Maravi
Encyclopedia
Maravi was a state established by the Bantu Chewa people, descendants of the Amaravi
, in the area of Lake Malawi
, in present-day Malawi
, in the 16th century. The present-day name "Malawi" is said to derive from "Maravi" which itself means "fire flames".
At its greatest extent, the state included territory from the Tumbuka
and Tonga areas to the north to the Lower Shire in the south, and west to Luangwa
and Zambezi
valleys. Maravi's rulers
belonged to the Phiri matriclan
and held the title Kalonga. They ruled from Manthimba
, the secular/administrative capital, and were the driving force behind the state's establishment. Meanwhile, the patrilineal Banda clan, which traditionally provided healers, sages and metallurgists, took care of religious affairs from their capital Mankhamba near Nthakataka.
After contact with the Portuguese
, trade intensified. It included such items as beads of the Khami
type and Chinese
porcelain
imported via Portuguese intermediaries. In the 19th century, the state declined and the Maravi were frequently raided by their neighbors the Yao and captured for sale as slaves
. David Livingstone
visited Lake Nyasa in 1859, and Protestant
missionaries soon followed.
Today, "Maravi" is also a generic name of the black tribes in Malawi, Zambia
, Zimbabwe
, and Mozambique
. They speak several dialects, including Chichewa (Malawi’s national language), and speak other official languages: Portuguese
in Mozambique and English
in Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Amaravi
The Amaravi were a Bantu tribe, living around Lake Nyasa in what is now Malawi in the 15th century.They founded a dynasty known as the Maravi Empire. The Amaravi, who eventually became known as the Chewa , migrated to Malawi from the region of the modern day Republic of Congo to escape unrest and...
, in the area of Lake Malawi
Lake Malawi
Lake Malawi , is an African Great Lake and the southernmost lake in the Great Rift Valley system of East Africa. This lake, the third largest in Africa and the eighth largest lake in the world, is located between Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania...
, in present-day Malawi
Malawi
The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Its size...
, in the 16th century. The present-day name "Malawi" is said to derive from "Maravi" which itself means "fire flames".
At its greatest extent, the state included territory from the Tumbuka
Tumbuka
The Tumbuka are a Bantu ethnic group living in Northern Malawi, Eastern Zambia and Southern Tanzania. Their chief god is called Chiuta, who is all-powerful, omniscient and self-created, just like the God of the Abrahamic religions...
and Tonga areas to the north to the Lower Shire in the south, and west to Luangwa
Luangwa
Luangwa may refer to:*Luangwa River, the major river of eastern Zambia;*the Luangwa Bridge, which crosses the Luangwa River*the Luangwa Valley, a rift valley branch of the Great Rift Valley, named after the Luangwa River flowing in it;...
and Zambezi
Zambezi
The Zambezi is the fourth-longest river in Africa, and the largest flowing into the Indian Ocean from Africa. The area of its basin is , slightly less than half that of the Nile...
valleys. Maravi's rulers
Rulers of Maravi
List of Rulers of Maravi :...
belonged to the Phiri matriclan
Clan
A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clan members may be organized around a founding member or apical ancestor. The kinship-based bonds may be symbolical, whereby the clan shares a "stipulated" common ancestor that is a...
and held the title Kalonga. They ruled from Manthimba
Manthimba
Manthimba was the capital of the Maravi Kingdom. It was located at from the present city of Mtakataka in the Dedza district, in the central region of Malawi....
, the secular/administrative capital, and were the driving force behind the state's establishment. Meanwhile, the patrilineal Banda clan, which traditionally provided healers, sages and metallurgists, took care of religious affairs from their capital Mankhamba near Nthakataka.
After contact with the Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, trade intensified. It included such items as beads of the Khami
Khami
Khami is a ruined city located in what is now Zimbabwe. It was once the capital of the Kingdom of Butua of the Torwa dynasty. It is located 22 kilometers west of the modern city of Bulawayo, capital of the province of Matabeleland North. Its ruins are now a national monument in Zimbabwe. Khami is...
type and Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
porcelain
Porcelain
Porcelain is a ceramic material made by heating raw materials, generally including clay in the form of kaolin, in a kiln to temperatures between and...
imported via Portuguese intermediaries. In the 19th century, the state declined and the Maravi were frequently raided by their neighbors the Yao and captured for sale as slaves
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
. David Livingstone
David Livingstone
David Livingstone was a Scottish Congregationalist pioneer medical missionary with the London Missionary Society and an explorer in Africa. His meeting with H. M. Stanley gave rise to the popular quotation, "Dr...
visited Lake Nyasa in 1859, and Protestant
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
missionaries soon followed.
Today, "Maravi" is also a generic name of the black tribes in Malawi, Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
, Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
, and Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
. They speak several dialects, including Chichewa (Malawi’s national language), and speak other official languages: Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
in Mozambique and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
in Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.