Joy has been the dominant mood since Monday when the 2026 Umhlangano wa Maseko Ngonis rolled out in Ntcheu District.
This year’s gathering, once again, welcomed Impis, delegations from across the region and Maseko Ngonis from other districts.
As the curtain falls tomorrow, the ceremony saw cultural activities including traditional dances such as ingoma, ligubo, ngoma and others.
For the first time since iNkosi ya Makhosi Gomani V revived and formalised Umhlangano as an annual all-kingdom ceremony in 2013, the festival will ran for six consecutive days.
The annual gathering was established to strengthen cohesion within the kingdom, connect Maseko Ngonis across borders and expose younger generations to Ngoni culture.
This year’s programme, under the theme Strengthening unity, culture and community development’, combined traditional celebration with royal outreach, social engagement, charity activities, culinary exhibitions, heritage displays and sacred rites before Saturday’s grand finale.
Ngwenyama iNkosi ya Makhosi Gomani V said the expanded programme was deliberate, adding that the kingdom wanted Umhlangano to carry greater meaning and respond to challenges confronting its people.
“We do not want Umhlangano to simply be a gathering where people come to watch dances, drink beer and make merry. Yes, we must celebrate our culture and enjoy ourselves, but there has to be something more meaningful that we take home from this gathering,” he said.
The Ngwenyama said while the Ngoni people were historically known as warriors and conquerors, communities today faced different enemies.
He said: “Our ancestors fought physical battles and conquered territories, but today we have other enemies that are slowly conquering our people. We are talking about depression, non-communicable diseases, mental health challenges, suspected suicides, crime, early marriages, teenage pregnancies and school dropouts.
“As Ngonis, we must ask ourselves whether the same courage, discipline and unity that defined us as a people cannot now be used to confront these modern-day battles.”
On Tuesday, Gomani visited his subjects at Masasa and Chakhumbira where he encouraged them to embrace respect for one another.
“We must mobilise ourselves and take ownership of development initiatives around us. This is our home and these are our challenges,” he told the gathering.
That line of thinking is reflected in the six-day programme.
In the week, Gomani also met traditional leaders under his jurisdiction where he engaged them on givernance issues, supported by givernment officials and the police.
Maseko Ngoni Heritage Trust secretary general Impi Kandi Padambo Ndau said uMhlangano has increasingly evolved beyond cultural celebration into a platform for confronting challenges affecting communities.
“This year’s uMhlangano is not just about celebrating our traditions. It is also a platform where we discuss issues affecting our communities, including child marriages, school dropouts, gender-based violence and environmental conservation,” he said.
Her Royal Majesty Rishaladza Mathebula Gomani V played an active role by engaging women, girls, female traditional leaders and spouses of Amakhosi on socio-economic issues.
Her programme included a women’s conference, a visit to Ntcheu District Hospital’s maternity wing, a visit to Lizulu Orphan Care Centre and finally a women’s conference under the theme ‘Empowering women for sustainable development and resilient communities’.
She was supported by wife to Apostle Clifford Kawinga, Pastor Ruth Kawinga.
At the heart of the gathering, however, remains Nkolimbo, home to the National Monument of Ngwenyama Inkosi ya Makhosi Gomani I Chikuse.
It is here that tomorrow’s activities will reach a climax with the sacred Kukhwisula rites when selected members of the Royal Family, Amakhosi and heritage elders undertake a dawn procession to the Lidiwa of Gomani I for prayers and ancestral honour.
The occasion will also provide a moment to honour the souls of departed members of the Ngoni family, including iNkosi Champiti IV and uMama Edith Thembakako Gomani Maseko, an aunt to Ngwenyama Gomani V and widow of the late Champiti IV.
The festival attracted Ngoni delegations from Malawi and the wider region, including Mozambique, Zambia, South Africa, Eswatini and Lesotho.
The six-day festival was budgeted at K180 million, with funding coming from Maseko Ngonis, corporate organisations and fundraising activities, including a golf tournament and dinner and dance.
iNkosi ya Makhosi M’mbelwa V, who was guest of honour at both fundraising events, helped spur contributions during the dinner and dance through humour.
“If there is a true Ngoni in this country, then it’s me. My father is a Jere Ngoni from Mzimba while my mother hailed from Tsikulamowa, around Phalula. So, my blood has always been royal, purely so. ,” he told guests.
Traditional dances, warrior chants, indigenous food exhibitions, heritage drama, urban music performances and live DJs will form part of the programme, with overnight festivities happened before tomorrow’s final celebrations.
