Malawi

Greetings

Men greeting Men – A handshake with the right hand is appropriate in most situations. Handshakes tend to be firm and very often linger a bit. In order to show respect people sometimes hold their wrist with their left hand when shaking. If greeting a chief then it may be appropriate to get down on the ground and kneel depending on the chief’s position.

Women greeting Women – A handshake and/or bow is appropriate in most situations. If you would like to show great respect you may also place your left hand over your right elbow when handshaking and bowing. Handshakes tend to be energetic and very often linger a bit. Good friends and family may engage in light hugs as well.

Meetings between Men and Women – Appropriate greetings depend on the nature of the relationship. If the man is Muslim a woman may bow and greet but handshakes are not appropriate. For all others a handshake and/or bow is appropriate but it is best to wait for the woman to extend her hand, otherwise a bow or a nod of acknowledgment will suffice. In certain areas, women will kneel when greeting a man. If they are older and the man is younger then they might just shake his hand.

Note: Always use your right hand when shaking hands.

Communication Style

• Malawians do not tend to be direct in their communication style. When someone is too direct it is usually considered rude.
• Most people choose a roundabout way to explain things assuming that the listener will understand what the speaker is trying to communicate.
• People usually don’t want to disappoint so they’ll try and tell someone what they think they may want to hear rather than the truth.
• It is a good idea to ask the same question in a variety of ways in order to make sure you are getting the whole truth.
• Public displays of anger are rare and considered bad form.
• Being humble and polite is important. People tend to be sensitive to arrogance.

Personal Space & Touch

• Personal space differs from place to place based on tribal and religious influences, but people tend to speak to one another at very close distances. Generally, an arm’s length is appropriate.
• Personal space tends to be less between members of the same gender and considerably greater between members of opposite genders.
• It is common for men to touch each other when speaking; sometimes on the arms hands and legs no matter what the relationship; business, family, stranger, etc.
• Men and women rarely touch in public.
• It is also appropriate for two men to walk hand in hand in public. This does not have any implication on their sexual preferences; it's just a sign of friendship and closeness. This is the same for women

Eye Contact

• It tends to be rude to make too much eye contact with elders, bosses or someone you’re trying to respect. Many times the speaker won’t look at the listener in the eyes while he is speaking and the listener will also avoid eye contact.
• Women generally don’t look at men when they talk to them.
• Eye contact among peers is common.

Gestures

• People beckon one another with the palm facing out and fingers shifting up and down in a scratching motion. It generally means come here.
• Hitting an open palm to a closed fist is an action expressing “full” or “a lot.”
• People often hiss (say psst) to get someone’s attention.
• Use both hands to give and receive objects.

Views of Time

• Time is one of the biggest differences between Malawians and the West. The clock is the sun, and it is commonplace to be late. If someone tells you 8 am it probably means 10 am. If they tell you noon it’s more likely to be 2 pm. Often times it’s not considered rude to not show up at all.
• While people tend to be more punctual in business settings vs. social ones, deadlines are often not met.
• Generally speaking, people give their time freely and live in the present rather than the future.

Gender Roles

• Generally speaking, women in the villages aren’t considered equal to men even though they do a bulk of the work at the homestead and in the fields. This tends to be the case in urban environments as well.
• Women in the villages don’t ever show their knees in public so they often wear a ‘chitenje’ or wrap. It is also unacceptable for women to smoke or drink.
• Foreign women should be careful how they present themselves as women who smoke and drink and show their knees are considered prostitutes in the villages. Though, most men will understand that they are coming from a foreign culture it could present unwanted attention.
• Dress is more relaxed in urban environments but travelers should consider dressing more formal than they are used to.
• Generally, men don’t wear shorts and women don’t wear pants. If someone is underdressed or dressed like a slob it could change the way they are treated.

Taboos

• The “OK” sign, with the thumb and index finger forming a circle is an obscene gesture.
• Homosexuality is taboo as well as being illegal.
• Issues regarding sexual intercourse are never discussed in public.

Law & Order

• The legal drinking age is 18 and is not heavily enforced.
• Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.
• Acts of homosexuality are illegal and punishable by law.
• Drinking and driving is also punishable by law.

Dress

• Malawians usually dress for the people around them not as a personal expression.

• For Men – A suit or nice pants and collared shirt and tie is appropriate in most situations. Business casual attire may be appropriate in many situations.

• For Women - A business suit or a dress with a nice shirt/blouse is appropriate in most situations. Business casual attire may be appropriate in many situations.

• Jeans and less causal attire is not appropriate for business situations.

• Clean well-ironed attire is important.

• If someone is underdressed or dressed like a slob it could change the way they are treated.

Titles & Business Cards

• Titles are important, especially when dealing with members of the government.
• It is best to use a title plus the surname when calling someone by name and wait to be invited to call someone by their first name.
• It is best to hand business cards with the right hand while holding your forearm with your left hand. It is also important to receive things with two hands as a sign of respect.

Meetings

• People are usually formally introduced at the beginning of the meetings and then there is someone chosen to lead the meeting.
• Business meetings rarely begin on time, however it is a good idea for a foreigner to be punctual.
• It's important to greet the most senior individuals first.
• Small talk always precedes any formal conversations. It's appropriate to inquire about one's health, families, etc., before dealing with business.

Negotiations

• Negotiating in is an art from. There are no tips but to go there observe the locals and try yourself.
• Bargaining is commonplace at most markets. When bargaining it is best to remain calm smile and laugh a lot and not show frustration.

• Decisions tend to come from the top down and take awhile to be reached.

Gift Giving

• Small gifts are nice gestures but are not expected at initial meetings. Be aware that larger gifts in business situations may be seen as a bribe.
• When visiting a local's home, bringing something small from your country such as candy, a calendar, postcards, etc, is appropriate.
• Other gifts may include a small gift of money, tea, or sugar. This is generally the case in rural areas.

In the Classroom

• College students don’t tend to dress down; it would be rare to see someone in sweats or similarly casual clothing. Nice pants or skirts/dresses with a nice shirt or blouse is common. Being scantily dressed is not allowed
• Lecture is the most common form of teaching.
• Grades are usually given on a scale of 0-100%. A failing grade depends on the institution but the average is around 39%.

Other Observations

• Travelers should consider dressing more formal than they are used to.
• Malawians dress for the people around them not as a personal expression.
• Generally, men don’t wear shorts and women don’t wear pants.
• If someone is underdressed or dressed like a slob it could change the way they are treated.
• It is difficult for a Malawian to understand why a wealthy person would intentionally dress informally.