Chipata police fail to trace riotous Nyau dancers
By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Mon 06 Jan. 2014, 14:00 CAT
POLICE in Chipata have failed to trace the traditional Nyau dancers who are alleged to have smashed windows at Mugubudu police post between Christmas and New Year.
But chieftainess Mkanda of the Chewa people in Chipata says it's not true that she influenced Nyau dancers from her chiefdom to smash window panes at the police post.
Eastern Province police commissioner Grace Chipalila said the Nyau dancers damaged window panes at the police post after one of their members was earlier arrested by the police.
"They smashed nine window panes at the police post and these dancers were sent by one of the chiefs. But as police we are stuck with investigations because we can't identify them (Nyau dancers) because they were in their attire," she said.
But chieftainess Mkanda refuted claims that she had influenced the Nyau dancers to damage the police post.
She said the matter was being exaggerated by the police.
"Issues to do with gule (traditional Nyau dance) are not discussed in public and this story that the dancers destroyed a police post is not true. We discussed this issue and the matter has been resolved.
What happened is something that could have been resolved at the village level but the police exaggerated this issue. I only learnt about this issue yesterday (Friday) when I was called at Mkaika (Chewa headquarters) in Katete for a meeting," she said.
The chieftainess explained that the confusion began when people of Israeli village in chief Mshawa of the Ngoni people and her people from Bauleni village differed because Nyau dancers were not given freedom to move freely.
"I am told what caused the confusion is one man from Israeli who insulted Nyau dancers and some selected Chewa chiefs. After this the locals decided to resolve the issue among themselves and the dancers wanted to come here to report what was discussed. It was during this time that one of the dancers was picked up by police. When I went to check at Mugubudu police post, I was told that this gule had been transferred to Chipata Central police station and I followed until the dancer was released," she said.
Chieftainess Mkanda said only a lock was damaged by the Nyau dancers who wanted their colleague to be released from Mgubudu police post.
"There is nothing that I know about this. I was just told and at the time when a Nyau dancer was being taken to the police post I was in Chipata. But what I can say is that everything has been resolved because we tabled this issue," said chieftainess Mkanda.
Labels: CHIPATA, NYAU
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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
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Nyau dance festival slated for next month
Entertainment Reporter
THE Nyau Dancers Organisation and Allies are expected to hold a three-day Nyau dance festival from December 4 to 6 in the country.
Several dance groups drawn from the Sadc region are expected to participate at the festival, an event that would afford locals to interact with participants of this highly intriguing, but secretive culture.
Kennedy Kachiruka chairman of Ndoga said preparations were at an advanced stage, saying more than 51 representatives from various dance groups in and outside the country participated in a workshop held in the country last Friday.
"More than 50 representatives from various groups across the country including others from outside the country registered their willingness to participate at the festival.
"We are still negotiating on the venue as arguments arose during the workshop as to where to hold the festival.
"The Minister of Media, Information and Publicity, Webster Shamu, had proposed a venue along Bulawayo Road near Norton but our concern was on accessibility by many people who might be willing to witness the event," said Kachiruka.
He added that those who wanted to attend the festival would be asked to pay a nominal fee, in either regional currencies, Zimbabwe or United States dollars.
Kachiruka promised an "extraordinary" festival that was going to shed light on the Nyau culture.
"Although it is the first time to have such an event, we have covered much ground and this event is going to be an extra-ordinary one," he said.
He, however, expressed great concern over people who were masquerading as Nyau members defrauding people of their money, a development which he said was tainting the image of the Nyau culture.
Labels: CEREMONIES, ENTERTAINMENT, NYAU
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