BEMBAS OSAYOPA, IFEYO KUNO SITICHITA NTHAMBWALA NGATI INUYO UKO, KOMWE MUKUTI “UKUSEFYA PA CROCODILE” 😂 HERE WE PLAY WITH REAL TOYS.
WELCOME TO KULAMBA TRADITIONAL CEREMONY SLATED FOR 27.08.2022
Abena Kasama, Kulamba Traditional Ceremony is an annual event which is held on the last Saturday of August at the Chewa headquarters, Mkaika. The event brings all subordinate Chiefs in Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique to Mkaika to pay their tributes to Paramount Chief Kalonga Gawa Undi and also join in the celebrations with their people.
The Kalonga Gawa Undi, Chilombo is head of the Chewa empire and takes care of all the installations of Chiefs not only in Zambia but also in Malawi and Mozambique as his empire covers three countries. The name Kalonga means the one who installs subordinate Chiefs. Gawa is the one who gives out land and Undi means the one who protects the subordinates.
You see, at the cusp of the ceremony, the main arena is hive of activities. The entrance of paramount Chief Kalonga Gawa Undi into the arena signifies the start of the ceremony. Visitors from Zambia and Chewa’s from neighboring Malawi and Mozambique are entertained to a variety of dances.
We have a variety of dances like Gule Wamukulu (Nyau), Gologolo, Makanja, Muganda, Chinamwali, Chimtali (the female dance) and many others are performed during the ceremony. The Nyau popularly known as the Gule Wamukulu among locals, is the most celebrated dance among the Chewa people. Among the dances performed by Nyau is dancing with huge “live” pythons unlike you who play with sculptures of crocodiles, at Mkaika we play with real big toys.
This is the reason why in 2005, Gule Wamkulu was officially recognized and classified as one of the 90 Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, a program by UNESCO for preservation of intangible cultural heritage.
Nyau dancers are also referred to as Vilombo (animals) as they emanate from dead spirits. The type of dance depends to a larger extent on the nature of the occasion. More than 30 different Nyau dances are performed at a single festival with each dancer adorning a different mask in an array of colors.
Also part of the Kulamba ceremony is an annual initiation ceremony for the young girls who have come of age. The ‘anamwali’ or young girls have been in confinement where they have spent time being taught skills and responsibilities of womanhood.
This year’s Kulamba traditional ceremony is slated for 27th August. We hope to see you in Mkaika. You are welcome abena Kasama, come take a bite on our delicacy too – Mbeba, we start eating it from the tail 😂
Credit: Musterd Phiri
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