Mozambique
There are over 1000 traditional dances in Mozambique, each region, each village has their own traditions and variations of different rhythms and dances.
There can be dances symbolising celebration, war, love or harvesting, however, today variations of the dances are mainly used as an individual expression or to represent the rich Mozambican culture at events.
Many traditional dances are traditionally only danced by women and other only by men even though today many dances are dance by all humans.
Mozambican dances also show that what is seen as typically masculine or feminine can differ depending on the region and tradition.
What all dances have in common is that rhythm comes first, movements come second.
In the Bantu languages such as Ronga and Changana, spoken in Southern Mozambique, the word “ngoma” could mean either music, dance, drum or song; in the end it is all expressions of the same thing. Each has a different story, emotion, expression and tradition.
Here some dances:
Xigubo, Mapiko, Marrabenta, Ngalanga, Makway, Nganda, Limbondo, Xisaizana, Muthongoio,Semba, Niketche, Makwaya, Makwayela, Zorre, Tufu, Utsi, Tema Tema, Chingomana & Maseve.The Official “National dance of Mozambique” is “Tufo“.
Dance is at the heart of the popular culture and often, men play instruments and women sing in chorus.
Mozambique has developed a national strategy for the safeguarding of its living heritage. Following eight months of conducting a pilot inventory in the Province of Manica in Central Mozambique, the national institute for socio-cultural research, Arquivo do Património Cultural
(ARPAC), in cooperation with UNESCO organized a closing workshop from 27 to 31 October 2014. The workshop in Manica and Maputo highlights how inventories of intangible cultural heritage are a key step for further safeguarding measures.
Taking stock of the results of the pilot inventory, the workshop marks the end of a sequence of country-based training activities in Mozambique and will permit both the local and the provincial levels in Manica and Maputo to contribute to the development of a national strategy for the promotion and safeguarding of Mozambique’s intangible cultural heritage.
Over eighty members of the community of Chinhambudzi have collaborated with ARPAC to collect data, map, describe and categorize their intangible cultural heritage. .
Mozambique is the first Portuguese speaking African (PALOP) country to have accomplished the inventory exercise, and Mozambican trainers will have the opportunity to co-facilitate workshops in other PALOP countries, namely Sao Tome and Principe where preparations are already underway for upcoming workshops.
Sources:
https://masx.org/what-is-afro-swing/traditional-mozambican-dance/
Jacques Erwan in L’écumeur de mémoire: https://www.jacques-erwan.fr/?page_id=801)
UNESCO
https://ich.unesco.org/en/news/mozambique-to-develop-a-national-strategy-for-the-safeguarding-of-
its-living-heritage-00096
List Of Dances
Chingomana
Maseve
Muthongoio
Nganda
Niketche
Xisaizana
Semba
Tema Tema
Utsi
Xigubo
Zorre
Gule Wamkulu
Gule Wamkulu was a secret cult, involving a ritual dance practiced among the Chewa in Malawi,Zambia, and Mozambique. It was performed by members of the Nyau brotherhood, a secret society of initiated men. Within the Chewa’s traditional matrilineal society, where married men played a rather marginal role, the Nyau offered a means to establish a counterweight and solidarity among men of various villages. Nyau members still are responsible for the initiation of young men into adulthood, and for the performance of the Gule Wamkulu at the end of the initiation procedure, celebrating the young men’s integration into adult society.
Gule Wamkulu is performed in the season following the July harvest, but it can also be seen at weddings, funerals, and the installation or the death of a chief. On these occasions, the Nyau dancers wear costumes and masks made of wood and straw, representing a great variety of characters, such as wild animals, spirits of the dead, slave traders as well as more recent figures such as the honda or the helicopter. Each of these figures plays a particular, often evil, character
expressing a form of isbehavior, teaching the audience moral and social values. These figuresperform dances with extraordinary energy, entertaining and scaring the audience as representatives of the world of the spirits and the dead.
Gule Wamkulu dates back to the great Chewa Empire of the seventeenth century. Despite the efforts of Christian missionaries to ban this practice, it managed to survive under British colonial rule by adopting some aspects of Christianity. As a consequence, Chewa men tend to be members of a Christian church as well as a Nyau society. However, Gule Wamkulu performances are gradually losing their original function and meaning by being reduced to ntertainment for tourists and for political purpose.
Inscribed in 2008 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of
Humanity (originally proclaimed in 2005)
AUTHOR : UNESCO
Reference : Unesco’s Website “Read”
MOZAMBIQUE
Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Region:
Ethnic group:
Nyau, Chewa
Mapiko
Ingoma Ya Mapiko
The Mapiko dance is a celebratory dance practiced by the Makonde people of
Mozambique. As part of the traditional rite of passage from puberty to adulthood, the dance is performed in an enclosure, usually under mango trees, with dancers, musicians and the public coming together to celebrate the initiation rite.
The dance may also be performed for the funeral of a group member or for entertainment. It is a theatrical performance involving several dancers who perform alone or as a group, wearing masks that represent animals or people. They are accompanied by drums and a choir of women and men standing opposite each other. In between the dances, the choir also dances and sings provocative songs, challenging and provoking the masked men and people from neighbouring villages.
The Mapiko dance is transmitted during initiation rites. It symbolizes human spirit, harmony with the cosmos, and the fight between good and evil, and is viewed as a means of overcoming fear. It also seeks to restore a balance between the masculine and the feminine. For the practising communities, mapiko is a means of transmitting ancestral values, beliefs and customs and of helping youth familiarize themselves with the transformations of their bodies as they reach maturity.
Inscribed in 2023 (18.COM) on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding
AUTHOR : UNESCO
Reference : Unesco’s Website “Read”
MOZAMBIQUE TANZANIA
Region:
North Mozambique
South Tanzania
Ethnic group: Makonde
Tufu
History
The origins of tufo are unclear,[5] although on the Island of Mozambique, legend has it that the dance began at the time when the prophet Muhammad migrated to Medina.[6] He was welcomed by his followers with songs and dances praising Allah, accompanied by tambourines. Since the prophet approved of these dances, they continued to be performed at religious festivals.[6]
Tufo probably arrived in Mozambique in the 1930s, brought by a tradesman from Kilwa called Yussuf. [5][6] The name probably derives from an Arabic name for the tambourines used in the dance, ad-duff.[6] This word became adufe or adufo in Portuguese, and then tufo.[6]
The dance has also been heavily influenced by the matrilineal Makhuwa culture.[6] Despite its Muslim origins, tufo has spread beyond the communities and context of Islam.[5] Although still performed at religious feasts, tufo songs may also contain social or political themes.[6]
Tufu, a traditional dance in Northern Mozambique, is the Official “National dance of Mozambique”.The dance is performed by groups of women and is found in Maputo, the provinces of CaboDelgado and Nampula and the Island of Mozambique.
Of Arab origin, the dance is performed to celebrate Islamic festivals and holidays.
Women come together to perform Tufo wearing capulanas and bright-coloured shirts. Their faces are covered with mussiro, a type of facial cream used by Macua women. They tie head wraps and use jewellery, necklaces and bracelets for an extravagant finishing touch.
Tufo had an Arab origin but took root on the east coast of Mozambique, particularly in Nampula and Cabo Delgado. This cultural manifestation will be considered for intangible cultural heritage of humanity, but little is known at this stage.
Performance
Historically tufo was performed by both male and female dancers but now men usually only dance on rare occasions.[6] Tufo dance groups comprise 15–20 women and are accompanied by four men or women on flat tambourine-like drums.[6] All of the dancers sing although there are usually lead singers.[6] Traditionally, tufo dancers danced while kneeling down, rhythmically moving the top halves of their bodies. [5][6] More recently tufo choreography has evolved such dancers may stand and move their whole bodies about.[6]
Tufo songs are transmitted orally and may be composed by one of the dancer’s or by the group’s poet.[6] They are usually in the Emakhuwa language but may also be in Arabic or Portuguese. [6] The dancers must wear matching scarves and capulanas, which are a kind of sarong made from brightly coloured printed cloth.[6] Each dance requires a new capulana to be worn.
Sources:
5) Sheldon, Kathleen E. (2005). Historical dictionary of women in Sub-Saharan Africa. Scarecrow Press.p. 247. ISBN 0-8108-5331-0.
6) Arnfred, Singe (2005). “Tufo Dancing: Muslim Women’s Culture in Northern Mozambique”. In Lusotopie, n°11,2004. Médias pouvoir et identités. pp. 39-65 Read
Buala read
MOZAMBIQUE
Region:
Maputo, provinces of Cabo Delgado and Nampula, Island of Mozambique
Ethnic group:
Marrabenta
The term “marrabenta” refers both to a famous Mozambican musical genre and to the dance that is associated with it.
Marrabenta is a quite modern musical style; it was born in the 1930s and 1940s during the colonial era, when the country was under Portuguese rule. The music blends traditional Mozambican rhythms with Portuguese folk music elements and instruments. The genre also borrows elements from Mozambican church music. The term “marrabenta” originates from the Portuguese word “rebentar,” meaning “to break something.” This alludes to the fact that this music was played very energetically on cheap instruments that would often break during the performance. The lyrics, sung in Portuguese or other traditional languages, were about love and everyday life but also contained criticism against the colonial regime. It played an important part in the fight for independence, and many places where marrabenta was performed were shut down by the government. The genre is still very popular today and is constantly evolving, now incorporating elements from American rock, pop, hip-hop, and reggae, using electric instruments.
The Marrabenta dance is equally expressive and lively. Just like the music genre, Marrabenta dance blends traditional African dance steps with elements of European dances. It also offered a lot of room for improvisation and self-expression. It is notable for its smooth arm and hip movements. In some cases, the performers wear traditional Mozambican attire but mostly dress in a casual style.
To this day, the marrabenta is a symbol of Mozambican culture and history and represents the country across the globe.
Ethnic group: Not specific to an ethnic group
Region: Originally from Maputo, but not specific to a region
Country: Mozambique
Limbondo
The Limbono is a dance from the Makonde tribe. It is performed at the initiation ceremonies of young Makonde boys, celebrating their transition into adulthood.
These initiation rituals can be quite complex. They usually involve circumcision and the performance of the famous Mapiko dance (for further information, see the article about the Mapiko dance). The young initiates also must spend time in a secluded shelter called Likumbi along with other boys and men, where they will learn practical skills such as hunting and farming.
The Limbono is performed both when the initiates go to the Likumbi and when they return from it. Traditionally, it is only to be danced by men, but women participate in the custom more and more. The dancers usually wear casual clothing.
The dance includes very intricate footwork and a lot of waist movement. The arms swing from side to side, following these movements. In some cases, the dancers wear decorative garments around their calves, bringing attention to their legs. Sometimes the dancers also use large sticks as accessories.
The music is played on traditional Makonde drums and occasionally contains singing. It has a very fast rhythm, making the dance very energetic and expressive.
Ethnic group: Makonde
Region: Unknown
Country: Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya
Makway
The Makway is a celebratory dance from central Mozambique. It is usually performed at weddings or other festivities.
It is danced in groups. The Makway is very energetic, including fast and acrobatic leg movements and jumps. Especially notable are the high kicks often performed, which require balance and flexibility.
The music is played on drums and has a very fast rhythm that makes the Makway a very energetic and joyful dance. At times, the performers shout in unison to accentuate certain moves and rhythms.
Unfortunately, not much information about this dance is available.
Ethnic group: Unknown
Region: Central Mozambique
Country: Mozambique
Makhwaya
The Makhwaya (also spelled Makwaya) is a dance popular among the Tonga people. It is performed by both men and women during festive occasions such as weddings and other celebrations.
The dance includes a lot of footwork and occasional jumping. The Makhwaya is also notable for its quick and frequent hip movements. At times, the performers wear a colorful belt along with a large and colorful skirt.
The Makhwanya is usually danced to neo-African pop songs played on digital devices.
In general, this Makhwaya has undergone a certain Western influence: the neo-African pop songs follow a 4/4 rhythm, and some interpretations of the dance can remind one of European-style tap dance. Some deplore this development, arguing that the Makhwaya no longer embodies the values of respect and decency like it once did.
Nevertheless, the Makhwaya still remains a popular dance among the Tsonga and is performed on various occasions.
Ethnic Group: Tsonga
Region: Unknown
Country: Mozambique, South Africa
Ngalanga
The Ngalanga is a dance of the Chopi people. It is performed in various contexts, such as initiations, remembrance ceremonies, rites of passage, weddings and official ceremonies.
The music is played on three different drums: the txindzomana which gives the timeline, the ntxinga, which acts as the lead drum and a gulu or txikhulu adding groovier rhythmic elements. It also includes a mbila xylophone and shakers. The rhythm is very fast and energetic.
The dancers, who are both men and women, usually stand in a semi-circle, whose center acts as the dancefloor. Usually, about two performers go in the center to perform flashy moves, while the others stand around, moving to the rhythm. However, in some parts of the Ngalanga, everyone joins in at the same time. The dance is notable for its impressive footwork, sometimes including high kicks, as well as their fast chest moves.
The performers traditionally wear a handmade raffia skirt, a large belt and have a rattle shaker tied to their legs.
Being a dance performed by large groups, often at festive events, the Ngalanga is not only a dance but also a tool to strengthen communities across Mozambique.
Ethnic group: Chopi
Region: Inhambane province
Country: Mozambique