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The village was led by a headman (Mfumu), a position to which every villager of good character could aspire. Village headmen and head women were subordinate to regional chiefs (Mwini Dziko), who were themselves subordinate to
Paramount Chiefs. Subordination meant the regular payment of tribute, as
432:
had made some contact with the Chewa. Although the
Portuguese did not reach the heartland of the chiefdom, there are well-documented records of contacts between 1608 and 1667. By 1750, several 'Malawi' dynasties had consolidated their positions in different parts of central Malawi; however the
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The population of the Chewa ethnic group numbers at 9 million, which is higher than most other tribes in the region. The Chewa people are the largest ethnic group in the region. The fertillity rate of the Chewa people is 4.7, over twice as high as the replacement level at 2.1. Go to the page
412:
This is one of a number of different interpretations of the early oral records of the Chewa. The first Chewa kingdom was established some time before or after 1480, and by the 16th century there were two systems of government, one maintained by the Banda clan at
Mankhamba (near
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marks (mphini), and by the possession of a religious system based on the nyau secret societies. During colonial time
British and Portuguese missions have converted many to Christianity but at least one fifth (20%) of all Chewa are Muslims today. Despite the influence of
465:
Women have a special place in Chewa society and belief. They are recognized as reproducers of the lineage (Bele), which is an extended family of people related to the same ancestor. As a
475:) make up a family of dependents or Mbumba. Elder brothers of the mothers are called Nkhoswe, are the guardians of the lineage, and are mentors to their sisters' sons.
469:
society, property and land rights are inherited through the mother. Bele means "descended from the same breast". Children of the same mother or female (
919:
821:
422:
414:
367:
374:, with a population of 1.5 million people. The Phiri are associated with the kings and aristocracy, the Banda with healers and mystics.
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401:. This settlement appeared sometime before the end of the first millennium. After conquering land from other
190:
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Pre-colonial migrations and agricultural change on the western side of lake Malawi, professor Kings Phiri
336:
origin. An alternative name, often used interchangeably with Chewa, is Nyanja. Their language is called
433:
Chewa, had managed to distinguish themselves from their neighbours through language, by having special
886:
846:
409:, a place associated with a mountain in northern Malawi, and the plateau of northeastern Zambia.
969:
542:
340:. Internationally, the Chewa are mainly known for their masks and their secret societies, called
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As with the Nsenga and
Tumbuka, a small part of Chewa territory came under the influence of the
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Women, Presbyterianism and
Patriarchy. Religious Experience of Chewa Women in Central Malawi
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Late 20th-century wood, paint, feathers, metal and wool mask from the Chewa people in
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of the Chewa may be interpreted to refer to origins in
Malambo, a region in the
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When crops are sold, income from the sale belongs to the woman of the house.
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296:. The Chewa are closely related to people in surrounding regions such as the
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a good number of Chewa still hold to their ancestral belief system.
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By the 17th century, when the 'Malawi' state had been unified, the
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This article is about the ethnic group. For the language, see
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Ethnic Groups of Africa and the Middle East: An
Encyclopedia
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Court
Layouts, including Chewa Paramount Chief Undi's court
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421:. The Phiri are associated with the Malawian mountain
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482:well as readiness to supply men in time of war.
397:, and then south and east into the highlands of
312:, with whom they share a similar origin in the
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815:
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16:Ethnic group from Southern and Central Africa
458:Large ovoid vessel made by a Chewa woman in
344:, as well as their agricultural techniques.
308:. They are historically also related to the
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706:. African Books Collective. pp. 23–26.
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393:, from where they emigrated into northern
497:to see the demographics of other tribes.
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417:), and the other by the Phiri clan at
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724:. The Peoples of The World Foundation
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366:There are two large Chewa clans, the
316:. They also share a history with the
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66:Regions with significant populations
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743:Shoup, John A. (17 October 2011).
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391:Democratic Republic of the Congo
314:Democratic Republic of the Congo
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773:Tola Akindipe, George Kondowe,
780:Chichewa Discover Bible Guides
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695:
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460:National Museum of African Art
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749:. Bloomsbury Publishing USA.
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702:Phiri, Isabel Apawo (2007).
347:The Chewa (like the Nyanja,
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363:(Malawi) people or empire.
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678:"Chewa | Encyclopedia.com"
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191:traditional Chewa religion
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775:Learn Chichewa on Mofeko
929:Ethnic groups in Zambia
831:Ethnic groups in Malawi
543:Jessie Kabwila-Kapasula
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359:) are a remnant of the
494:Demographics of Malawi
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280:ethnic group found in
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201:Related ethnic groups
405:, they regrouped at
720:Gough, Amy (2004).
501:Notable individuals
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548:Isabel Apawo Phiri
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756:978-1-59884-363-7
486:Population growth
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507:List of Chewas
505:Main article:
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658:. Ethnologue
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638:. Retrieved
636:. Ethnologue
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616:. Retrieved
614:. Ethnologue
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592:. Ethnologue
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572:. Retrieved
570:. Ethnologue
562:
538:Aaron Gadama
492:
489:
480:
477:
464:
440:Christianity
427:
423:Kaphirintiwa
411:
389:area of the
383:Oral records
381:
365:
346:
273:
269:
267:
187:Christianity
156:5,700 (2019)
59:
26:Ethnic group
1000:Lukanga Twa
722:"The Chewa"
687:16 December
533:Felix Mlusu
467:matrilineal
318:Munhumutapa
292:and few in
1095:Categories
728:18 October
662:5 December
656:"Chichewa"
640:5 December
634:"Chichewa"
618:5 December
612:"Chichewa"
596:5 December
590:"Chichewa"
574:5 December
568:"Chichewa"
554:References
528:John Tembo
430:Portuguese
415:Nthakataka
355:, Nsenga,
294:Mozambique
175:Portuguese
116:Mozambique
60:.8 million
965:Kafwe Twa
419:Manthimba
357:Mang'anja
334:Transvaal
276:) are a
161:Languages
1065:Tokaleya
1030:Ndwandwe
857:Nyakyusa
338:Chichewa
286:Zimbabwe
253:Chichewa
249:Language
181:Religion
152:Eswatini
98:Zimbabwe
1075:Tumbuka
877:Tumbuka
847:Chinese
450:Culture
378:History
349:Tumbuka
298:Tumbuka
259:Country
223:Nyungwe
207:Tumbuka
171:English
45:in the
1060:Subiya
1045:Nsenga
1025:Mwanga
1020:Mbunda
1015:Mambwe
990:Lovale
985:Lambya
955:Chokwe
753:
435:tattoo
399:Malawi
395:Zambia
361:Maravi
306:Nsenga
290:Zambia
282:Malawi
274:AChewa
262:Uchewa
244:AChewa
241:People
236:MChewa
233:Person
149:
134:Zambia
131:
113:
95:
80:Malawi
77:
43:Malawi
1101:Chewa
1080:Yombe
1070:Tonga
1055:Senga
1050:Nyiha
1040:Nkoya
1035:Ngoni
1010:Lungu
1005:Lunda
980:Lamba
975:Kunda
950:Chewa
945:Bwile
940:Bemba
872:Tonga
862:Lomwe
852:Ngoni
842:Chewa
444:Islam
407:Choma
372:Banda
368:Phiri
353:Senga
330:Natal
322:Ngoni
310:Bemba
302:Shona
278:Bantu
270:Chewa
215:Kunda
211:Tonga
195:Islam
167:Chewa
30:Chewa
995:Lozi
867:Sena
751:ISBN
730:2010
689:2020
664:2023
642:2023
620:2023
598:2023
576:2023
442:and
387:Luba
370:and
342:Nyau
326:Zulu
304:and
272:(or
268:The
219:Sena
887:Yao
328:or
1097::
712:^
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425:.
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300:,
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907:v
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816:t
809:v
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732:.
691:.
666:.
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578:.
332:/
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
