Face to face with the “rainmaker”, the legendary M’bona

By Chimwemwe Nyirenda. Shared on the Bon Voyage Club page.

After several failed attempts, I finally did the one thing I had really wanted to do: visit one of Malawi’s important traditional shrines, Khulubvi, the spiritual home of M’bona, the legendary rainmaker of the Shire Valley.

It is said that M’bona’s uncle Mlauli, also a magician, envied his nephew and wanted to kill him, but no weapon could harm M’bona. Legend has it that M’bona wished to die on his own terms and revealed the secret: cutting his throat with a reed leaf. His head was placed at the Khulubvi sacred grove, where the shrine exists today.

Who was M’bona?

M’bona, believed to have been Mang’anja, was a commanding figure said to have lived during the rise of the Lundu Empire, with powers to bring rain and create forests where none existed. The many myths about him made me want to see for myself and meet his followers at Khulubvi in TA Ngabu, Nsanje.

My journey

I informed officials at Nsanje District Council, who arranged my trip and spoke to the chiefs. I arrived at Khulubvi Village at 9am and was warmly welcomed by TA Ngabu and his village headmen. The elders briefed me on the dos and don’ts: no shoes, no mobile phones, no photographs, and buy kachasu for the sacrifices at the site.

Because of the myths, I had expected a hostile welcome. Instead I was treated in a way that made me comfortable and able to learn. It is not common for visitors to witness the sacrifices — most people fear the unknown.

M’bona’s spiritual home

TA Ngabu led the way, followed by the elders, me and other villagers — an all-male entourage. Inside the compound is a grass-thatched house belonging to M’bona’s wife and a smaller house over the grave where his head is buried. Village Headman Mbuka poured kachasu into a small wooden cup and onto a wooden plate beside the grave, and the chiefs and elders knelt to ask M’bona for good harvests and good health.

M’bona’s wife is alive

I learnt that after the death of M’bona’s first wife, a special group selects a woman to become “M’bona’s wife”, and the tradition continues. She lives in the compound, does not take part in outside activities, does not marry, and others cook for her. Her role is to be the go-between for M’bona and his followers. I did not meet her; she was unwell that day.

Tradition, cult or religion?

After the briefings and the visit, my personal view is that M’bona is a belief system — a religion — and can be compared to modern-day prophets who rely on miracles. Elders told me stories of prayers answered, including a couple who had struggled to conceive and now have twins.

What is the future of M’bona?

TA Ngabu worries that the tradition may fade as young people and even some chiefs join modern churches. I believe the chiefs should invite stakeholders — the Department of Culture, and perhaps UNESCO — to help preserve and formally protect M’bona as part of Malawi’s heritage, with one central point to handle visits and permissions.

What should be done?

Tourism is not just about trips anymore; it is a full package — it is experience. Let people come to Malawi to experience our culture and traditional beliefs and understand our uniqueness. With organised structures for places like Khulubvi, we will earn more foreign exchange and create more jobs. Plan a visit to Khulubvi