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Mozambique – located on the southeastern coast of Africa – has a rich culture and tradition, as demonstrated in its art, music, and food.
Portuguese is the country’s official language, as the Portuguese colonized Mozambique. The country regained its independence in 1975.
The capital city, Maputo is the hub of commerce and cultural center of the country. With its wide range of beaches, urban nightlife scenes, and sidewalk cafes and bars, it is a tourist dream.
Mozambique’s cultural traditions vary from province to province. Every culture in the country has a distinct feature that sets them apart from other cultures.
An example is the Nampula province, where Makua (an ethnic group in Mozambique) women paint their faces with a white root extract called ‘’muciro’’ to beautify themselves – or the Tete Province, where Nhau dancers don wooden masks.
Source: Africa101LastTribes
Lastly, the Makonde people in the northern part of Mozambique create distinctive tattoos on their faces and bodies and have lip plate modifications.
The country is also a central tourist hub with its welcoming, warm tropical climate, beautiful beaches, and rich cultural heritage.
An example of that is Tofo, a small town in the southern part of the country. It is well known for diving due to its calm, clear waters – a beauty to behold.
Source: https://www.mmo.co.mz/
Source: Gone Wild
Capturing the Essence of Mozambique
As mentioned earlier, Mozambique is quite culturally diverse – essentially a melting pot of different cultures, religions, and traditions.
Despite the wide variety of languages, cultures, and traditions, the people are bound together by their love for music, artistic expressions, and football.
Football is the country’s favorite sport. The Mozambique football team regularly competes with other African nations and Portuguese-speaking football leagues, including Brazil, Portugal, and Angola.
Music and dance are also crucial to the Mozambique people, and it is part of many local customs, with music similar to Indian calypso and reggae. There are also symbolic dances like Chopi, a hunting dance where performers wear lion skins.
1. Fort of Sao Sebastião
The Portuguese constructed the Fort of Sao Sebastiao in the mid-16th century, and it was once major in the trading between Africa and Asia. Fort of Sao Sebastiao was built to protect the trade route.
Source: Wikipedia
A beautiful view of the sea and skyline from the top of the fort is a testimony of 16th-century military architecture.
An interesting building in the Fort is the Chapel of Nossa Senhora de Baluarte – the oldest European building in the Southern Hemisphere. This is a heritage site and a well-known tourist attraction in the country.
2. Machilla Magic
Located in Vilanculos, this is a place where local artists and artisans come to showcase their work.
Source: Africa’s List
Various handmade handicrafts can be found here, and the place also offers a source of livelihood for the surrounding villagers.
Machilla Magic is a cultural site where recycled materials are repurposed to create beautiful and sustainable art. it is a well-known destination for tourists and lovers of art to buy art ranging from simple pieces to decorations to furniture.
Agriculture in Mozambique
Maritime Agriculture accounts for one-third of the country’s exports and is one of the largest industries in Mozambique. The country’s rivers provide a variety of fish, and several fisheries produce mackerel, anchovies, and prawns.
In fact, several Mozambicans are employed in the agricultural sector with 90% of those being women.
Mozambican women tend to find seeking non-traditional employment difficult, leading them to resort to the agricultural labor force.
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