Just like ethnic groups such as Umthetho for Ngoni, Kulamba for Chewa and Mulhako wa Alhomwe annual general meeting, the Mang’anja have also geared up and will September 7 hold a national annual assembly in Lilongwe at Bwaila Secondary School where they will elect a committee for a prospective cultural festival termed Mkumano wa Amang’anja.
Nkumano wa a Mang’anja is targeting all the Mang’anja across the country and people from other cultures.
Speaking in an interview on Tuesday, interim organising secretary of the event Rex Kuyeli said among several Mang’anja cultural awareness that will be presented during the day the meeting will also aims to establish the Mang’anja Association for Central Region chapter whose existence will be to promote the Mang’anja culture in that region.
“We have a vibrant network in Blantyre for Mang’anja people we established in 2012 but since its establishment, we haven’t done much to reach other regions. That is why we have also set to use this event to establish Central Region Mang’anja Chapter targeting those people living in the Central Region,” said Kuyeli.
He said prominent Manga’nja chiefs including Paramount Chief Lundu will grace the occasion.
“All the chiefs related to Mang’anja inheritance have been invited to the event so that our aim of fully reviving the Mang’anja tradition should be achieved. We want the chiefs to incorporate our mission so that they should wholly be involved in this project,” said Kuyeli.
He said all along, the Mang’anja cultural identity has been synonymous with other dominant ethnic groups.
“Tracing the Mang’anja locality one can realise that we are many throughout Malawi. But we fail to be recognised culturally having being assimilated into other ethnic group. For example you will see that there are presently more Mang’anja in the Chikwawa and Nsanje and are living in large numbers but it is hard to depict their culture. They have been swallowed by the Sena culture. The same applies to Thyolo and Chiladzulo, where the tribe has been immersed by the Lomwe culture. We want this to be checked and revive our cultural presence,” added Kuyeli.
He confirmed that more than 100 Mang’anja from across the country have already confirmed their attendance to the meeting.
“The good thing is that people are valuing this meeting, and I can disclose to you that as of now more calls have already been flooding from across the country confirming their coming to the occasion,” he said.
