Malawi Philately: 1977 Handicrafts

Malawian artists have traditionally favoured the three dimensions of sculpture rather than painting or drawing. Elaborately carved wooden sculpture is a traditional Malawian form of art. Carving skills are passed from father to son and the pieces take many forms, from plaques representing Malawian and African scenes to chiefs’ chairs. These traditionally feature ornate carvings of dances, animals and day-to-day village life.

The carvings are prized by tourists not just for their traditional representations, but also for the relatively rare hardwoods from which they are made.