All Tongas in Malawi will converge in Nkhata-Bay for this year’s Mdauku wa aTonga. The Executive Secretary for Mdauku wa aTonga (MWATO), Levi Zeleza Manda, has told Malawi24 that all is set for this year’s Tonga cultural heritage, popularly known as Mdauku wa aTonga celebrations.
The event will take place on Saturday, August 17, 2024, at Msani in the area of Group Village Head Chilerawana under Senior Chief Mkumbira in NKhata-Bay district, to unite as well as preserverving the culture of Tongas from across and outside the country.
According to Manda, this year they will inaugurate their cultural heritage site for the Tongas called Mwato Village at GVH Chilerawana in the area of Senior Chief Mkumbira.
“This will be our Tonga cultural ground on which we will develop ourselves. We will construct a school, a museum and other structures to preserve the Tonga culture,” Manda said.
Manda further said the event will be spiced up by several dances like Honala, Malipenga, Chilimika, and Chioda. There will also be a display of food like batter fish locally known as batala, rice chigwada, nkhungu, and Kondoole, among others.
The theme for this year’s MWATO celebration is “Our Environment, Our Future.
The Minister of Local Government, Unity, and Culture, Richard Chimwendo Banda, is expected to be the guest of honour at the event.
