Culture1 min read
Amahoro Burundian Drummers
Also known as Amahoro Drummers, Burundian Drummers Malawi
A Burundian royal drumming troupe founded by young refugees at Luwani camp in 2006 and now based in Dzaleka, performing at festivals, corporate events, and presidential functions across Malawi.
History
Amahoro Burundian Drummers was founded in 2006 by a group of young Burundian refugees at Luwani Refugee Camp in Neno District, led by Stanislas Nshimirimana. When Luwani closed in 2007 and its residents were moved to Dzaleka, the group moved with them, and it has been based in the camp since.
The name — amahoro, Kirundi for “peace” — states the group’s purpose: carrying a tradition of reconciliation into exile.
Repertoire
The group performs the Burundian royal drum tradition, which UNESCO recognises as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. It uses heavy carved drums in the colours of the Burundian flag, played standing in ensemble with accompanying dance. According to the group, most of its current members were born in exile and learned the tradition in the camps rather than in Burundi.
Performances
Coverage in Malawi’s Nation newspaper and on Dzaleka.com records the group performing beyond the camp, including at national festivals, corporate events, and government functions, as well as at the Tumaini Festival in Dzaleka. It is one of several performance groups based in the camp, alongside Salama Africa.
References
Sources
- 1Introducing Amahoro Drummers
The Nation (Malawi)
- 2Amahoro Drummers Take Malawian Festivals by Storm, Set for Tumaini Stage
Dzaleka.com, October 2025
Related entries
History
Luwani Refugee Camp
Malawi's other refugee camp, in Neno District: host to Mozambican refugees during the 1977–1992 civil war, closed in 2007 with its last residents moved to Dzaleka, briefly reopened in 2016.
Culture
Tumaini Festival
A refugee-led arts and culture festival founded in Dzaleka in 2014, bringing camp residents, Malawian communities, and visiting artists together.
Culture
Salama Africa
A refugee-founded dance group and intercultural youth centre in Dzaleka, established in 2014, that has competed in national dance competitions and runs arts and sports activities for young people.
Institution
Refugee-led organisations in Dzaleka
Organisations founded or led by refugees that provide education, advocacy, technology, livelihoods, arts, protection, and mutual support within Dzaleka and beyond.
Place
Dzaleka Refugee Camp
A long-established refugee settlement in Dowa District, Malawi, opened in 1994 and now home to a large, multilingual community from the Great Lakes region and the Horn of Africa.
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