Mwala wa Mphini — "the stone of tribal scars" in Chichewa — is a low granite boulder on the path between Chembe village and the national park boundary, marked with deep parallel grooves that locals identify as the carved tribal scars of the Yao people. The geological consensus is that the grooves are natural weathering features in differential mineral bands, but the cultural significance of the stone in local initiation rituals is real and well-documented.
It is a short walk from Chembe — about fifteen minutes from most of the lodges — and easily combined with a longer hike up to the viewpoints behind the village. A local guide will explain both interpretations and the broader Yao history of the area.