawi. They too hunted with stone tools and collected plants for food. Today, ancient rock paintings teach us how they once lived. Two thousand years ago, Yaoand Bantu-speaking tribes came to Malawi from Tanzania. These people were farmers and ironworkers. Over time, many other groups were attracted to the lake and mountains. Some came to settle, and some came looking for slaves. Around AD 700, Arab slave traders first arrived in Malawi. They built slave-trading centers in the Malawian cities of Nkhotakota and Karonga. Many Malawians were forced to the Middle East to work as slaves. In 1480, the Maravi people created the first large kingdom near Lake Malawi. In the 1500s, the Maravi took over the peaceful Katanga tribe and pushed the Kafula tribe to Zambia and Mozambique. Soon after, Portuguese explorers became the first Europeans to arrive in Malawi. The Maravi and Chewa (a tribe living west of Lake Malawi) began trading with other faraway countries. Some tribes were known to sell captives from other tribes to Portuguese and Arab slave traders. They also traded ivory elephant tusks.  In the 1700s, more European countries began seeking resources and slaves in Africa. These countries took over the Maravi ivory trade, and by 1800, the Maravi Empire fell. In 1835, a new group, the Ngoni, moved into north Malawi. They took over the Chewa and drove away the Yao slave traders.

Dr. Livingstone Dr. David Livingstone was a famous explorer from Scotland who wanted to teach Christianity to Africans. He was the first European to explore many parts of Africa. In 1859, he traveled up the Shire River and arrived at Lake Malawi, which he named Nyasa (a local word meaning “lake”). He soon began to fight against the slave trade. Livingstone searched for a new trade route that would make enough money to stop the need for the slave trade. He also began mapping the Shire River Valley and Lake Malawi, paving the way for more European settlers and Christian missionaries to come to the area.  In 1861, Livingstone opened the first mission in the Shire Plateau. This made Malawi a center for Christian missionaries. Although missionaries worked to end the slave trade and helped bring new trade and money into the area, they also made local tribes give up their ancient religions and languages. Dr. Livingstone died in 1873. Malawi’s Livingstonia and Blantryre (after Livingstone’s Scottish birthplace) are named for him.

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The British Era Britain quickly grew interested in the lake region, called Nyasaland, because of its rich farmland. The British fought the Chewa, Ngoni, and Yao peoples. By 1891, the British had claimed Nyasaland as their own. Treaties were signed with the tribes. The British took control of the good agricultural areas and made the native people tenants on the land. This meant that the local people had to pay rent for land they had previously owned. In order to continue to live there, the locals had to farm the land for the British. British treaties gave some Malawian land to Portugal and France, separating tribes under different rulers and making it hard for them to have a say in government laws.  Britain called the territory the Nyasaland Districts Protectorate. Sir Harry Johnston was named the head of the protectorate. His first job was to end slavery. The British fought the Yao slave traders, taking full control of Nyasaland in 1895. The government began collecting taxes. Many Africans could not afford the taxes and had to move away from their families to work and send money home. Lawmakers did not allow locals to help make decisions.

Nyasaland Becomes Malawi One missionary, Joseph Booth, spoke out for the Africans to rule themselves. The British sent him away, but a member of the Yao named John Chilembwe listened. He went to study in Nyasaland and the United States. He came back and built schools in Nyasaland and started an African church. He called for equality for Africans and gained many followers. In 1915, his followers formed a small rebellion called the Chilembwe Rising. John Chilembwe was killed during the protest, but he inspired many other groups to fight for African rights. In time, more tenants (people who rent land) rebelled against their poor working conditions and began to organize themselves against the British. However, it was not until after World War II that they could effectively work toward independence. The British tried to jail leaders who encouraged rebellion, but they finally granted independence to the country in 1966.  The first president was Hastings Kamuzu Banda, who had been one of the resistance leaders. Still, he did not open Malawi to democracy (government by the people). Malawi’s new constitution gave people rights, but Banda did not allow this. He declared himself president for life and killed hundreds of Malawians who disagreed with his laws.

New Democracy In 1992, Malawi suffered one of the worst droughts in its history. Violent protests against President Banda began, and many foreign nations stopped sending aid to Malawi in support of removing the president. After almost 27 years as president, Banda finally agreed in 1993 to let the people decide what type of government they wanted. They chose a democracy (government by the people) with more than one political party, and Banda lost the presidential election in 1994 to Bakili Muluzi.  Since that time, Malawians have enjoyed some additional freedoms, but there have also been accusations of corruption and other crimes within the government. In 2012, Joyce Banda became Malawi’s first female president and the first female president in southern Africa. She promises to help improve women's rights. Many Malawians are hopeful that over time their young nation can establish a more stable democracy and economy.

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Games and Sports Malawi’s national sport is soccer. Professional Malawian soccer players compete in the Africa Cup of Nations. Schoolboys enjoy soccer as well. Many cannot afford to buy soccer balls and make their own out of plastic-bag scraps. Girls play netball, which is similar to basketball. Malawi’s women’s netball team is called the Queens. They compete with other countries in the Netball World Championships. Running is also a popular sport in Malawi. Some Olympic runners from Malawi include Catherine Chikwakwa, Kondwani Chiwina, John Mwathiwa, and Smartex Tambala. Tennis and  squash (an indoor sport like racquetball) are also popular. In the evenings, girls and boys enjoy games like hide-and-seek (chibisalirano). They also love playing in the rain during the rainy season and swimming in rivers and swamps. Many people, young and old, like to play bao. This is a strategy game in which two players move pebbles or seeds around a carved-out wooden board that has 32 holes in it.

Holidays

Christmas and Easter are the largest celebrations of the year for Christian Malawians. People dress in their best clothing and attend church services, where everyone takes part in music and singing. Afterward, they go home to enjoy a feast with their family members. For Muslims, the feast of Idul-Fitr is the most important holiday, and children look forward to receiving new clothing and money. Chilembwe Day, in January, honors Malawian freedom fighter John Chilembwe, and Martyrs’ Day, in March, pays respect to all those who fought for Malawi’s independence. During harvest time, communities of all religions hold festivals, where Malawians enjoy singing, dancing, and drumming. The Malawian music festival, Lake of Stars, takes place in the fall on the shores of Lake Malawi. Musicians from around the world come to perform and celebrate many different styles of African and international music. The festival allows Malawians and visitors to share their cultures while raising money for charity.

Food Malawian women often manage the cooking, gardening, and food shopping for the household. Older children help prepare food as well. Most cooking is done over a wood fire. Meals are often served with coffee or tea. Nearly everyone in Malawi eats nsima every day. This thick, sticky porridge is made from corn flour and shaped into patties. Nsima is almost always served with ndiwo (a sauce of stewed vegetables, beans, fish, or meat). Diners begin by washing their hands in a bowl of water. Malawians then pinch off a small piece of nsima, roll it into a ball, and dip it into the ndiwo, scooping up a little of the stew in every bite.  Most Malawians eat fruits and vegetables grown in their gardens or purchased in outdoor markets. Fruits grown in Malawi include papaya, mangoes, pineapples, tangerines, and bananas. Kids love sugarcane, chimanga chokazing (fried corn), and mtedza okazing (fried nuts) as snacks. People also eat foods such as grasshoppers, termite larvae, caterpillars, or roasted mouse on a stick (called mbewa).  Although most villages do not have restaurants, they usually have a chippie, a small food stand that fries potatoes over fire. Larger restaurants with global menus are found 9

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in cities.

Schools Adult Literacy: 74.8% Children may begin school at age six and can attend without paying any money for eight years. Unfortunately, classes are often crowded due to shortages of teachers, supplies, and schools. Some children walk long distances to and from school, up to 3 miles (5 km) or more each way. Classes are often held outside, under a tree. Because they have few books, students learn by memorizing or copying lessons from the chalkboard. Kids who attend school are encouraged to wear uniforms, if they can afford them. To encourage poor children to come to school, the government runs a school breakfast program, providing mealie (cornmeal) porridge to children who cannot afford breakfast at home. Since children are often needed to work at home, a lot of them can only attend school for a few years. In some families, the girls do not go to school. They are kept home to help with the chores. In other families, girls are encouraged to stay in school. But in general, boys stay in school longer than girls, though they still help with farming, tending livestock, and other chores. Only a small number of students move beyond primary (elementary) schools to secondary (high) schools. Even fewer continue on to universities.

Life as a Kid Girls in Malawi’s countryside cook, gather firewood, collect water, and take care of younger siblings or cousins. Boys have chores such as planting crops and herding goats. In their spare time, boys play games and create many of their own toys. For example, they make pinwheels from plastic bottles, carve airplanes out of wood, and make cars out of scrap metal. They compete with and trade these cars with their friends. Girls often stay closer to home than boys, chatting and knitting with their friends, mothers, and aunts. Malawian children have few possessions, but they take care of what they have and share nearly everything with family. Both boys and girls enjoy dancing, singing, playing sports, and listening to the radio. Because of the spread of AIDS, Malawian children sometimes have to take on more family responsibilities, or even become the head of the household, when their parents become sick or die. These children have to grow up quickly and find ways to support their brothers and sisters.

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Capital: Lilongwe Head of State: Pres. Joyce Banda Head of Government: Pres. Joyce Banda

The Republic of Malawi is led by a president, who is elected along with a vice president to a five-year term. Presidents may not serve more than two terms. The National Assembly has 193 members, each elected to serve a five-year term. All citizens may vote at age 18. Village chiefs and headmen govern at the local level. Malawi’s official courts support the decisions made by these traditional leaders. After years of government corruption, human-rights crimes, and economic problems, Malawians are hopeful their young democracy (government by the people) will continue to grow and improve conditions for the people.

Money and Economy Currency: Malawian kwacha

Most Malawians work on farms. Some raise food for their families and village, while others grow large amounts of crops for export (goods sent to other countries). Malawi is one of the world’s largest tobacco exporters, selling mostly to the United States. Malawi also grows and exports sugar, peanuts, tea, and cotton. Malawi mines and exports many of its natural resources, such as limestone, graphite, granite, gemstones, diamonds, and uranium. Educated Malawians may have a job in education, government, trade, or tourism. Lake Malawi and Malawi’s plentiful wildlife reserves bring over 400,000 tourists from around the world every year. Despite its many resources, Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world. Many of Malawi’s men work for months at a time in cities in South Africa or Zimbabwe because they can find better jobs there. They send money home to their families. Foreign countries try to help Malawi reduce poverty and improve the economy through aid programs.

Getting Around The Lakeshore Road runs down the country from north to south. It used to be one of the only paved roads in Malawi, but more roads are now being paved. Malawi’s growing road network connects Malawi to neighboring countries, including Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Tanzania. Railways also connect Malawi to the Indian Ocean in Mozambique. Most people don’t own cars, so they walk or ride their bicycles to most places. Women carry everything from wood to buckets of water on their heads, and men carry large loads on their bicycles. To go someplace far away, people can ride on trucks or crowded buses. Blantyre and Lilongwe have international airports. The government airline is Air Malawi. On Lake Malawi, boats and canoes are common ways to get from village to village.

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In a Malawian Village A typical family in Malawi lives in a mud-brick home without running water or electricity. Homes are made of bamboo, rods, twigs, clay, and grasses. Extended family members live close by. Mothers do most of the farming, cooking, and cleaning. To earn more money, fathers often work in a town or another country, but they help on the farm when they are home. In the evenings, families like to go visiting. As they approach a home, they shout out Odi! Odi! (meaning “Is anyone home?”) and wait until someone answers with Odini! or Lowani! (Come in!). The children go off to play while the grown-ups talk.

Learn More Contact the Embassy of the Republic of Malawi, 2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; phone (202) 721-0270; web site www.malawiembassy-dc.org.

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