Text Box: Arrival of the White Fathers On the 13th September, 1902, three White Fathers arrived at Mua after nightfall and pitched their tents under a baobab tree, which is the present day site of the Chamare Museum. “As darkness obscures the beauty of nature, we prepare ourselves for a well deserved rest, as the journey has been long and arduous”. The Missionaries of Africa are widely known as the ‘White Fathers’, a name derived from their white gowns that had originated at their founding in North Africa. They were the first Catholic missionaries to reach Malawi, a little more than a decade after the Scottish churches that had followed David Livingstone’s explorations. The White Fathers established their first base in 1889 at Mponda village near present day Mangochi but political tensions between Portugal and Great Britain forced their departure in 1891. The Mua settlement was their second attempt at establishing a definitive base in present day Malawi. The day following their arrival at Mua, the missionaries made their way to meet with Nyatei, the Ngoni Regent of the paramount chief Kachindamoto. They were seeking permission to establish a mission station at Mtakataka, amidst the large community of twelve to fifteen thousand people. Fearing that the Europeans would steal their land, Nyatei’s council advised her to refuse their request. The fathers returned to Mua, taking up temporary residence, and began their work with the small local population. They built a small house within a year, followed by a more permanent residence with eight spacious rooms into which they relocated on the 29th October, 1902. On the 20th May, 1903, construction of the present day brick house was begun. The location was in the middle of Chenchamba village. This required the cooperation of local residents who agreed to move their houses back one hundred metres to allow ample space for the Mission. The main house was opened officially on 15th November, 1903, with a huge feast for the surrounding villages. They inaugurated a large brick church at Christmas 1907, with a celebration attended by over seven thousand people. Construction of a Sisters’ house began in August 1912, and was eventually completed by Fr Champmartin, after whom the Chamare Museum is named. At the end of 1913, a second storey was added to the mission house to serve as a teachers’ residence and the ground floor became a minor seminary. The original church was replaced in 1971 by the present structure, and its exterior was renovated in 1996 to resemble the original building. The mission house was damaged in an earthquake in the 1980’s and was renovated between 1989 and 1992. Catholic Cultural Centre The Kungoni Art Craft Centre was established in 1976 as part of Mua Parish. The Centre was started by Fr Claude Boucher Chisale who had worked in Malawi since 1967. Fr Boucher had formerly collaborated with local artists in the Nsipe region and was relocated to Mua to set up the new Centre. Mua was chosen as the site by the then Bishop of Dedza, Cornelius Chitsulo, as Mua was his home parish. Kungoni began as an art and craft centre, particularly focusing on and mentoring the works of local carvers. A recognisable and unique style of carving arose, reflecting the synergy between the Church and traditional beliefs and artistic practices. Fr Boucher, himself an accomplished artist, cultivated the intrinsic talents of the local artists and developed close ties with the surrounding communities. He is also an anthropologist and his studies of local people and cultures, especially of the Chewa and their Great Dance, the Gule wamkulu, underpin the scholarship of Kungoni today. Carving was the primary, but not the only, artistic expression of the Centre. Painting was also encouraged and paintings by Kungoni artists now adorn many buildings around Malawi, especially religious establishments. Beadwork was also encouraged. The artists have come from many tribal backgrounds, including Chewa, Yao and Ngoni. They have brought their own cultures to the Centre and been part of a fusion of styles that has evolved over time. Developing the Kungoni Centre required great patience, careful study of traditional beliefs and the slow development of trust between the local communities and the Centre. Kungoni has grown significantly in the last three decades. Today it is a true Centre of culture and art. The works of the carvers remain central to the Kungoni experience but now are enhanced by an award winning museum, a research library, extensive landscaped gardens, cultural courses and performances, the charming Pa Ntondo pa Namalikhate accommodation village and more recently the Ku Mbewu Family Development Centre with the new Art Gallery. A detailed account of the early days of Kungoni is given by Martin Ott in his doctoral thesis entitle ‘African Theology in Images’. Text Box: Kungoni Centre of Culture and Art