presents:
SIX STORIES FROM MOZAMBIQUE
© 1998 RADIO BRIDGE OVERSEAS TRUST
Maputo, capital of Mozambique
How could a regional
organisation give the sectoral responsibility of Culture and
Information to a country at the height of civil war?
Present day Mozambique is characterised by a wide diversity of
languages, habits and customs amongst its citizens. Mozambique
has had cultural interchanges with various peoples and
civilisations longer than any other country in the region. This
dates back to more than 400 years, when the country was said to
be "discovered" by the famous Portuguese explorer,
Vasco da Gama. The coming centuries saw the arrival of traders
from all corners of the globe, some of whom chose to stay there.
Other African people also drifted into the country because of the
trade with foreigners.
The arts still play an important role in every day life in that
country. Music, literature, dance and drama, sculpture and
painting, the modern forms of all these being influenced by
foreign cultures on local inspiration. Because of this,
Mozambican art is appreciated the world over.
Proof of Mozambiques leading position in the arts is the
fact that it has been, until 1992, the only African country,
exhibiting at the prestigious Contemporary Art Pavillion Expo in
Spain. Radio Mozambiques Grupo do Radio Mozambique won the
1990 Grand Prize of the Radio France International sponsored
Discoveries Music Contest, for example.
Downtown Maputo
The Radio Mozambique school of
Music, Ecole Musico do Radio Mozambique, has been in existence
since 1983. This morning, there is business as usual. It is the
beginners class for five and six year olds.
"We teach music, classic music and leisure music,"
says Carlos Alberto. "We have eight classrooms
but our classrooms are very few."
"I am not yet sure of what music I am going to play in
the future, but for now, I can say that I will play Marrabenta
music like my favourite musician, Ojanmuk Mukavelle," seven
year old Jeremiezh Billa told us as he packed his guitar after
another music lesson.
Marrabenta music is bright,
lively and uptempo, with lyrics that celebrate life's pleasures
in a country that has had more than its share of life's horrors;
the lineup is two lead guitars, bass, drums, percussion,
occasional keyboards, two trumpets and saxophone. Marrabenta
fuses European harmonies with local melodies and rhythms in the
usual fashion of modern African bands.
Listen / STORY 3 - / 03'30"
"How culture helped to survive - Cultural school in Maputo"
Mozambiques future
generation looks poised to keep the cultural fire burning in
their country, we thought as a new lesson began for yet another
group of young people.
MORE MOZAMBIQUE STORIES
THE RBO PRODUCTION
TEAM:
Research & Interviews in Mozambique:
Victor Desajado, Emmanuel
Camillo, Fortune Ncube, Klaus Juergen Schmidt
Scripts:
Victor Desajado,
Fortune Ncube, Klaus Juergen Schmidt
RBO-Interns attached
to research at Cahora Bassa:
Holger Bock, Olaf
Krems, Morris Nyakudya
Presenter:
Victor Desajado,
Fortune Ncube, Dadirayi Chigoya, Shorai Kariwa
Translation in
Mozambique:
Victor Desajado,
Emmanuel Camillo, Lucia Rodriguez, Christina Maria Patricio
Technical Supervision
at RBO studio:
Norbert Irmer &
Nenad Kuzmic
Administration &
Logistics:
Jennifer Chiriga
& Dadiray Chigoya
Managing Editor &
Director:
Klaus Juergen
Schmidt