History and tradition in East Central Africa through the Eyes of the Northern Rhodesian Ceŵa

Abstract

My excuse for presenting this summary of Ceŵa tradition and history is that the Ceŵa are a numerous and important people. Numerically they are the most important descendants of the Malawi (the Maravi or Maraves of Portuguese records); and the fact that the name of their ancestors has been adopted by the majority party in Nyasaland led by Dr Hastings Banda, himself a Ceŵa, is one of the indications of their political importance.