Chongoni Rock Art and Painting

The Chongoni Rock Art and Painting in Dedza is home to cave drawings of the primitive man at Chentcherere Hills in the Chongoni Mountain Forest. There are 127 rock painting sites in the area.  These rock paintings can be divided into two main types: the first, painted in red, depict unique geometric figures and patterns, as well as mythological animals and humans. These paintings date from the Late Stone Age and are thought to have been made by the Bathwa (Akafula) hunter-gatherers who lived in the area before the Chewa people migrated. The second type are painted in white and were done by the Chewa who migrated to the area and depict animals, spirits, gods, reptiles and legendary creatures. The white paintings are relatively recent, given that some of them actually depict vehicles. Some of the symbols are strongly associated with women and still have cultural relevance amongst the Chewa, and the sites are associated with ceremonies and rituals. Despite stylistic differences, these two types of paintings are very valuable since they demonstrate that the Chewa coexisted with the Akafula until the mid-19th century. Chongoni was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006 for the rich rock art cultural tradition depicting a scarce tradition of farmers and hunter gatherers in the Late Stone Age. 

Chongoni rock paintings in Dedza