The Chongoni rock art paintings area is an incredible place to visit that offers a unique and profound cultural experience which Preserves Malawi’s ancient treasures and deserves World heritage title.
Hidden in the depths of Chinkonda Village Traditional Authority (T/A) Kaphuka in Dedza District, the fascinating rock art covers an area of 126.4 square kilometres, which is believed to be thousands of years old and has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2006.
The Chongoni Rock Art Paintings is also known as Chongoni Namzeze, and has the traditional paintings the cultural history of Malawi’s plateau dwellers and illustrate the shift from hunting to farming, the upheaval of Ngoni invasions, and the arrival of European colonisers.
Peter Meckson Bickton from Chinkonda Village T\A Kaphuka in Dedza District is one of the people who usually escorts international visitors when they come to see the Rock art.
Peter, however said, the place which features 127 distinct sites of which most of them lie within the Chongoni forest reserve, is still being used today by native Chewa communities for traditional ceremonies.
He said: “The symbols in the rock art are strongly associated with women and holds the spiritual and cultural traditions of the local indigenous people of the area especially the Chewa tribe, thereby showcasing the outstanding universal value of initiation ceremonies and other rituals, set against the backdrop of natural rock.”
Peter told ProjectM that the paintings were done by the Chewa agriculturalists who continued this tradition well into the 20th century.
He said these paintings reflect Nyau, a secret society among the Chewa and neighbouring groups.
“Currently, Nyau rituals, including masked dancing use masks depicted in these paintings during secluded initiation ceremonies at places like Namzeze while the white paintings hold profound spiritual meaning for the local Chewa community. The Chewa girl’s initiation ceremonies are still being observed in shelters adorned with chinamwali rock art,” he said.
Over 100 types of Nyau masks, including the Kasiya Maliro, Antelope and the Galimoto car still appear in the art.
The Chongoni rock art paintings area is one of the many spectacular places that both local and international visitors have the pleasure of experiencing the African cultural heritage hidden within the natural world and the importance of protecting those irreplaceable treasures.
These are not merely stones, but they are story tellers, narrating the ancient civilisation that once thrived in this region. They provide insights into the religious, social and cultural aspects of early travelers and communities, making their preservation crucial for future generations.
Today, Namzeze stands out among these sites which preserve Malawi’s finest rock art which red schematic and the white paintings.
These art works have drawings dating back to the late stone age that including rare farmer rock art and paintings by the Batwa Hunters- Gatherers.
