Capitaos and Chiefs: Oral Tradition and Colonial Society in Malawi

The relaxation of restrictions at the Malawi National Archives, which were closed from the late 1960s until the early 1980s, has created new opportunities for that country’s historians. But before researchers can realize the enormous potential offered by new archival sources, they must understand the flaws and biases in the official records. One way to do so is by carefully examining what oral evidence tells about colonial society. The author attempted to do this in 1985 by collecting testimonies about three topics: the use of machillas (or hammocks) by colonial officials, indigenous perceptions of planters, and the evolution of modern chieftaincy. The colonial society described by his informants was clearly different than the one typically portrayed. Africans were far more removed from the colonial administration than is commonly accepted. This portrait of colonial society is not necessarily any more accurate than the image captured by colonial officials. But its existence shows that archival records have serious limitations, and that historians must find a way to reconcile the official record with the unofficial memory before an accurate portrayal of colonial Malawi is possible. Notes, ref.