Introduction: A Personal Reflection

This is the perfect title for my first article after taking a break from blogging. It’s personal to me and reflects my identity as both Loreen and a Malawian. Over the next few articles, I’ll be sharing more about myself and my perspective on Malawi, hoping to portray both through my lens.

The Trigger: My Son’s Connection to Chichewa

Every summer, I make an effort to travel to Malawi with my son. It’s important to me and my husband that he stays connected to his Malawian roots. As summer approaches, my son gets excited and starts using more Chichewa words in his vocabulary. Recently, after he misbehaved, I reproached him in Chichewa with “sindikupatsa” (I will not give you). To my surprise, he responded in Chichewa too, saying “undipatsa iweyo” (you will give me). Although his phrasing wasn’t perfect, hearing him use Chichewa melted my heart.

This moment made me realize just how important Chichewa is, not only to me but also to my son. When I mentioned it to my brother, he was surprised because many educated Malawian couples today no longer speak local languages at home, opting for English instead. As a result, we’re seeing more Malawian children who don’t know a single word of any local language, despite living in Malawi. Yet, my son, who spends only three weeks a year in Malawi, knows more Chichewa than some of these children.

The Loss of Local Languages

This shift away from local languages raises concerns about their survival. According to Haynes (2010), language loss can occur either at the societal level, where a language is no longer spoken, or at the personal level, where families stop using it. While Malawi still has a high literacy rate in local languages (61.3% from 2008–2012, UNICEF), the trend of favoring English among the educated class could lead to a gradual loss of languages like Chichewa.

In urban areas, especially among educated people, English words often find their way into everyday conversations. I admit I’m guilty of this myself, especially when texting—it’s easier for me to express myself in English than in Chichewa. Unfortunately, this is a sign of language loss, as we become more comfortable with English than our native tongues.

Language and Identity: Why It Matters

Language is a vital part of our identity. It helps define who we are and where we come from. Whether we identify ourselves by our place of origin, profession, or taste in music and food, language plays a central role in shaping our sense of self. Losing our local languages means losing part of our cultural identity.

Living in various European countries and learning new languages has deepened my appreciation for language as a marker of identity. Certain words or phrases in Spanish or Serbian carry meanings that can’t be fully translated into English. Similarly, there are aspects of Chichewa that can’t be easily understood outside its cultural context. For example, the phrase “zikomo” (thank you) is used frequently in Malawi, but its meaning extends beyond gratitude—it can signify agreement, satisfaction, or even the end of a conversation.

The Way Forward: Preserving Our Languages

Unlike Swahili, which is recognized globally and spoken widely across East Africa, Chichewa and other Malawian languages are not as widely known. However, this should not push us to adopt English as our primary language. We should continue using English for official purposes, but in our personal lives, we should embrace our local languages.

We can take inspiration from the Catalans, who insist on using Catalan despite its limited global reach. When I lived in Barcelona, I was struck by how fiercely the locals defended their language, using it even more than Spanish. We too can preserve Chichewa and our other languages by making a conscious effort to speak them with our children and in our communities.

Conclusion: All Languages Are Equal

In my view, no language is superior to another. Economically or socially, some languages may hold more weight, but on a human level, all languages are equal. I am not ashamed of speaking Chichewa, even though it is spoken by a minority in the world. I will not deny my children the right to know my birth language because Chichewa is part of who I am.

Let’s work together to keep our local languages alive. Zikomo.