From Chipho to Msika: An Introduction to Mushrooms, Trees and Forests

Tumbuka is a Bantu language spoken by around 2 million people who live in Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia. Chipho means ‘the place where bowa grow’. Bowa are edible mushrooms and they are collected, sold and consumed widely in all three countries, as well as most neighbouring ones. The main chipho occur in miombo woodlands found in eastern and southern Africa (Campbell, 1996). The bowa are collected for personal consumption but most are sold at markets (msika), some by the side of the road nearest to the forest, and others in towns, where higher prices can be obtained (Figure 1.1).