Minister of Religious Affairs and National Guidance Godfridah Sumaili has described the move by Paramount Chief Gawa of the Chewa people to ban cultural practices such as sexual cleansing, spouse exchange and spouse inheritance as progressive.
Reverend Sumaili the move is in line with the country’s Christian values.
She has told ZNBC News in Lusaka today that some cultural practices have far reaching consequences especially on women and girl children.
The Minister has urged other traditional leaders to emulate Paramount Chief Gawa Undi and ban cultural pracices which are against national values and principles.
Early this week, Paramount Chief Kalonga Gawa Undi of the Chewa people banned sexual initiations like spouse exchange, commonly known as Cidyerano, among other retrogressive cultural practices.
Cidyerano is a sexual practice where men exchange their wives for sexual variety, while ‘Fisi (hyena) concept’ is a sexual exercise in which parents employ a mystery man (hyena) to test sexual skills of a girl who has reached puberty.
The traditional leader said all bad initiations in the Chewa chiefdom will no longer be allowed.
Paramount Chief Gawa Undi identified seven cultural practices which have been banned to align Chewa customs with modern time.
He said this in a message to all Chewa people in Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique.
Religious affairs ministry is a waste of time and taxpayers money.
Iwe Sumaili why didn’t you come up with this initiative first. What other tribes in Zambia practice such barbaric traditions? Asuka
Thank-you paramount chief Kalonga Gaga Undi! It’s sad that in this day and age, men want to treat women like they are still sending messages by beating drums!
Aba ba Mayo should have been a Minister of sex affairs.
Chidyerano – Swinging. It’s not a bad practice actually. Monogamy is overated.
What is this Ministry there for surely? How much is dedicated by taxpayers to this silly woman
Long overdue. Good job Chief. How much has the silly woman called MUTINTA HICHILEMA benefitted from the money that was stolen from the Zambia Privatization Agency through INSIDE TRADING by UNDER FIVE HAKAINDE MENTAL? The same money which is now deposited in PANAMA?
Spouse inheritance is progressive at times. There is a reason why it’s come this far, even jews practice(d) it. It’s only because of the fight against HIV and AIDS that it seems retrogressive. Spouse inheritance was/is only practiced in cases were the deceased has left children, children who in most cases are mistreated if the living spouse marries someone of her own choosing. It was and still is a necessary traditional custom.
Now I ask, are chiefs still playing the role of culture and tradition custodians if they are the ones banning certain aspects that make a people who they are? Where is the ministry of traditional affairs.
Space is not enough.
@2 Dokowe; you mean to tell me that an in-law can’t/couldn’t care of a widows children without having $ex with her Jewish or not? I am all for culture and tradition but I think it should move with times also.
Here you are commenting on a story which anyone the world over can read and yet you still want women to be passed around, in this day and age, with no say simply because they lost a spouse?
Thank God we have men like paramount chief Kalonga Gawa Undi, he may persuade other chiefs to do the same!
@The Real Olivia Pope, most families no longer take care of extended family members as they did in the past for so many reasons and one of them being largely due to inheritance for spouse, property, and children.
Ku Chipata nako kwaba akantu.
No No No No, Paramaount, absolutely No. I beg to differ. What is the essence of living without the Fisi concept and Chidyerano? I recall when a cousin becomes of age in the village, we were formerly invited to go and authenticate her skills. Chidyerano gives an opportunity to people to enjoy something different, something new.
Dot sit on peoples happiness without consultation please. Otherwise we will summon the Council of elders to review both your position and the decisions. Preserve your culture.
iwe Denkede, Undi is from Katete, not all easters are from Chipata yamvela!!!!!
From my understanding chidyerano DOES NOT relate to any kind of spouse sharing it’s about FOOD sharing, please correct me if I’m wrong. The tribe with spouse sharing practice is the Lenje.
No No No No, Paramaount, absolutely No. I beg to differ. What is the essence of living without the Fisi concept and Chidyerano? I recall when a cousin becomes of age in the village, we were formerly invited to go and authenticate her skills. But strictly speaking, no one does Chidyerano in the context it is mentioned here. Chidyerano is bout food.
Don’t sit on peoples happiness without consultation please. Otherwise we will summon the Council of elders to review both your position and the decisions. Preserve your culture.
Madame minister your ministry will be erased soon after this new PF is removed from power in 2021. Start farming or any other business now. U ll be jobless.
long live our Chief, long live! Fipuba sana ifibantu fyobe, fifunde amano yasuma!
You are my prayer today your majesty
may be the public may once be educated….He is His Majesty.King Kalonga Gawa Undi Mkhomo 5th……he is not a Paramount chief….Zambian journalists…Lusakatimes inclusive….learn to respect titles…..consult…Next time we will start suing journalists….for deaming right titles for our King….
Yaba, some of these traditions are straight from Lucifer’s catalogue: ati “Chidyerano” – the definition fits Swinger Clubs in Europa, only that I doubt the emphasis on body hygene not to mention the use of condoms in the African version.
I didn’t know that swingers were allowed in Zambia
Useless ministry, maybe this is where chagwa goes to swing with this ugly woman he calls a minister, what a waste of tax payers money, shut this useless ministry down iwe Jonathan….. While ur at it go back to Malawi u piece of crap
Just keep quiet its not your job to clap for Undi. We were enjoying the fisi dance. So where do we practice the fisi dance now. You want us to go to the streets.
Just to look relevant when its not even your job. I wish he created ICT Ministry not ma-irrlele aya. Ati Ministry of RE when the Ministry of General Education had been handling RE in schools very quite well.
Kapena mudala anayikako fisi somewhere ka!!!
Disaster PF!
Again the minister with nothing to do has to comment on each and every thing happening in the news just to make herself relevant until the next day of prayer.