CULTURAL HERITAGE OF MOZAMBIQUE

Herein, this post discusses the cultural heritage and heritage sites of Mozambique, the meaning of culture and culture of the people.

MEANING OF CULTURE

Culture encompasses religion, food, what we wear, how we wear it, our language, marriage, music, what we believe is right or wrong, how we sit at the table, how we greet visitors, how we behave with loved ones and a million other things.

CULTURE OF MOZAMBIQUE

The culture of Mozambique is in large part derived from its history of Bantu, Swahili, and Portuguese rule, and has expanded since independence in 1975. The majority of its inhabitants are black Africans. Its main language is Portuguese. Its median religion is Roman Catholicism, but only about 40% of the inhabitants are Christian. It has a rich history in the areas of arts, cuisine, and entertainment.

The main ethnic groups in Mozambique are Makhuwa, Tsonga, Makonde, Shangaan, Shona, Sena, Ndau, and other indigenous groups. There are approximately 45,000 Europeans, and 15,000 South Asians. The main religious groups in Mozambique are Christian (57%), Muslim (20%), Indigenous African, and other beliefs.

Health is an expansive concern in Mozambique. With limited resources and funds, the life prospects for Mozambicans are relatively low when placed in comparison to other nations, and comparable when compared to neighboring states. The infant mortality rate for 2016, has been calculated at 67.9/1,000. The overall life expectancy is approximately 55 years.

The official language is Portuguese; English is sometimes spoken in major cities such as Maputo and Beira. According to the 2007 census, 50.4% of the national population aged 5 and older (80.8% of people living in urban areas and 36.3% in rural areas) is fluent in Portuguese, making it the most widely spoken language in the country. The other languages spoken in Mozambique include Emakhuwa (at 25.3%), Xichangana (at 10.3%), Cisena (at 7.5%), Elomwe (at 7%), Echuwabo (at 5.1%), and a variety of other languages.

RELIGION AND EDUCATION OF THE MOZAMBIQUE

Most of the people in Mozambique practice native beliefs and are Christians, mostly Roman Catholics and some Protestants. Christianity is a Portuguese influence. A few Muslims (mostly Arabs and Blacks in northern part of the country), Buddhists (mostly Mahayana and Chinese), and Hindus (virtually Indian and Pakistani) are also important.

Only 1/3 of Mozambicans over the age of 15 are able to read and write. Primary education in Mozambique is free. However, secondary education is not free. At the end of 1995, about 60% of primary school aged children attended Primary School. A very small percentage of these students, about 7%, move onto secondary school.

At the end of the 1995 calendar year, there were approximately seven thousand students that attended one of the three higher level institutions.

WHAT IS HERITAGE?

Heritage is the full range of our inherited traditions, monuments, objects, and culture.  Most important, it is the range of contemporary activities, meanings, and behaviors that we draw from them.

Heritage includes, but is much more than preserving, excavating, displaying, or restoring a collection of old things.  It is both tangible and intangible, in the sense that ideas and memories–of songs, recipes, language, dances, and many other elements of whom we are and how we identify ourselves–are as important as historical buildings and archaeological sites.

CULTURAL HERITAGE OF MOZAMBIQUE

The Cultural Heritage of the Island of Mozambique comprises two urban centers that complement each other: Stone and Cal City, with architecture of European, African and Asian influences; and the City of Macuti, with Asian and African influence (Swahili).

HERITAGE SITES

 Read:CULTURAL HERITAGE OF ANGOLA

Tentative List

Read:REGIONS OF MOZAMBIQUE

Former Tentative Sites