Initiation Rites for Boys in Lomwe Society in Malawi and other Essays

Research in traditional religion in Malawi has shifted from broad ecological religions to communal rituals, as traditional rituals are scrutinised, partly in connection with the study of the HIV/AIDS pandemic and transmission of the virus. The eight essays in the collection demonstrate ample attempts to understand communal rituals in their various contexts.

Contents: rites of passage: initiations rites for boys in Lomwe society; death rituals among the Tumbuka of Mzimba north-east; the Nyau cult in central Malawi; Nyau among the Chewa of Dedza and Lilongwe districts in the central region of Malawi; Nyau in modern societies: continuity and change; traditional medicine: its abiding influence today; ‘a witch’: the Tumbuka understanding; some Chewa traditional sacrifices performed in central Malawi; and, history and words for spirits and gods.