Townspeople had a rare time to familiarise themselves with cultures of the Northern Region during a summerset cultural festival at Freedom Square, opposite Taifa Market in Mzuzu.
The festival was organised by Mzuzu Regional Museum to celebrate the region’s cultural heritage.
Among the highlights, it brought together several traditional dances, including vimbuza and mchoma from Rumphi, ingoma from Mzimba as well as honara and visekese from Nkhata Bay
Patrons also had a taste of traditional cuisine in an exhibition comprising nkhowe or ngata, millet nsima, mang’ina and nthimphwa from Mzimba.
Other delicacies included Rumphi’s chilanda cha nkhunga and vikuyu; Nkhata Bay’s kondowole, mayani and chibwaka as well as mbalagha banana meal or rice with chambiko from Karonga and Chitipa.
Mzuzu museum officer-in-charge Smeda Singini described the gathering as a success because it exposed little known folk dances of the North and empowered women through the food sales.
Mzuzu City chief executive officer Richard Hara urged Malawians to preserve and harness their cultural uniqueness for its socioeconomic benefits to the nation.
“Culture has unique features which gives us an identity. Such features need to be promoted and preserved if Malawi is to be a destination of tourists,†said Hara, who was the guest of honour.
Being held for the first time, the festival was sponsored by the city council, TNM and Mzuzu Coffee.
