A Motswana in Mozambique: Land of hope and despair
As Mozambique shakes from terrorism insurgency in its North, fears abound that the country’s historic instability may this time spill over into the region. recalls much more pleasant times in the east African country when hope was in the air.
The first time I ever visited Mozambique, was sometime in 2016, possibly around April/May in my late 20s. At the time, I had been living in Maseru, Lesotho for about two years.
I had taken the bus, starting the journey in Maseru, then Bloemfontein and eventually Johannesburg where I took the 10pm Intercape night service from the infamous Park Station and would arrive at Lebombo/Ressano Garcia
Border at 5am the next morning. There we had to wait in the bus for about an hour till the gates opened at 6am, for immigration formalities. I had been warned about hagglers and corrupt immigration officials, but my passage was a smooth one.
Arriving in Maputo, I was struck by the stark difference in the architecture and the way the city was laid, if I may put it that way – it was very much how I would imagine cities like Havana or somewhere in Mexico would look like, though somewhat derelict and full of character. I would later realise that as unassuming as most of the buildings are, they housed some of the greatest artist spaces, galleries, cafes and restaurants.
At some point that year, I took a leap of faith and made a permanent move to the city, after visiting a couple of times, in a space of about two months. I was drawn by the energy of the city, the culture and the creative buzz in the city; on any given evening, I could be attending a film screening at Centro Cultural Franco-Moçambicano (The French-Mozambican Cultural Centre), before dinner at one of my favourite restaurants, Txhapo Txhapo located on Avenida Eduardo Mondlane, close to the South African High Commission, just off the popular Avenida Julius Nyerere. Or catching a live music showcase at 16 Neto, a co-working space that doubles as an events space.
The collaborative efforts of the creatives and artists in the city are something to admire, from musicians to filmmakers and fine artists alike – Mozambican youth have made it their mission to put the country on the map, following in the legacy of great artists such as the late Malangatana Ngwenya. Living in the city and navigating my way around, was very interesting, especially with the language differences and the fact that about 90% of the country speaks and operates in Portuguese. I had no choice but to enrol in a Portuguese Language School for about six months. One of the greatest things about Mozambicans is their patience and welcoming nature. They would take every opportunity to teach me popular Portuguese phrases to get around. The local food is great and the food scene in Maputo is on par with some of the best in the region, with a fusion of local and Portuguese cuisines.
I often say that Maputo is a city going through a rebirth of sorts, evident in the architecture, the creative and food scene as well and I am grateful for the opportunity to call it my second home. I found Mozambicans very resilient and resourceful, perhaps having inherited this resilience and way about life from their forefathers who lived and fought in the war years ago. I found that Mozambique had this air of a country still trying to re-establish itself and make its mark in the region, especially the city of Maputo. This can be seen through the youth’s participation in the arts and creative scene, tourism as well as the technology sector.
Besides Maputo, I have only ever been to Bilene, a lagoon resort town a few hours from the capital as well as Quelimane, in the Zambezia Province. Both were pleasant and I was not apprehensive at all. My not travelling the country more was due to my laziness and the fact that there was enough to do around the city of Maputo as well as the province.
For me, the renewed instability is heartbreaking, especially at a time the country is trying to regain its power and re-establish itself as an oil and gas producer in the region.
LESEGO THAMAGANA