Gifts

Gift giving is a part of every culture. They are given to show appreciation, to show respect, to honor an occasion, or all of the above. But in Malawi, the variation is the style of giving and the gifts given. There is a flair to the presentation that is a delight to watch and humbling to receive. And the gifts themselves are practical. I witnessed this with delight on Sunday at the farewell to Rev. Kadawati from Chigodi congregation.

Rev Kadawati has served as senior pastor of Chigodi for four years, the time he was General Secretary of the Synod. He has left the office and is going to South Africa to pursue further studies, so the congregation needed to bid farewell to him. I was specifically invited since I had served as his associate for part of that the time. It was good to be back with the congregation for this celebration. Part of any welcome or farewell by a congregation is gift giving. The gifts are always practical and specific to the recipient. They have been thought through. It is not just giving a gift for the sake of giving. And in these economic times, the gifts are sacrifices, given from the heart. That is all the more reason to give with flourish.



Hugs from Rev. Kadawati



Each group to give a gift (and it is usually done in groups or at least categories of givers – geographic areas of the church, Presbytery officials and visiting pastors, choirs, and the like) is called up by the Master of Ceremony. The group gathers at the back of the church and when the music (either a choir singing or a CD played) begins, the presenters begin to dance up the aisle. The dancing is part of the joy of the giving. The group is led by the most important or highest ranking people of the group, and they are the ones to carry the gift. This procession takes several minutes. The dance is important. When the presenters reach the honoree, they kneel, if a woman, or bow, if a man, and hold out the gift for the honoree to receive. He or she takes the gift, then hands it to one who is standing close by to collect the gifts and keep them organized until the end of the function, when a group of folks will arrange for their transportation to the honoree’s home. The honoree then shakes the hand and/or hugs the givers of the gifts – all of them in the group. The group then begins to toss kwacha (money) at the honoree, in rhythm to the music. This is usually small bills – 20 kwacha (12 cents) or 50 kwacha (30 cents) but doesn’t have to be. This can go on for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the size of the group. The amount of the money is not the issue. It is the joy of giving that matters most, for all concerned. This is dancing in Malawi. Then the next group is called and the process begins all over again. Gift giving can last for an hour or more of the function.



The Goat Gift



The gifts are unique to the culture, too. Frequently they are household items, like glassware, dishes, bowls of various sizes or clocks. Sometimes they are personal items of clothing. But most frequently, and especially in the village areas, they are food items. It is these items that give the flavor to the giving. Chigodi is close to Blantyre, but it still has a village atmosphere to it. That is part of its charm. That was reflected in the gifts presented to Rev. Kadawati on Sunday. – packets of sugar, bags of rice, sacks of maize and a goat. The goat is a great gift of honor. It is expensive and it is practical. It is the food of celebration. Goats’ meat is a delicacy. For me, it is still a delight to see men dancing up the aisle with a goat, legs tied together and held upside down. The goat is quickly handed over and handed off to be taken outside and tied to a tree, to await his fate. He will give his ultimate gift – his life – for the celebration. That is his sacrifice for the honoree.