The Culture of the Yao People

The Culture of the Yao People

By Conor Hayes and Paige Harrison.

A wood carving of the Yao tribe
and a traditional Yao chair 

After working hard for over two months in Ntcheu we were so grateful to get the chance to visit another part of Malawi for our cultural trip. We went to a beautiful place called Mangochi which is very close to Lake Malawi. 

Whilst there we visited a cultural village museum named "Mpale cultural village" which was all about the Yao tribe. We learnt that the Yao’s originally came from Mozambique and came over to Malawi in the 1860’s. They left Mozambique because of the land scarcity, internal disputes, natural disasters and conflict with other tribes such as the Ngoni tribe. During this time, the Yao's were divided into ten separate groups, however only four out of then ten groups resided in Malawi.

We also learnt that the Yao’s were successful long distance traders, particularly in iron and ivory. They normally traded with other groups on the East coast of Africa, for salt, cloth and beads. However this trading lead to a darker side when they later got involved in the slave trade with the Arabs. While at the cultural village we saw a wooden carving of a statue representing the slave trade. When seeing this statue it really put it into perspective what one tribe can do to their fellow man, as well as how far the tribe has come in the last few centuries. 

The Yao ceramic pot

We were also lucky enough to get to see some of the equipment that was used by the Yao's in the nineteenth century and some which is still used across Malawi today. One of these things was a ceramic pot in which water was stored. They used to store the pot on a base covered in sand that is said to keep the water cold, which apparently was also a method to make the water have better taste.

The traditional game "Bawo"

In the cultural village, there was also a board game called “Bawo”, the objective of the game was (and still is) to use Mathematics to clear your opponent’s marbles. This game is still hugely popular not only in Malawi but also across Southern Africa today. We often see the game set being sold in the market and we commonly play it in our Ntcheu office during breaks. 

The potential Yao hotel rooms for
guests

The Mpali cultural village is also trying to launch traditional Yao styled rooms. People can stay in these rooms overnight to experience Yao culture and food. We thought this was a great idea to help expand the museum and give people more of an insight to the Yao culture, as well as encouraging the tradition to persist. 

One of our favourite parts of the village was being able to see Lake Malawi from the top of the hill. We were told this was one of the best places to see the lake from a distance and we were certainly convinced of this. 

The view of Lake Malawi from Mpali cultural village

Ntcheu Cohort 2 Team

After our trip we felt much more informed on the Yao Culture and its people. We recommend Mpali cultural village to the future cohorts so they can too find out more about the traditions and tribes of the ‘Warm Heart of Africa”. 

Talking Politics in Ntcheu: An Interview with Malison Ndau

Talking Politics in Ntcheu: An Interview with Malison Ndau

By Dylan Taylor

As our time here in Ntcheu enters its final weeks, we are all beginning to take stock of what we have achieved so far as a cohort and also how we can still address some of the challenges we have faced as a team out in the schools and the rural communities. Having acclimatised to the weather, food and the local culture, it is important that we are able to attain how we are viewed not just by the community but by those in positions of authority.  

To get an outside view of the work we are doing and how we were helping people in Ntcheu, I caught up with Member of Parliament for the Ntcheu central constituency, Malison Ndau. He represents the party currently in power here in Malawi, the Democratic Progressive Party, led by President Peter Mutharika whose portrait hangs in schools and offices across the country. 

"I have seen a number of transformations in
 many youths lives because of the programmes
 of YONECO"- Malison Ndau

Once a teacher and a church pastor, Ndau had decided to enter politics with the backing of those in his religious circles and took his seat in 2014. I caught up with him to discuss the changes he has seen in this community over his tenure and how help from the UK is really impacting the area. 

The issue of gender equality is certainly high up on our agenda especially when we are travelling to areas delivering sessions in schools. Often when we attempt to make our sessions interactive it is the boys who seem to be the most confident, raising their hands for answers and asking us all the questions. 

I ask whether the apparent lack of balance in the Malawian parliament (only 32 MP's of 193 are women) is emblematic of some of the challenges we encounter during our school sessions.       

Ndau emphasises that if Malawi is to come to terms with its lack of gender balance in parliament we have to look at what is happening in schools. 

"In the past, I was also a teacher, I taught at government schools so I'm talking about this with experience. What happened is some male teachers (when girls answered incorrectly) they would say you are stupid, you are dull, you are good for nothing- those sentiments," says Ndau.  

"So next time she will be shy like that. So in that area, we have to deal with the teachers. It has to start right away at teachers training college. If a student has failed to give a correct answer how do you compliment? Do you say you are stupid? No. You say let us hear from the other one. This one is a problem I see emanating from teachers themselves. If we are to change it has to start with teachers," he adds.  

Whether teachers knocking confidence in this manner is still a problem may still be up for debate. As volunteers here we have not seen this first-hand and have had only positive feedback from the teachers. But certainly, shyness has been an issue where girls are concerned, though we have been making additional efforts to include girls to give answers and give encouragement during our sessions with improvements particularly during our sessions on drug and alcohol abuse at Dombole high school.  

Encouraging girls at school level with the work that we are doing here will eventually allow women to have a greater impact at a high political level and establish a greater gender balance in parliament and get their voices heard. 

"To me, the world is not seeing their part. They're only seeing one part. I remember I talked one time in parliament (and said) let us look at this holistically not just one angle. So we have to teach them to start looking at things differently then we will win the battle," says Ndau.  

It was great to hear that changes were being made in one our main target areas in Kwataine especially with the known presence of our partner organisation YONECO. 

Dylan Taylor and other ICS Volunteers conducting a session on
drug and substance abuse to students at Dombole
Secondary School, T/A Kwataine 

"In my constituency Ntcheu central, the problem I've seen is that we have a lot of NGO's but with little impact. There was a time when I got into this position I sat down with TA (traditional authority) Kwataine. We were trying to monitor how many NGO's we have. We found out we had 19 but now if you practically see what they are achieving you could see 3. YONECO is one them. You could see their impact. I've interviewed a number of youths, you can see that they have the knowledge, but at the same time behaviour-wise they have changed," says Ndau.   

With our work here based on giving people the knowledge and helping them to implement positive changes in their lives, it's great to hear from someone who knows the area well that we are contributing to these changes. Ndau agrees that for a sustainable future for his constituency a "joint venture" approach from both Malawi and the UK is the best way to make change. 

Parenting Success Story: Mussa Mugoya

Parenting Success Story: Mussa Mugoya

By Kavita Ahira and Victoria Balaka

In July 2017, Mussa Mugoya, along with other parenting facilitators from Phambala, Tsikulamowa, and Kwataine, underwent some training in order to build their capacity on issues of parenting and parent-to-youth discussions on topics such as sexual and reproductive health, and drug and substance abuse.  The training was provided so that parenting facilitators would be able to understand these issues clearly and be able to educate each other, other parents and their youth on prevalent matters within the community.

Mussa Mugoya

Since the training has passed and the participants have had time to implement what they have learned, we interviewed Mussa Mugoya, who is from T/A (Traditional Authority) Phambala, about his own experience:

“How did you find the training?”
“The training was very beneficial as it opened my eyes to many widespread issues such as child pregnancy, education and parent-child relationships.  My daughter became pregnant last year in Primary School, Standard 7 (around 15 years old) which led me to give up on her and stop providing for her since this was not acceptable; I had paid for her to receive a good education and taught her to be a girl who would be respected within the community.  I felt like my money and my time as a parent had been wasted.  Had I supported her, I would have been seen to be encouraging a lifestyle which is not culturally acceptable within the community.  After receiving the training, I was made to see the bigger picture and the consequences of a poor parent-child relationship.  I began to provide for my daughter again and allowed her to go back to school after giving birth to her child.  My wife and I look after the baby when she is at school.  She is now in Standard 8 and is performing very well, soon she will be sitting her final examinations to go to Secondary School.”

"How did the training benefit you as a parenting facilitator?”
“People have learnt a lot not only from what I say in sessions, but also from my actions and my own experience with my daughter.  It has made my job a lot easier as I understand a lot more than I did before, and therefore am able to relay useful information to others.”

“How did the training benefit the community / parenting circles?”

Victoria, ICS volunteer, interviewing Mr Mugoya

“Parents are now much more open to talk about broken relationships with their children in order to get advice on how to turn things around.  Girls who left education due to early pregnancies are now being encouraged to go back to school and complete their education, with the support of their families and the whole community.  By raising awareness and sharing knowledge, we are trying to eliminate the stigma attached to attending school while pregnant or after giving birth.  We want the girls in our communities to have a choice in the decisions of their lives.  There has also been an impact on the neighbouring communities as new parenting circles have been formed, and the information that we have learnt, and continue to learn from each other, is being shared with them.”

This success story is an example of how YONECO is making an impact on individuals, families and communities in rural areas where access to information is scarce.  Mussa Mugoya facilitated a parenting session on gender based violence in partnership with YONECO.  His enthusiasm and motivation was contagious which meant that the 52 parents present, were all active participants in the discussion.  YONECO monitor the progress, challenges, and successes of parenting facilitators and their groups as often as they can.  They also plan to continue providing training to more parenting facilitators in the three Target Areas in which they work; Phambala, Tsikulamowa, and Kwataine.  This will hopefully inspire the activation of more parenting circles and spark discussion on important prevalent issues.

Period Party: Becoming A Woman in Malawi

Period Party: Becoming A Woman in Malawi 

Written by Dylan Taylor and Victoria Balaka 

For many young girls, starting your period would usually be a very private right of passage. But in some communities here in Malawi, that first step into womanhood is signified by a collective celebration from fellow female friends and family. 

This kind of initiation ceremony doesn't apply to all young girls here in Ntcheu. However, for those that experience this initiation ceremony where Ngoni culture is respected, the initiation ritual is an opportunity to get meaningful advice on how to take care of yourself during the menstrual cycle.  

On Saturday, I attended a "Chinamwali" event to find out what happens at these traditional ceremonies. Initially, on arrival at the village of Chiole, friends and family were gathered around cooking pots preparing lots of food for the day of celebration ahead. A jubilant mood surrounded the village as the people preparing a feast for festivities began to do what they do best here in the warm heart of Africa - singing and dancing! 

Food being prepared for the ladies attending the event 

Before the initiation even begins, the girl moving into puberty is kept inside a house in the village for a whole week. During this time she is visited by elder women of the community and the church. Over the course of the week, the girl is given a range of advice including not to have sex before marriage to avoid teenage pregnancies. But that's not all; the girl is also encouraged to adhere to "Mwambo" or the traditional values of the area, including how to greet elders out in public, as well as how to dance properly. 

Advice being given to the girl from members of the community 

Having got the weeks-worth of advice, the girl at Chiole was led outside the house wearing a chitenje (a traditional cloth wrapped around the waist) and a head-wrap. Then under a tree, she was then presented with gifts, mainly consisting of money to buy sanitary and hygiene products. One by one, the onlookers presented their gifts and then gave a final word of advice before it was my turn to step forward and give my gift to her.

People enjoying traditional Malawian food 

On giving her my gifts (a bottle of juice, biscuits and 500 kwacha) I  gave the girl my advice which was to stay in school, work hard and not to get stuck in an early marriage. After the ceremony was completed, the girl's parents gave a word of thanks to the community and a final word of prayer saw the girl officially become a woman!     

A Simple Comparison Between The Malawian And British Culture

A Simple Comparison Between The Malawian And British Culture

By Usama Kayani, John Nyasulu and Naomi Phetembe

Before we begin the most amazing yet concise article on the comparison of both cultures, we first have to understand what culture is.

Culture is the way of life of a group of people from a particular nation or region; for example their distinct clothing, food, music, art, literature and attitudes towards certain ideas and situations.

International Citizen Service (ICS) has developed a platform in which volunteers from the United Kingdom and from Malawi (the warm heart of Africa) come together to work on enhancing change in numerous Malawian communities, including; Ntcheu, Zomba, Dedza and Salima. The Synergy ICS team is based in Ntcheu (Central Malawi).

Through this volunteering journey, it has allowed both the Malawian and British participants to learn more about each other’s cultural similarities and differences through activities, discussions, debates and presentations amongst each other.

The SYNERGY Team
From L-R Wongani, Grace, Delipher, Anisa, John, Shubs, Praveena, Charles, Usama, Tafadzwa, Tatty and Naomi

(Please note that the following are just some examples for you to get a basic idea!)

Similarities:

• Both accomodate different people to reside in their country 
• Both have diverse food 
• Both claim to be a Christian country
• Both advocate human rights (but they differ on which rights should a citizen enjoy)
• Both sides of men follow a common fashion
• Both regard the English language as the official language of the country
• Both encourage education

Differences:

• The Malawian women wear chitenje (wrapper) whereas in Britain it is more socially accepted for a woman to be able to wear more revealing clothes 
• The Malawian people take Nsima almost everyday (a concoction of maize flour and water) whereas the British people have their own cultural meals, for example an English Breakfast or a Roast Dinner
• The Malawian people are more open to the practice of religion in society whereas the British people rely more on liberal laws. The British mix between those who believe in religion and those who don't
• The British society is more open to the LGBT society whereas in Malawi being gay is illegal 
• Malawi holds many languages (more than 20 in only one district...and there are 28 districts...), whereas the United Kingdom rely only on the English Language
• The Malawian people enjoy many cultural dances passed down by generation whereas the UK only has a few (mainly belonging to Wales and Scotland)
• The government policies in the UK are not strict on marriage, whereas in Malawi people are set to marry at a minimum of 21 for boys and 18 for girls

Overall, despite all the differences and possible passionate discussions about a few of them we are enjoying the good from each culture and learning more and more every day. 

Parenting Circle Session on Women's Rights at Machira 2

Parenting Circle Session at Machira 2 (T/A Kwataine, Ntcheu)

By Shubham Kapoor (ICS Volunteer)

Here in Ntcheu, our team is working closely with YONECO (Youth Net and Counseling), a national NGO that targets children, youth and women to raise awareness on SRH&R (Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights) and environmental issues. To reach a large audience, the SYNERGY ICS team ventured out into the most rural areas of the Ntcheu district to deliver talks to parenting circles and youth clubs, but not without getting involved in a few cultural dances along the way. We were very excited to be greeted by the Ngoni tribe in Machira II, Kwataine, about a 30 minute drive from the office. I think it's safe to say that the tribe was impressed by a few of our moves!

A video to show the ICS volunteers getting involved with the dancing conducted by the Machira 2 community.

After the warm welcome, we split the team into two and simultaneously facilitated talks to the parenting circle and local youth club. For the parenting circle, the prime focus was on women's rights. Since a staggering 9% of Malawian girls are married by the age of 15 and 46% are married by the age of 18, our talk firstly focused on the issue of child marriage and its effect on education. Thankfully, the audience were very aware of the issues of child marriage as well as the importance of education. One woman even called her 3 children from the youth club session so that we could talk to them since they were refusing to attend school during their primary education. After a stern but friendly talk from the ICS volunteers, they agreed to stay in school and this resulted in a very happy mum.

Unfortunately, the response when discussing gender based violence wasn't as encouraging. Responses to questions like "what would you do if you were a victim?" often consisted of "we just cry" and "do nothing". It seemed the women would often joke to hide their discomfort; one woman even joked about how a husband would beat a wife. However, to make the situation even worse, the husband would encourage her child to join in. This was very disturbing to hear and the fact that the audience found this amusing was even more shocking for us, especially since 90% of the audience were female.

ICS Volunteers Shubs and Charles conducting the parenting session on Women's Rights 

On the upside, the audience remained engaged throughout the session, becoming more aware of their rights as well as the YONECO helpline numbers in case they needed them. We were really happy to have the Chief come up to us afterwards to congratulate us on the talk. She said that the issues raised were really useful to the audience and insisted that we come back for another session. This, backed up by the fact that the audience impressively retained most of the information given to them, was very rewarding to hear and gave the Ntcheu team a sense of fulfilment. It’s satisfying to know that we are actually making a difference to the lives of vulnerable people, one parenting circle at a time.  

Case Study: Lost Future Recovered After Struggles

Lost Future Recovered After Struggles

By John Nyasulu (ICS Volunteer) and Jonas Beston (YONECO Centre Coordinator)

Edited by Tafadzwa Banda and Grace Montgomery (ICS Team Leaders)

Felix Jackson is a  aged 20 from Eneya Village T/A Kwataine in Ntcheu District. He dropped out of school when he was in Form 2 at Dombole Secondary School.

Due to negative peer pressure, Felix began behaving badly which led to conflicts between himself and his father. This led to Felix rebelling and challenging his parents that he can be self-reliant and independent at the age of eighteen, thus he decided to drop out of school after only completing form 2. This means that Felix did not complete the final forms of secondary school in Malawi, which are form 3 and form 4. Therefore, he dropped out of secondary school without any qualifications and without many basic skills to pursue a future career with.

Felix (centre) being counselled by ICS Volunteer John (left) and YONECO Centre Coordinator Jonas (right)

He moved into pirating films in the Ntcheu main market. He moved out of the family house and rented his own apartment for two years. In addition, he started drinking alcohol, smoking marijuana (commonly known as chamba in the Chichewa language), and visited Sex Workers (known as night queens in Malawi). His parents worked hard on trying to persuade Felix to change his behaviour, however it had no benefit.

Felix’s visits to the family house were solely to steal assorted items from the family in order to sell on. Felix's family felt that this type of behaviour brought shame not only on them but also to the community as a whole. Family friends also attempted to help Felix and his parents and would have meetings to discover methods to curb his behaviour.

As time elapsed, Felix’s life changed, he failed to feed himself and could not pay rent. This made his friends start neglecting him and he was later evicted from the house he was renting by his landlord. After suffering from being shunned from the community, his friends and his family and also being homeless and without money to even buy food, Felix decided to go back to his parents and ask for forgiveness. The parents refused to accept his apology and chased him away and suggested that he should go and stay in their home village in Zomba. Felix decided to contact to Ntcheu- Youth Net and Counselling Organisation (YONECO).

The Ntcheu YONECO Centre Coordinator and International Service Volunteers invited Felix’s parents to come for a mediation session which would involve Felix, his parents and the YONECO staff to try and come to an agreement with each other about Felix’s future. Although his parents were  reluctant to take him back to the family house at first, after mediation and counselling from YONECO, Felix’s family decided to accept him in the family house again and support him in his development for a better future. Felix was also advised to go for HIV Testing Services in order to know his status and thus be able to start positively planning for his future.

From L-R, Felix, Jonas and John after the counselling session

Felix is now living happily with his parents and has assured them that he has changed his bad behaviours and is willing to go back to school in September 2017 when the new term begins. In order to monitor this progress, YONECO will keep in contact with both Felix and his parents.