Aches or Chewa is a cultural tribe in Africa that has existed for more than one thousand years. The tribe’s cultural heritage is rich, as is its history. The people of the tribe speak the Chichewa language, which is one of the national languages of the African country Malawi. Currently, one and a half million people live in this tribe, occupying the territory of both Zambia and Malawi. However, the Chewa people do not consider themselves part of those countries. Rather, they belong to Bantu, even though they live in the central part of Malawi. Religion plays a vital role in the life of the Chewa and intertwines with all aspects of their lives.
The Achewa believe in God and that He created all living beings. The tribe practices a religious dance called Gule Wamculu, which praises God through pagan dance in masks and stands at the core of their culture. This dance is an integral part of religious practices and brings with it certain requirements that both children and adults must meet to join the dance (Longwe, 2014). The tradition dates far back in history but today faces resistance from other established churches. Currently, the people belong to several religious groups: local traditional cults, Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, and even Judaism to a lesser extent (Friedenthal & Kavanaugh, 2014). Only approximate data is available: it is thought that around 75 percent of the population is Christian (divided into 55 percent Protestants and 20 percent Catholics); 20 percent are Muslim; 3 percent follow traditional African beliefs and practices; and, 2 percent are active parishioners of Afro-Christian churches.
Active dissemination of Christianity began during colonial expansion when Western European countries captured vast territories of the African continent. At present, Christians make up a quarter of the Achewa population, and there are about three times fewer Catholics than the Protestants. It is worth noting that Christianity was spread in the second half of the 19th century, as the Church tried to take an
active part in public life. Islam was brought to Africa from the Arabian Peninsula (Friedenthal & Kavanaugh, 2014), and the Arabs spread Islam through administrative and economic measures: those who converted to Islam were exempted from the heavy poll tax and received the same rights as Muslim Arabs. Islam became the leading religion alongside Christianity and ancient religious traditions.
Christian African churches in the Achewa tribe are organizations that were separated from the Western Churches. They have created their own dogma, rituals and ceremonies that combine traditional and pagan elements with the beliefs and practices of Christianity (Longwe, 2014). In Western literature, they are called syncretic, Messianic or separatist churches or sects. These organizations were originally of anti-colonial character and represented a form of protest against enslavement. Over time, these movements obtained only religious grounds. Currently, they are only religious organizations and often stand in opposition to the government. Hinduism is practiced in Achewa by immigrants from the Indian subcontinent and their descendants, but their number is small. Only a minimal number of tribe inhabitants profess to follow Judaism; in particular, there is a small group of Ashkenazi Jews who originally hailed from European countries. Overall, geographical positioning has influenced the religious backgrounds of Achewa as well as its history; however, the tribe has retained certain ancient religious practices over decades and generations.
References
Longwe, H. H. (2014). Identity by dissociation. A history of the Achewa providence industrial mission. Oxford, UK: African Books Collective.
Friedenthal, L., & Kavanaugh, D. (2014). Religions of Africa. Broomall, PA: Mason Crest.