Central Region: Rock Art, Culture and Encounters

In Central Region, fascinating cultural themes range from rock paintings and rituals to masks, photographs and dance. Chongoni and the Chamare Museum offer different ways to explore history and tradition. These themes can also help guide your choice of holiday apartment, depending on what you would like to shape your stay.

Rock Art and Living Traditions in Chongoni

The Chongoni Rock-Art Area comprises 127 sites in wooded granite hills on the Central Malawi Plateau. Chewa farmers practised rock painting there well into the 20th century. The sites remain connected to Chewa ceremonies and rituals—the rock art is therefore not only part of the past, but also exists within an ongoing cultural context.

The geographical setting is also noteworthy: the vast majority of sites lie within the boundary of the Chongoni Forest Reserve, which coincides with the area boundary. Five of the 127 designated sites are outside this boundary, but within the buffer zone. For travel planning, it is also important to note that the area is not officially open to the public unless trained staff are permanently stationed there.

This connection between historic paintings and continuing significance makes Chongoni a special subject for anyone interested in culture and history. At the same time, Central Malawi’s cultural history cannot be reduced to a single form of expression: rock art is one way in, while museum collections and the stories they convey offer other perspectives.

Stories and Collections at the Chamare Museum

The Chamare Museum presents the history of the Mua Mission and explores the relationship between faith and culture, also known as inculturation. Its collection includes cultural artefacts of the Ngoni and Yao. Gule Wamkulu masks and structures are presented as bearers of the ancestors’ moral teachings for the Chewa. Different themes thus sit side by side: the history of a mission, cultural artefacts, and the significance of masks and structures.

The exhibition on the Chewa, Ngoni and Yao also includes detailed photographs and explanations by Claude Boucher Chisale. Those who enjoy exploring an exhibition through specific images and accompanying explanations will find a different focus here than in Chongoni’s rock paintings. The Chamare Museum offers guided tours; check the latest opening information before your trip.

Carving and Dance at Kungoni

Visitors are welcome to watch the carvers at work in the Botanical Garden on the Kungoni grounds. Much of their work takes place in public view there. This offers another way to experience cultural practice: not only through finished artefacts and their significance, but also through the carvers’ work. The Kungoni Dance Troupe performs at the adjacent Bwalo dance ground. If you would like to include a performance in your plans, check in advance for a suitable date.

Considering Central Region as a Place to Stay

Lilongwe, Malawi’s capital, is an important gateway to the country and the seat of government; the city is in Central Region. The choice of region therefore also has a clear urban dimension. When deciding which holiday apartment suits your travel plans, you could start by considering whether you would like to focus mainly on the city or on the cultural themes around Chongoni, Mua and Kungoni.

For those travelling together, the cultural highlights take different forms: rock art with an ongoing ritual connection, a museum collection with photographs and explanations, and carving and dance in public view. These differences can help you sort out your interests before choosing accommodation. If you plan to explore several of these themes, check the visiting conditions mentioned for each and ask about the date of the dance performance.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Senga, Salima, Ntcheu, Kasungu, Nkhotakota, Kasungu.

Discover more destinations: Southern Region, Northern Region.

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