Chewa people
Late 20th-century wood, paint, feathers, metal and wool mask from the Chewa people in Malawi in the British Museum | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
| Malawi | 7,270,000 (2020) |
| Languages | |
| Chewa, English, Portuguese | |
| Religion | |
| Christianity, traditional Chewa religion, Islam | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Tumbuka, Tonga, Kunda, Sena, Nyungwe | |
| Person | MChewa |
|---|---|
| People | AChewa |
| Language | Chichewa |
| Country | Uchewa |
The Chewa are a Bantu ethnic group primarily found in Malawi and Zambia, with few populations in Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The Chewa are closely related to people in surrounding regions such as the Tumbuka. As with the Nsenga and Tumbuka, a small part of Chewa territory came under the influence of the Ngoni, who were of Zulu or Natal/Transvaal origin. An alternative name, often used interchangeably with Chewa, is Nyanja. Their language is called Chichewa. The Chewa are mainly known for their masks and their secret societies, called Nyau. Members of the Nyau brotherhood are responsible for the initiation of young men into adulthood, and for the performance of the Gule Wamkulu at the end of the initiation procedure, celebrating the young men’s integration into adult society.
The Chewa (Mang'anja) are a remnant of the Maravi people.
There are two large Chewa clans, the Phiri and Banda, with a population of 1.5 million people. The Phiri are associated with the kings and aristocracy, the Banda with healers and mystics.