Crafts & Markets in Lilongwe

Woodcarvings, soapstone and the Malawi chair

Malawi has a strong reputation across the region for woodcarving, and the craft is one of the first things visitors notice at Lilongwe's curio stalls. Carvers work prized hardwoods — most famously African blackwood (mpingo), the dense, dark timber often called ebony, along with other local hardwoods — into animals, human figures, masks, bowls, walking sticks and chess sets. Classic pieces include elephants and hippos, the "big five" animals for the tourist trade, and carved masks that echo the imagery of the Chewa Gule Wamkulu tradition. Because true blackwood is slow-growing and increasingly protected, buyers are encouraged to ask about the wood and to favour sustainably sourced pieces.

Alongside wood, carvers produce soapstone figures and bowls — a softer stone that takes fine detail — and decorative items in bone and horn. A distinctive Malawian product is the flat-pack Malawi chair: a simple, elegant hardwood chair made from two interlocking slotted pieces that can be taken apart and reassembled without nails or screws. Lightweight, sturdy and easily transported, it has become an emblem of Malawian craftsmanship and a popular buy for visitors furnishing a home.

Chitenje cloth, basketry and paintings

No craft is more woven into daily life than chitenje (plural zitenje) — the rectangular length of brightly printed cotton cloth that women across Malawi wear as a wrap skirt, tie as a baby-carrier, use as a head-tie, or spread as a cloth. Sold by the piece in dazzling colours and bold patterns, chitenje is both everyday wear and a canvas for design; commemorative prints are made for political campaigns, church groups, weddings and national events. Tailors in the markets will run up a made-to-measure dress, shirt or skirt from a chitenje in a day or two, and a length of good cloth is one of the most useful and characterful souvenirs you can take home.

Basketry and weaving are widespread rural crafts brought to the city's markets: baskets, mats, trays and hats woven from grasses, reeds, bamboo and palm, often in natural tones or dyed patterns. You will also find pottery, beadwork and jewellery. Painting is a lively craft too — canvases in a recognisable Malawian style depict village scenes, markets, lakeshore life, wildlife and portraits, sold at craft markets and by artists directly. Bao (the mancala-style seed game, called bawo locally) boards, carved and sometimes decorated, round out the typical curio-stall offering.

Markets, roadside sellers and cultural villages

Crafts in Lilongwe are sold in several distinct settings, and where you shop shapes both the experience and the price. The busiest is the everyday market: Old Town's markets mix produce, household goods and craft stalls, and are best explored with an eye on your belongings and a willingness to bargain. Dedicated curio and craft markets cluster where visitors pass — near shopping complexes, hotels and the main roads — and here sellers display carvings, chitenje, baskets and paintings side by side. You will also meet roadside craft sellers who set out carvings along the verges near tourist routes and lodges.

For a calmer, more contextual experience, a cultural village lets you see crafts being made and buy directly from artisans. Kumbali Cultural Village, on the edge of the city, is set up to showcase Malawian craft, food, music and dance in one place, and is a good introduction if you want the story behind the objects as well as the objects themselves. Some non-profit and fair-trade craft outlets in the city also sell higher-quality work with proceeds supporting the makers, and they are worth seeking out if provenance and craftsmanship matter more to you than the lowest possible price.

Craft is not only a tourist trade — it is a genuine source of rural and urban livelihoods, and many of the pieces on sale in Lilongwe are made by families in villages across the Central Region and carried into the city to sell. Buying thoughtfully, paying a fair price and asking makers about their work all help sustain skills that pass from one generation to the next. Seasonal and event-driven demand also shapes what appears on the stalls: expect more commemorative chitenje around elections and national holidays, and a wider spread of carvings and curios during the cooler tourist months.

Bargaining and buying well

• Bargain politely. Haggling is expected at markets and roadside stalls; start below the asking price and settle with good humour. Fixed-price fair-trade shops are the exception.
• Carry small notes. Cash in Malawian kwacha, in small denominations, makes negotiating and paying much easier.
• Ask about materials. For carvings, ask what wood it is and whether it is seasoned; avoid anything that might involve protected wildlife (ivory, certain animal products) — these are illegal to trade and export.
• Buy cloth by the full length. Chitenje is usually sold as a standard length; buy the whole piece if you plan to have something tailored.

For the practical geography of the city's trading places — which markets sell what, and how they work — see our guide to Lilongwe's markets in the business section, and browse the wider culture pages for the traditions these crafts grow from.