Mafwe Living Museum

The Living Museum of the Mafwe was opened in February 2008 and is cultural highlight in the Caprivi, in the north of Namibia. It was initiated by the German-Namibia organisation The Living Culture Foundation. The Living Museum is an authentic open-air museum where guests can learn a lot about the traditional culture and the original way of living of the Mafwe.

The actors of the Mafwe Living Museum demonstrate and describe everything with great dedication and the guide translates into English. As such there are a set of music instruments kept at the museum. These are used to demonstrate the kind of dance and music done by the people of the Mafwe. Almost every offered program is interactive, because it is also great fun for them when the visitors try to weave a traditional net or taste some of the offered meals.

The Living Museum offers visitors an interesting insight into the life of the Mafwe. The Living Museum consists of a traditional village and its surrounding fields on a beautiful hill with a view on the Kwando River. Huge Baobab trees spend shadow for the guests that are interested in the original Mafwe Culture. The Mafwe present their old, almost forgotten culture in traditional dresses.

The museum has been operational since 22 February 2008. It has 28 members, 14 males and 14 females.