Gule wa Ingoma

(Video - may take a while to download)
Sunday, June 21 there was a large Ingoni tribe dance (Gule wa Ingoma) where I live. It was originally a war dance performed after a successful battle. About 400 people from Malawi and nearby Zambia attended and it was quite a celebration of traditional culture.

It was organized by my landlord and Malawian brother Williams Lipunga as a cultural celebration and to welcome me to the community.












Many village headmen attended as well as the Group Village Headman, who oversees 14 village headmen.












There was also a small delegation from Mchinji including 2 Peace Corps volunteers: Irene and Lauren, the District Planning Director, and the assistant Forestry Officer.










There is always food involved and the women here are cooking Nsima, the staple food of Malawi. It is a pattie made from a thick cooked mixture of maize flour and water. A Malawian does not feel satisfied unless there is Nsima.















The men wear goatskin and carry a "club" which is a stick with a ball of the end. You can see it between the feet of the dancer on the right.

It was a great day for all!