In this post, I'll talk about two distinct cults found in two different regions of Malawi. In essence, you'll be introduced to the Bimbi and Chikang'ombe Cults of the Chewa and the Tumbuka ethnic groups, respectively.
Bimbi cult.
The Bimbi cult is a territorial cult worshipped among the southern Chewa people.
Where do you find the Bimbi cult?
The Bimbi rain cult is practiced in the upper Shire valley in places like Zomba, Machinga, and Mangochi districts.
This’s home to thousands of different ethnic groups such as Ngoni, Chewa, Lomwe, and Yao – who have been influenced by either Christianity or Islam, in one way or another.
The name is Bimbi!
You may wish to know that Bimbi is a reference to a charismatic leader at the helm of the Bimbi cult. A Bimbi may be a man or woman and is the most famous and influential personality in this highly organized religious cult.
Role of Bimbi
Bimbi is crucial to the well-being of people in a society. Among other roles, he or she is there to fulfill some of the following roles:
• inform people if they have sinned
• explain to them why they are being punished – by withholding rain
• warn people of incoming disasters – dry spells, disease, floods, etc
• and guide people on how to solve problems.
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| Flooding of the Shire River in Southern Region of Malawi, March 2019. Photo: Government of Malawi |
Nature of Bimbi
Bimbi performs his or her roles in the spirit whilst in the physical form. He’s not Chiuta, but rather a vessel sent by called Chiuta in His secret ways to lead the society. In this understanding, Bimbi fits the real prophetic role in society.
Also, note the following natural aspects of Bimbi:
• He or she does not use items or cast incantations to influence nature—such as floods or drought
• He or she makes sacrifices, public atonements, and righteous means to influence nature
• And believes sin and conflicts in society anger Chiuta – who in turn inflicts blights, pests, epidemics, and dry spells in society.
How is the Bimbi cult organized?
This cult’s organization is too complex to have discussed here (Don’t worry, I’ll surely cover you soon). However, I must point out that its structure can be understood at three levels: religious, shrine, and political organization.
What is clear though is that Bimbi, the prophet sets the blueprint of work and role of the cult, and other cult leaders are available to spread and strengthen the beliefs in other societies.
On the other hand, the Bimbi shrines are focal points where history, myths, and rituals of the cult come alive, through songs and drama.
Bimbi cult’s alignment to the Chewa both a territorial and political group brings out its political dimension. To effect, togetherness in the belief, agents act as intermediaries between Bimbi and Yao leaders.
Related: Best Introduction to Understanding the Mbona Cult
Lastly, you may wish to appreciate this cult by visiting the shrines in the Upper Shire valley. It is one of the most resistant-to-death cults in Malawi.
Chikang’ombe cult.
This is a cult dedicated to the spirit of Chikang’ombe under his priesthood Mwadandambwi, among the Tumbuka people of the Rumphi district.
The nature of the Chikang’ombe cult
Actually,
Chikang’ombe itself is literary a snake spirit that controls rainfall among
the Tumbukaland.
Through
the spirit of Chikang’ombe, people send their prayers to Chiuta (God, and
denotatively “a bow”) or Leza, through an intermediary priest called Mwadandambwi.
This
spirit of Chikang’ombe—like Thunga of the northern Chewa—assumes the physical
form of a snake and is considered to be a male force.
He
had many wives devoted to his service. It should not be a very big surprise
therefore that there arose many shrines out of this cult in many places.
This
spirit would move around the dwelling places of his wives in different parts of the
Tumbuka area. This resulted in the creation of many satellite shrines.
From
Chikang’ombe hill in Nkhamanga, Chikang’ombe would visit Zambwe on Pelekezi
mountain in eastern Zambia, and other places like Njwakwa where Henga valley
starts, and Mwanda hill on the boundary of modern Malawi and Zambia.
How worship was organized?
There
were priests facilitating worship practices in all these shrines:
Mwadandambwi at Luviri for Chikang’ombe shrine, Mwakhaka at Khamanga, Mlomnoji
at Hewe, and Tunduru in Henga, to mention a few examples.
Purpose of Chikang’ombe worship.
Like
other territorial cults, the Tumbuka people looked forward to Chikang’ombe for
their general well-being, and whenever they faced calamities, they
offered sacrifices for forgiveness and goodwill from Chiuta through Him.
In other words, whenever disasters such as drought struck, the Tumbuka assembled at Chikang’ombe Hill to pray for rain. On the other hand, Chiuta would also lay havoc on people such as withholding rain if angry.
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