ELT- Day Shift, Third Year – English VI

Name: Samuel Matsinhe

Reading Passage 4

Summary

Mozambique has been home for most important African’s writers and artists. Most of their
newspapers and poetries were published in Maputo, from the beginning of 20th century. Their
works were written in Portuguese and used to validate African culture. In addition, writers used
their works as way of conveying challenges faced during colonialism. However, most used their
poetries as an expression of resistance against the colonizers. Jose Craverinha is one of Africa’s
best-known poets, with very popular collections of poetry. Authors likes, Luis Bernardo Honwana,
Mia Couto, Lina Magaia, Orlando Mendes, Paulina Chiziane and Lília Momplé are also among
the most highly acclaimed list of Mozambican writers. Jose Cardoso and Licino Azevedo are the
most popular representative of Mozambique’s small film industry. Solveig Nordlund’s Comédia
infantile is the country best known film export. Marrabenta, a Mozambican popular music, is
combination of western and african influences, originated in the 1950s. The development of
Marrabenta took place during the colonial period, often used as a means of criticizing the
government in a non-threatening way. Alexandre Langa, Xidimingwana, and the Nampula group
Eyuphuro are some of the most popular composers and musicians. In addition, one of the country’s
best-known musical traditions is the xylophone orchestral ensemble. The wooden sculpture and
Makonde masks are very famous and represent Mozambique traditional culture. Reinata Sadimba,
painter and muralist Naguib, and others, are famous for their works, most of which have gained
international acclamation. Marimba and timbila are instrument that represent other examples of
the traditional music and dances of Mozambique.
 Exercises about reading passage 4

a) –
b) –
c) Imagine that you do not know the relationship between Mozambique and Africa. How
do you think the way the text is structured can clarify that relationship? Using
information from the text, explain your argument
i. The passage, “Mozambique has been home for most important African’s writers
and artists.”, immediately helps us draw out a relationship between Mozambique
and Africa. This passage suggests that there were many important writers in Africa,
some of whom have been produced in Mozambique. Therefore, the reader would
infer that Mozambique is somewhere in Africa.
ii. The passage, “African writers and journalists published their own newspaper in
Maputo” suggest something else. The word “African” is used in place of
“Mozambican.” The writer wanted to place more emphasis on the fact that during
colonial period, most African people were not being seen as people belonging to a
country, but rather, they were all identified as Africans. This passage draws as well
the reader’s attention to the inextricable relationship between Africa and
Mozambique, as one being part of the other.
In brief, this two passages help the readers identify the inseparable relationship that link
Africa to Mozambique, inasmuch as Mozambique make up the small part of the African
continent.

d) I guess you did not check up a dictionary or an encyclopedia to find out about
FRELIMO, neither does the text explain what that is, but nevertheless you know what
is being talked about. What does that tell you about writer’s rationale when using the
term FRELIMO, the way s/he did?
As far as I am concerned, FRELIMO was the main movement at the forefront of the
liberation struggle against the colonial regime in Mozambique. It was formed after some
other political movements unified for the same cause. The author uses the word FRELIMO
to validate or show the role that some writers belonging to this movement played for the
unification, as well as for the liberation of Mozambique in the hand of the colonizers.
e) When talking about Bento Sitoe’s work the text says “Bento Sitoe, the author of
Zabela (1983), among other works, used Tsonga as the language of his writings”.
What do you think is presupposed with the mention of “Tsonga as the language of his
writings”?
Mozambique is as multicultural country, with people from different ethnic groups, and
people not sharing the same language. Tsonga, is an example out of many languages found
in Mozambique. Therefore, when the text mentions this, “Tsonga as the language of his
writings”? it places emphasis on the different ethnic groups and different types of
languages, that these groups have.

f) Do you know of any Mozambican song; whose lyrics is a subtle political message? If
so, describe it.
“La famba bicha”, by Jeremias Nguenha, is one of most popular songs, perhaps not with a
subtle message, but with scathing criticisms of government mismanagements and
censorship of Mozambican singers. Jeremias Nnguenha, singing in Tsonga language, flings
harsh criticisms into the political system at the time. He points at various problems, but
mainly at the increase in prices of basic products and services, such as transportation,
commonly known as “Chapa”, bread, and the cost of living at large. While, on the contrary,
the salaries remained stagnant. He claims in his song that “inflation should be proportional
to the rise in salaries.

Extracted from the lyrics;

“hahile kunga kuele chapa, ali kwele mahelani ni muholu” “hahile kunga kuele pão, ali
kwele mahelani ni muholu” “hahile kunga kuele utomi, ali kwele mahelani ni muholu”

Translated into English:

“we are not saying the price of “Chapa” (public transport) should not go up, but it should
go up along with wages. “we are not saying the price of bread should not go up, but it
should go up along with wages.” “we are not saying the cost of living should not rise
should go up, but it should go up along with wages.”