With the advent technology, we cannot run away from the fact that a lot of things around us are changing.
Some for the better, others for worse. But when this change falls on the things that help the nation to define itself, there is need to reconsider the change and revert to the fundamentals of the lost culture.
And one of the key rituals that define a people’s culture is the wedding ceremony.
Elsewhere in the world, the phrase wedding refers to a ceremony where two people are united in marriage.
Most wedding ceremonies involve the exchange of wedding vows by a couple, presentation of a gift (offering, ring(s), symbolic item, flowers, money), and a public proclamation of marriage by an authority figure or leader.
At the event, special wedding garments are often worn, and the ceremony is sometimes followed by a wedding reception. Music, poetry, prayers or readings from religious texts or literature are also commonly incorporated into the ceremony.
However, how a wedding is celebrated is what differs according to the traditions and customs which vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes.
As per Malawian tradition, a wedding starts with an engagement. The two people are considered officially engaged only after completing a traditional engagement ceremony, known as chinkhoswe.
During the wedding ceremony, the groom usually wears Western styled suits and the bride wears a typical wedding dress along with a white veil.
In a Malawian set-up, specific dances are specially designed for weddings. There is the in part of Malawi which is performed at weddings.
There are dances such as uyeni which is performed by girls in honour of the bride and groom, chamba danced by women and performed as soon as the church announces the wedding arrangements until the day of the wedding and mganda which is performed by both women and men a night before the wedding until the wedding day.
Today, at most weddings in country, none of these dances are performed. Instead, Western songs and dances have replaced the Malawian traditional dances which were performed in the celebration of weddings.
Speaking with Chill, Chief Kachindamoto says the coming in of technology should not bring changes to the Malawian way of celebrating wedding ceremonies.
“People today are so much focused on the Western way of celebrating weddings. They prefer Western songs forgetting that the wedding is attended by different people, some of whom cherish local dances and music,” she said.
Explained Kachindamoto: “We do not need to throw away our traditional dances because of the Western cultures because no matter what, we will always be Malawians and we should work at maintaining our status as Malawians.”
She added that a wedding day in Malawian is also a day of respect, especially the bride who should show some respect in how she conducts herself on the wedding day.
“The bride should not dance to the extreme, a little shaking is just enough but too much dancing on a wedding day that one is not just well behaved because a true Malawian lady should be reserved and a little bit shy,” she explained.
On his part, Chancellor College Associate Professor of Drama and Development Media, Mufunanji Magalasi, noted that times have indeed changed how weddings are celebrated in Malawi.
“What we experienced at weddings when we were young was not the same as what happened when our parents were growing up. So, things change over time. Yes, there is a lot of change that is taking place because of modernity,” he said.
Magalasi said these days a lot of things have gone modern and people are just trying to cope.
“Even the chinkhoswe itself has changed. It has gone very public. In the past, it used to be a private affair where the marriage ankhoswe would exchange chickens legs and then exchange gifts between families. There was not even the public bridal shower, back then women would sit with the bride to be in a secluded in a quiet place, advising her. This was a continuation of what had happened when the woman came of age and was initiated into womanhood,” he explained.
Magalasi says however, the change is not only because people are copying Western ways. Even if there would have been no Western ways, change could have still happened.
“Look at language for example, the way the Lhomwe and the Mang’anja have influenced each other. The Lhomwe language that is spoken in Mulanje and Phalombe is slightly different from that spoken in Mozambique. The one in Mozambique takes on Portuguese words, so that is how culture works. Change is inevitable and weddings will not remain the same,” he explained.
