By Burnett Munthali
The Maseko Ngoni have dismissed rumours that tradition was broken during the burial of Senior Chief Kwataine Masina at Madzanje Headquarters in Ntcheu.
Speculation had spread on social media and in some circles that the late chief had not been accorded the traditional burial rites expected of Ngoni royalty.
Ngoni historian Rodney Kanyama explained that there was no breach of cultural practice and that the burial was conducted in full respect of the customs of the Maseko Ngoni.
He clarified that the special seated burial style, often associated with Ngoni leadership, is reserved only for certain clans within the community.
According to Kanyama, the Masina family does not customarily bury their chiefs in a seated position.
He pointed out that within the Masina lineage, only their great-grandfather, Lunduka, was buried in that unique style, a gesture that honoured his bravery and exceptional achievements.
For all other chiefs in the Masina line, including Senior Chief Kwataine, the accepted cultural practice has been burial in a lying position.
Kanyama stressed that the community had followed tradition correctly and that suggestions of a broken custom were unfounded.
He added that spreading false claims about cultural practices risks undermining the dignity of both the deceased leader and the Ngoni community at large.
The historian went further to explain that burial traditions among the Ngoni are diverse, shaped by both clan identity and historical events.
In some clans, especially those closely tied to warrior traditions, chiefs and distinguished leaders were buried in a seated position, symbolizing vigilance and readiness for battle even in death.
This practice was not universal across the Ngoni but was reserved for select families whose ancestors had earned such distinction through courage and military prowess.
Other clans adopted the lying position as their burial custom, which symbolized rest, peace, and continuity within the lineage.
Over the years, these practices became deeply rooted within specific family lines, creating variations even within the same Ngoni community.
Kanyama explained that the Masina family’s tradition of lying burials reflects this diversity and should not be seen as a departure from Ngoni heritage but rather as a faithful continuation of their clan’s customs.
He emphasized that the strength of Ngoni culture lies in its ability to preserve unique practices within different families while maintaining collective identity as one people.
The clarification comes as mourners continue to celebrate the life and legacy of Senior Chief Kwataine, whose leadership left a lasting impact on Ntcheu and the nation as a whole.
