This article lists the practices listed in UNESCO intangible cultural heritage to Malawi.
Understand
The country has six practices listed on the "representative list of intangible cultural heritage From UNESCO.
No additional practice is included in the "register of best practices for safeguarding culture "Or on the"emergency backup list ».
Lists
Representative list
| Convenient | Year | Domain | Description | Drawing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Gule Wamkulu Note Malawi shares this practice with the Mozambique and the Zambia. | 2008 | * Performing Arts * social practices, rituals and festive events | The Gule Wamkulu was a secret cult including a ritual dance performed among the Chewa in Malawi, in Zambia and at Mozambique. He was executed by members of the Nyau Brotherhood, a secret society of initiated men. In the traditional matrilineal society of the Chewa, where married men played a relatively marginal role, the Nyau offered them a means of exerting a balance and establishing solidarity among men from several villages. Even today, members of the Nyau Brotherhood provide initiation for young boys into adulthood and perform the Gule Wamkulu which, succeeding the initiation, celebrates their integration into adult society. Gule Wamkulu takes place after the July harvest, but also at weddings, funerals, and when a chief takes office or dies. For these occasions the Nyau dancers wear costumes and masks made of wood and straw, representing all kinds of creatures: wild animals, spirits of the dead, slave traders or more recent figures such as the honda or the helicopter. Each of these characters has a unique role, often harmful, which illustrates reprehensible behavior and helps teach moral and social values. They perform dances with extraordinary energy, entertaining and frightening at the same time the public by their incarnation of the world of spirits and the dead. The Gule Wamkulu dates back to the great Chewa Empire of the seventeenth century. Despite the efforts of Christian missionaries to ban the practice, he managed to survive under British colonial rule by incorporating some aspects of Christianity. So Chewa men are often members of a Christian church and a Nyau society at the same time. However, the Gule Wamkulu is gradually losing its original functions and significance as it tends to be reduced to entertainment for tourists or put into the service of political parties. |  |
| Vimbuza, healing dance | 2008 | * Performing Arts * social practices, rituals and festive events | Vimbuza is a very popular healing dance among the Tumbuka, an ethnic group living in northern Malawi. This is an important manifestation of Ng’oma, a healing tradition spread across Bantu Africa. The Ng’oma, which means “drums of affliction”, is of considerable historical importance and, despite several attempts at suppression, remains a fundamental part of indigenous health care systems. Most of the patients are women with various forms of mental illness. They are treated for several weeks, even months, by renowned healers who lodge them in their temphiri, a village house reserved for the sick. Once the diagnosis is made, patients undergo a healing ritual. To this end, the women and children of the village form a circle around the patient who slowly enters a trance, and sing songs to invoke the helping spirits. The only men participating in the ritual are the musicians who play drum rhythms specific to each spirit and, in some cases, the healer. The combination of singing and beating of the drums creates an impressive atmosphere as well as a special space where patients can "dance their illness". The continuously enriched repertoire of songs and rhythms and the virtuosity of the dance, part of the rich heritage of the Tumbuka. The Vimbuza healing ritual developed in the mid-nineteenth century as a way to overcome the traumatic experience of oppression. It then evolved into a healing dance under British occupation, though banned by Christian missionaries. Possession by the spirits of Vimbuza allowed people to express their psychological problems (or torments) in ways accepted and understood by the rest of the community. For the Tumbuka, Vimbuza has an artistic value and a therapeutic function which complements other forms of medical treatment. It is still practiced in the rural areas where the Tumbuku live and continues to suffer the prohibitions of Christian churches and modern medicine. |  |
| The tchopa, sacrificial dance of the Lomwe of southern Malawi | 2014 | * Performing Arts * social practices, rituals and festive events | Tchopa dance is a performing art practiced in the Lomwe communities of south-eastern Malawi. This dance is typically performed on festivals after good harvests and successful hunting expeditions, as well as offerings to ancestral spirits after disasters such as droughts and pests. Tchopa requires special knowledge and skill in dancing and singing, and uses drums of three different sizes. It is performed by twenty to thirty dancers who dance in a circle and intersecting each other. Some dancers carry bags containing agricultural tools, animal skins, puppets, hunting equipment and old kitchen utensils on their backs. Each village chief has a small group of tchopa dancers. While it was originally practiced by elderly men and women from the Lomwe community, who are its bearers, practitioners and main custodians, tchopa is now increasingly practiced by children. The knowledge and skills necessary for this dance are transmitted during the practice sessions and occasional performances. Other key roles in the group are dance costume makers and drummers, whistlers and dancers. The tchopa dance strengthens the social cohesion of Lomwe communities, since members help each other when needed, for example in the event of illness or bereavement, or help practitioners overwhelmed with work in the fields by setting up work communal. |  |
| The nsima, culinary tradition of Malawi | 2017 | * social practices, rituals and festive events * knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe * know-how related to traditional craftsmanship | The nsima, a culinary tradition of Malawi, refers either to a set of elements that are part of a Malawian culinary tradition, or to a unique ingredient used within the framework of this same tradition, a kind of thick porridge generally prepared with flour of corn. The process of making nsima requires specific knowledge, from the reduction of corn into flour to the selection, preparation and consumption of any foods served on the side. Meals are governed by different customs, which, for example, make it possible to regulate excess gluttony and promote cleanliness as well as cohesion. Growing, storing, processing and preparing the corn from which nsima is made is linked to the Malawian way of life. Also, sharing the nsima is a collective custom in families, which promotes the strengthening of bonds. Girls learn from an early age to pound corn or sift flour to prepare nsima, while young boys hunt animals that will serve as companions. The communities safeguard the element through its continued practice, the publication of textbooks and recipes dedicated to the nsima, the organization of festivals and the revitalization of the practice. The majority of restaurants in Malawi also have a menu that consists of nsima. Knowledge of the element is transmitted informally between adults and children, as well as through learning and training in the field. |  |
| The mwinoghe, joyful dance | 2018 | * Performing Arts * social practices, rituals and festive events * know-how related to traditional craftsmanship | Mwinoghe is an instrumental dance performed in three ethnic communities - sukwa, ndali and bandya - in the northern region of Malawi. In the Chisukwa dialect, the word “mwinoghe” literally means “let's have fun”: the dance is therefore performed to express joy and happiness. Inspired by a ceremonial dance from the neighboring district of Karonga called indigala, mwinoghe is a relatively recent dance. The dancers form two rows, the men on one side, the women on the other, and the bodies undulate in complex steps. We do not sing, the only sound comes from the three drums, the pipe and the orders of the leader of the group. Mwinoghe is performed at social events for entertainment purposes, especially on national holidays. People from all walks of life come together to witness the dance which has a unifying function between the different communities. Other traditional dances are also performed on these occasions, allowing people to celebrate their different cultures together. The associated skills and knowledge are mainly transmitted through the observation and participation of young people during performances, but the practice is also integrated into the curricula of primary, secondary and higher education. The mwinoghe is very present at the annual independence celebrations, and communities have also created dance groups that perform at annual festivals and other occasions. |  |
| The art of making and playing the mbira / sanza, a traditional lamellophone in Malawi and Zimbabwe Note Malawi shares this practice with the Zimbabwe. | 2020 | * Performing Arts * Social practices, rituals and festive events * Know-how related to traditional craftsmanship * Oral traditions and expressions | The art of making and playing the mbira / sanza, a traditional lamellophone in Malawi and Zimbabwe, plays a key role in the communities involved. The basic mbira / sanza is an instrument made of a wooden plank to which metal blades are attached. It is sometimes mounted on a wooden calabash / sound box. Metal blades, made from spoon handles, bicycle wheel spokes, or spring wire, are pinched using your thumbs alone or in combination with other fingers. The mbira / sanza emits a fluid and punchy sound deemed mystical, peaceful and enchanting. The music of the mbira / sanza is also characterized by its cyclical nature: each new repetition of a theme varies slightly from the previous one and incorporates many interwoven melodies. The instrument can be practiced alone or with others, in a group. Traditionally, transmission takes place through learning within the family circle. But nowadays the practice is also transmitted formally, and the art of making and practicing mbira / sanza is taught in some schools. The songs convey important messages. For example, they warn children against bad behavior or condemn negative behavior by members of the community. Music is also used to accompany accounts of past events. Whenever practiced, mbira / sanza acts as a "weapon" to condemn violence and other social problems. |  |
Register of Best Safeguarding Practices
Malawi does not have a practice listed on the Best Safeguarding Practices Register.
Emergency backup list
Malawi does not have a practice on the Emergency Safeguarding List.
