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Malawi

From Bahaipedia
 Malawi
Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Faith in Malawi, 2003.
Location of Malawi
National AssemblyMalawi
Statistics:
Total Population
 -  UN 2021[1] 19,889,742
Bahá'í pop.
 -  Bahá'í source 15,000 
 -  Non-Bahá'í source 44,095
History:
Firsts
 -  Local Bahá'í 1956, Albert Nthala 
 -  Pioneers 1952, Denis Dudley-Smith Kutendele
1953, Enayat Sohaili 
 -  Local Assembly 1958, Lilongwe 
 -  National Assembly 1970 
Related media
Categories: Malawi • People

The Republic of Malawi is a nation in Southeastern Africa. The official language is English with several local regional languages being recognized and the predominant religion is Christianity.

The region has been inhabited since the 10th century when Bantu groups settled the area. In 1891 the British Empire colonized the area establishing the British Central African Protectorate which became known as Nyasaland in 1907. In 1953 it was incorporated into the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland and in 1964 it became independent as Malawi.

The Bahá’í community of Malawi was established in 1953 and had become well established by the early 1960's. By the 1990's the Malawi Bahá’ís were contributing to efforts to support the social and economic development of the country and has been involved in efforts to improve healthcare and education.

History[edit]

In 1952 Denis Dudley-Smith Kutendele, the first native Tanzanian Bahá’í, pioneered to Zomba, Nyasaland, becoming the first Bahá’í in the region and the first African Bahá’í to open a new region to the Faith.[2]

Malawi was re-opened to the Bahá’í Faith by Enayat Sohaili in September, 1953, who settled in Limbe-Blantyre after he was unable to secure permission to remain at his initial pioneer post of Mozambique. Up until 1956 he taught the Faith with little success having to take temporary jobs for low salaries and ensure he kept his visa to remain in the country.[3] In April 1956 Claire Gung pioneered to Limbe-Blantyre and Sohaili was able to invite his contacts to her flat to teach,[4] and in September Albert Nthala declared becoming the first Malawi Bahá’í. Two months later Nthala's friend Robert Julius Kasakula declared.[5]

In November, 1956, Joe and Petal Arnott pioneered to Lilongwe in the north of Malawi from South Africa with their children. They initially struggled to determine an approach to teaching the Faith however in April, 1957, Auxiliary Board member John Allen and Claire Gung visited them and they were inspired to teach with their efforts resulting in the establishment of the Local Spiritual Assembly of Lilongwe in 1958.[6] Joe had been transferred to Lilongwe in his professional career and in October, 1958, the Arnott's had to leave the country when he was transferred to Northern Rhodesia.[7] Claire Gung had moved to Kampala, Uganda, in 1957,[8] and Sohaili left the country in 1959 leaving the countries Bahá’í community without pioneer support.[9]

The Bahá’ís of Malawi remained active and self sufficient after the departure of the early pioneers and in 1959 the Local Spiritual Assembly of Limbe-Blantyre was established shortly after Sohaili's departure.[10] By 1963 there were approximately two hundred Bahá’ís in Malawi, five Local Spiritual Assemblies, and thirteen Bahá’í groups.[11]

Teaching work continued throughout the late 1960's and by 1970 there were nine Local Spiritual Assemblies in the country with one of them being incorporated, and there were Bahá’ís residing in one hundred localities across the country. In April 1970 a Bahá’í Teaching Institute for Malawi was established near Blantyre.[12] In 1970 the independent National Spiritual Assembly of Malawi was established, with Paul Haney representing the Universal House of Justice at the countries first National Convention. In 1971 translations of Bahá’í literature into Cicewa and Tumbuka were published and by 1972 there were Bahá’ís from every tribe in Malawi. The Faith had achieved soe prominence in the country by 1971 and when Enoch Olinga visited Malawi that year he was granted an audience with the President, Dr. Kamuzu Banda, and his Minister of State.[13]

In late 1972 and early 1973 teaching efforts found particular success with four Local Spiritual Assemblies being established, twenty-three localities being settled, and two hundred people declaring.[14] Raḥmatu’lláh Muhájir visited Malawi to encourage mass teaching in October 1973 and throughout the mid 1970's several one-day teaching conferences were held in villages allowing for the National Spiritual Assembly to meet with Bahá’ís from the rural villages of the country. In 1974 and 1975 National Teaching Conferences were held and in May, 1975, a Bahá’í study school was held after the National Convention to deepen the community on Bahá’í history and administration.[15] In the late 1970's the Bahá’í community Malawi contributed travel teachers to the international Bahá’í community.[16]

In the early 1980's the Bahá’í community of Malawi established a tutorial school in the village Chinkhole which operated from the villages Bahá’í Center.[17] The community also emphasized strengthening the capacity of women and youth to serve the Bahá’í community in the early 1980's,[18] and undertook proclamation efforts through the media.[19] In 1983 the government of Malawi officially recognized Bahá’í Holy Days.[20] As of the mid 1980's the National Spiritual Assembly of Malawi had adopted a messenger system to communicate with the national Bahá’í community, which consisted of letters and information being conveyed by an appointed messenger who would call a meeting of the entire meeting for consultation on the delivered message.[21]

In 1988 the National Youth Committee of Malawi launched the Collis Featherstone Project which was a teaching plan to proclaim the Faith to refugees from Mozambique who had settled in Malawi,[22] and two regional Bahá’í youth conferences were held in Malawi in 1990 for youth to consult on their role in the community and potential for their service to the Faith,[23] and the Malawi Bahá’í Youth Newsletter was established the same year.[24] Also in 1990 the Bahá’ís of Malawi collaborated with the Malawi government on a Primary Health Care Programme which aimed to promote healthcare education in the country.[25]

In 1995 a Bahá’í delegation had an audience with the countries President, Bakili Muluzi, during which they presented the history and principles of the Bahá’í Faith and gave him a copy of The Promise of World Peace message of the Universal House of Justice and other Bahá’í literature, and the President praised the Bahá’í communities efforts to combat poverty in rural areas of the country.[26] The same year the countries Ministry for Education invited Nahid Mazloum, a Bahá’í, to chair a Committee overseeing the launch of an education programme.[27]

In 1997 several social and economic development activities were pursued by the Bahá’ís of Malawi with the Local Spiritual Assembly of Zomba establishing literacy classes,[28] and Bahá’í youth of Mulanje selling carved boxes to raise funds for shelters for the elderly.[29] In 1998 the Bahá’í International Community had established a National Office for the Advancement of Women in Malawi.[30] In 2000 Bahá’í inspired curriculum materials on moral education were introduced to public schools across Malawi.[31]

As of 2003 there were an estimated 15,000 Bahá’ís in Malawi and 101 Local Spiritual Assemblies, and that year the 50th Anniversary of the Bahá’í Faith in Malawi was celebrated in Lilongwe.[32] In 2013 major international Bahá’í Youth Conferences were held in Mzuzu and Thyolo in Malawi,[33][34] and in 2022 smaller scale local Global Conferences were held across the country.[35] In 2024 the Universal House of Justice announced a National Mashriqu’l-Adhkár for Malawi was to be constructed in Lilongwe.[36]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ "World Population Prospects 2022". population.un.org. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  2. ↑ Baha'i News (1952). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 259, Pg(s) 4. View as PDF.
  3. ↑ Edith & Lowell Johnson, Heroes and Heroines of the Ten Year Crusade in Southern Africa, NSA of South Africa: Johannesburg, 2003, p 159
  4. ↑ Edith & Lowell Johnson, Heroes and Heroines of the Ten Year Crusade in Southern Africa, NSA of South Africa: Johannesburg, 2003, p 160
  5. ↑ Edith & Lowell Johnson, Heroes and Heroines of the Ten Year Crusade in Southern Africa, NSA of South Africa: Johannesburg, 2003, p 150
  6. ↑ Edith & Lowell Johnson, Heroes and Heroines of the Ten Year Crusade in Southern Africa, NSA of South Africa: Johannesburg, 2003, p 144
  7. ↑ Edith & Lowell Johnson, Heroes and Heroines of the Ten Year Crusade in Southern Africa, NSA of South Africa: Johannesburg, 2003, p 145
  8. ↑ Edith & Lowell Johnson, Heroes and Heroines of the Ten Year Crusade in Southern Africa, NSA of South Africa: Johannesburg, 2003, p 151
  9. ↑ Edith & Lowell Johnson, Heroes and Heroines of the Ten Year Crusade in Southern Africa, NSA of South Africa: Johannesburg, 2003, p 160
  10. ↑ Edith & Lowell Johnson, Heroes and Heroines of the Ten Year Crusade in Southern Africa, NSA of South Africa: Johannesburg, 2003, p 160
  11. ↑ Edith & Lowell Johnson, Heroes and Heroines of the Ten Year Crusade in Southern Africa, NSA of South Africa: Johannesburg, 2003, p 144
  12. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1976). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 15 (1968-1973), Pg(s) 200. View as PDF.
  13. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1976). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 15 (1968-1973), Pg(s) 200. View as PDF.
  14. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1976). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 15 (1968-1973), Pg(s) 200. View as PDF.
  15. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1978). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 16 (1973-1976), Pg(s) 152. View as PDF.
  16. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1981). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 17 (1976-1979), Pg(s) 144. View as PDF.
  17. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1986). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 18 (1979-1983), Pg(s) 226. View as PDF.
  18. ↑ {[citebw|18|167}}
  19. ↑ {[citebw|18|164}}
  20. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1994). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 19 (1983-1986), Pg(s) 94. View as PDF.
  21. ↑ {[citebw|19|150}}
  22. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1998). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 20 (1986-1992), Pg(s) 262. View as PDF.
  23. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1998). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 20 (1986-1992), Pg(s) 261. View as PDF.
  24. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1998). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 20 (1986-1992), Pg(s) 262. View as PDF.
  25. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1998). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 20 (1986-1992), Pg(s) 248. View as PDF.
  26. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1997). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 24 (1995-1996), Pg(s) 72. View as PDF.
  27. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1997). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 24 (1995-1996), Pg(s) 75. View as PDF.
  28. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1998). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 25 (1996-1997), Pg(s) 90. View as PDF.
  29. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1999). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 26 (1997-1998), Pg(s) 145. View as PDF.
  30. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (2000). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 27 (1998-1999), Pg(s) 87. View as PDF.
  31. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (2002). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 29 (2000-2001), Pg(s) 61. View as PDF.
  32. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (2005). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 32 (2003-2004), Pg(s) 52. View as PDF.
  33. ↑ https://news.bahai.org/community-news/youth-conferences/mzuzu.html
  34. ↑ https://news.bahai.org/community-news/youth-conferences/thyolo.html
  35. ↑ https://news.bahai.org/story/1586/slideshow/66/
  36. ↑ 16 October 2024 message from the Universal House of Justice to the Bahá’ís of the World
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