29 June 2016

I am have received confirmation that we can get enough time off to travel to Cape Macclear  this weekend and sleep over.  I am very excited about this, as on the way we will pass through the Chongoni Rock Art Area.  This is located in the Central Region of Malawi and consists of 127 sites in the forested hills of the Malawi plateau with depictions of rock art and paintings of the farmer community of the Late Stone Age and the Iron Age period.

The rock arts are in granite formations and consist of art depictions attributed to the hunter gatherer community of BaTwa who lived here during the stone age period, and of the farming community of Chewa who are traced to the Iron Age period. In view of this cultural importance, the area was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006 under Criteria III for the rich cultural traditions of rock art and Criteria VI for its continued link to the present society. The rock art symbolizing rituals and ceremonies is mostly the creation of the women folk of Chewa clan, Chechewa is still the language most commonly spoken throughout Malawi.

Cape Macclear is supposed to be exceptionally beautiful, and again there should be an opportunity to snorkel.  Yanni and I both enjoyed this last time, and I can’t wait to be able to do it again.  So roll on the weekend!