Day's Diary

August 2 , 2007 ~ National Wear

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National wear is the term given to the clothing that is traditional in Malawi. Today, most folks wear “Western” dress, as we would say, but the traditional is still part of the dress, either for formal occasions or as an alternative in the work place. The clothing is made from beautiful, brightly colored cloths with prints that range from embossed designs to village patterns and animal prints. Trained tailors can look at a price of fabric and tell you what the best design for national wear would be. They then take a few basic measurements and set to work, without a pattern. They know the style and the measurements which is all they need. Within two days, some times within one, they will have completed the garment – shirt, dress, or skirt and top.

One of the delights is to see the “family patterns.” These are pieces for clothing made for husband, wife and sometimes children, all out of the same fabric. It is only the most confident man I know in America who would wear a shirt out of the same fabric as his wife’s dress, and they would wear them as they go out together, but here that is quite common. It is a sign of pride in the family unit. Among my students, there is not one couple that does not have at least one “family outfit.”

The women’s clothing is particularly colorful and delightful. There are a number of silk materials that have designs within the material that make beautiful dresses and skirt and top sets. These are striking when made in national wear. Many times, the ladies will use extra material for a matching head wrap.

Special material can be ordered for a special event or for a particular group, then used for national wear. Within a week of the First Lady’s death, there was material for sale with her picture on it. This was used as chitenje and was made into shirts and dresses, worn with pride and in memory of one who was admired by most of the country. Many churches have material made for the congregation, with the picture of the church or with a symbol for a special event. Many times the material is sold as a fundraiser for the congregation or group. When I went to the Michiru congregation, I was presented with national wear, made especially for me from Michiru congregation fabric. There were three others in the congregation with the same material made into dresses, so we naturally posed together for a picture. I laughed to myself because I could imagine the angst of a woman in America who arrived at church to find another lady in a dress of the same material as hers. One of them, if not both, would go home to change. Not here. That is a great pleasure. In fact, many of the choirs and mvano groups have outfits made alike for singing and traveling. Every time a group comes to Pittsburgh from Malawi, they have outfits made for the entire group, men and women, to wear, all from the same material. That marks them as belonging together. National wear does that. When the members of the group return, they wear their outfits to all sorts of events, not just partnership events. If two or three wear them to the same event, all the better. They are identified and united.

While I greatly admire the national wear, I was reluctant to have any made for myself and wear it because it seemed a bit presumptuous and pretentious for an American to sport Malawian national wear. But the Sunday that the Michiru congregation presented me with the lovely outfit they had made for me, they insisted that I put it on immediately, so I left the sanctuary, went to the vestry and changed clothes. When I re-entered the sanctuary, I was greeted with cheers and a round of applause. They were not only accepting me, but I was accepting them by wearing national wear. Soon after that, I purchased a Malawian caftan in a shop outside of Blantyre and wore it to class. My students commented that I was finally becoming one of them. Instead of seeing it as pretentious, they saw it as accepting and respecting of them and of their culture. They were pleased by it. This is a totally different perspective than we would take in America, but this is Malawi and when in Malawi, it is good to do as the Malawians do. I am enjoying the comfort and the color of national wear, and feeling accepted in it.