Maravi

(HERALD) Demystifying intrigue of Nyau culture

Demystifying intrigue of Nyau culture
By Bright Rungu

Call them fleet-footed or nimble-footed, Nyau dancers are known for their fancy footwork and dazzling waist-wriggling dances. This is as far as their positive side is known by many, the rest is myth and mystery.

It starts with their appearance, a masked caricature of a human being or animal, so skillfully sculptured that it easily sends the weak-hearted scampering for cover or children hiding their faces behind a pillow.

Just the mere sight of a Nyau dancer is adequate to trigger a stampede by the timid, all thanks to the numerous mysterious tales on how they can use their weird powers on anyone they lay their hands on.

Their weird streak begins with the way members are initiated into the "cult" and how they behave thereafter.

It is hard to imagine a normal being living at a cemetery for a week in order to become a member of a cult that bases its beliefs on the use of juju to safeguard their lives and property.

A cult that does not consult medical doctors but believes in traditional herbs to cure illnesses, and always creates a ghastly atmosphere whenever the members get to the dance floor. Interestingly, the Nyau culture has stood the test of time from the point the first migrants from Malawi crossed into the country were assimilated into the Shona culture.

Most of them have since forgotten many aspects of their culture and even their language. But their culture of dancing on the streets lives on.

The Nyau dancers are mostly found in the high density suburbs of Mabvuku, Highfield and Tafara. They are well represented in most farm compounds where they both intimidate and entertain people.

They keep the nitty-gritties of their culture a closely guarded secret.

When this writer tried to interview one Nyau dancer in Mabvuku, he bluntly said, "Wavekutamba nemoto unotsva" (you are now playing with fire you will get burnt).

To become a leader one has to be of Malawian descent. People with such a background are the ones who are believed to possess the most potent charms and medicines.

They visit their mother country at certain periods to look for stronger charms.

Every year they hold annual festivals to celebrate the existence of their culture and do not tolerate outside interference.

It is at such rituals that they perform magical acts such as dancing with snakes around their necks while the dangerous snakes are kept in their traditional bags.

The recruitment process is open to everyone, but the training is too demanding and gruesome.

One would be beaten thoroughly so as to strengthen him physically. The new recruits are taken to the cemetery for at least a week where they are taught various dancing styles.

They are then given charms to strengthen them, in what is called the "Mankwara" stage.

More often than not, they are like toddlers who can be groomed into unblemished stars.

During the days of training, the recruits will not be allowed to mingle with other people and they are not allowed to have sex.

At the graduation stage they are divided into various dancing groups, for example the "mwi-mwi", who are named after their habit of walking silent.

The mwi-mwi are known for terrorsing people, especially those who refuse to give them way on their parades. Both the dancing group and the mwi-mwi wear masks to avoid identification.

Unlike other African cultures, the Nyaus do not believe in God and they do not allow their members to go to church.

In reality they know that God exists, but their culture does not allow them to base their belief in him.

Takudzwa Nyarunga from Murehwa once joined the Nyau but failed to accommodate the issue of being beaten and not being allowed to go to church.

"I heard them singing a song that when translated to English means, ‘Were you reading the Bible? There is fire in hell’.

"They will be mocking their fellow member for not worshiping the Almighty," he added.

Thus they know God exists but they cannot cease their way of life.

Secrecy is the order of the day and if one discloses the source of their charms, one can disappear, in an act known as "kuchezurwa".

"In years gone by, they were so secretive that no one could come close to understand them but of late they have been coming out of their shells, entertaining people almost every weekend with their music and dance," said Taurai Wilson who stays at Chamboko farm in Chishawasha.

The way they treat funerals is so different from other cultures. They do not allow members outside of their cult at the funeral for the first night.

The other society members will only be allowed to come the following morning. After burial, they dance on the grave mound until it is flat.

It is reported that villagers in Murehwa once witnessed the death of a Ndebele man who had unknowingly assaulted a mwi-mwi and was given a date on which he was supposed to die.

The villagers were shocked by the incident, which incidentally prompted some to contemplate migrating to another place far away from these mysterious people.

A number of people living and working with Nyaus revealed that it is difficult to understand what happens within the culture and most of them admitted that they are too scared to ask.

However, the Nyau have their positive side not known to many. It is a closely-knit group that helps each other in times of trouble such as sickness or death.

The Nyau also treat each other in times of illness and good for them, they socialise like any other grouping.

Nyau is a way of life, it is life itself and it will take a lot of time for people to understand that it keeps a whole group of people united and focused.

It is time people understood the Nyau.

Labels: MALAWI, NYAU

posted by MrK @ 7:31 PM