Malawi's Early Contact with Outside Cultures

In the early 1600s, Portuguese soldiers and traders found their way into Malawi.  A number of tribes had "united to form a kingdom under one main ruler" known as the Maravi Empire.[1]  This empire, which included the Chewa people of Malawi, traded "ivory, iron, and slaves with the Portuguese and Arabs" which was enhanced due to the "common language spoken throughout the Maravi Empire".[2]  This relationship between the Portuguese and Malawi was based on trade and proved a successful venture until trade between individual tribesmen and the Portuguese weakened, eventually destroying the kingdom in 1700.[3]  Portugal's main reason for its push into Malawi was because of trade and most of the slaves that were traded were "sent mainly to work on Portuguese plantations in Mozambique or to Brazil".[4]

In the 19th century, the Ayao people, who had been successfully trading ivory and slaves with the Arabs, moved from Mozambique into Malawi. The founding of Arab trading posts along Lake Malawi created a shift in trade "from the Portuguese in Mozambique to the Arabs of Zanzibar".[5]  In 1870 rice became a "major crop" due to the Arabs' introduction. [6]  In addition to slave trade and agriculture, Malawi saw a major conversion from animism to Islam due to the Arabs' influence.

Malawi's next noteworthy association with the west was missionary, David Livingstone in 1859.  Livingstone was a Victorian explorer hailing from Scotland and well known as "an important crusader against slavery, publicising its horrors back in Britain".[7]  Additionally, Livingstone played an important part in bringing Christianity to Malawi spurring the planting of Anglican and Presbyterian churches in the late 1860s and 1870s. 

David Livingstone, "Africa's First Freedom Fighter"
http://www.theguardian.com/uk/scotland-blog/2013/mar/19/scotland-malawi-davidlivingstone

These European and Middle Eastern contacts influenced Malawi's culture through trade and religion.  While the slave trade increased Malawi's economy such as the wealth amassed by the Ayao as well as those with whom they traded,[8] slavery was a detriment to African culture and society.  Although some parts of Malawi have continued to keep their indigenous beliefs, the mark these influences made in the way of Christianity and Islam has been impactful.    


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1 World Guides, "Malawi's History, Facts, and Timeline", World-Guides.com, last updated November 14, 2014, accessed November 18, 2014, http://www.world-guides.com/africa/south-east-africa/malawi/malawi_history.html, ¶ 3. 
2 Wikipedia, "History of Malawi", wikipedia.com, last updated November 3, 2014, accessed November 19, 2014, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Malawi, ¶ 5. 
3 World Guides, ¶ 3.
4 Wikipedia, ¶ 6. 
5 Ibid, ¶ 9.
6 Ibid, ¶ 8.
7 Our Africa, "History and Politics", Our-Africa.com, accessed November 19, 2014, http://www.our-africa.org/malawi/history-politics, ¶ 4.
8 Wikipedia, ¶ 8.