Gawa UNDI Banishes Retrogressive Sexual Practices

Education ÷ The King ordered/decreed that every Chewa child should be sent to school fully supported by parents/guardians. Parents who deliberately fail/ignore this order should be reported to traditional leadership and punishment enforced on them. He advised that parents incapable of sending children to school should consider other means of raising their families instead of punishing innocent souls/gifts from

God.

Sexual Cleansing÷ the King has forthwith outlawed sexual cleansing in Chewa culture and all chewas are asked to observe/enforce this order with immediate effect.

Fisi Concept ÷ the employment of a mystery man to test the skills of a young girl who has just come of age is now illegal and prohibited in Chewa culture. Girls attending these initiations must be supervised by cultured elders who should be  monitored in their deeds and content administered to the initiates.

Cidyerano ÷ The King has outlawed cidyerano, a practice where men forcibly exchange their spouses for sexual variety against their will.

Any chewa practicing cidyerano will be punished forthwith.

Chokolo ÷ The King has outlawed spouse inheritance where widows/widowers are forced to marry family members after losing their legal spouses often for selfish motives.

Early Marriages ÷ the King has outlawed marriages for chewas below the age of sixteen (16). Headmen/Chiefs have been ordered to intervene in such marriages and offenders cited for punishment forthwith.

Gule wamkulu initiation ÷ the King has ordered that only willing boys above 16 should be initiated with consent. And initiates who are attending school should only be initiated during school holidays and allowed to attend school programs when asked to by school authorities.

The king said all this is to align chewa customs with changing times so that our lives are not put “pa chiswe”.

By Dismus Banda

Culture & Traditional Affairs Secretary- CHEFO- Zambia chapter.