Maputo, UNESCO has officially recognized Mozambique’s Mapiko dance as an intangible cultural heritage that requires urgent safeguarding. This declaration was made during the 18th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Kasane, Botswana.

According to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Mozambique nominated the Mapiko dance for this recognition in March 2022, highlighting the urgent need to preserve the dance amidst threats of extinction due to terrorist activities in Cabo Delgado province and environmental risks like cyclones.

Eldevina Materula, Mozambique’s Minister of Culture and Tourism, attending the conference, expressed optimism that this recognition would foster unity among different ethnic groups globally. She emphasized that the nomination was driven by values of authenticity, inclusion, and the dance’s unique historical, aesthetic, and artistic relevance to humanity.

Mapiko, also known as Ingoma ya Mapiko, is a celebratory dance practiced by the Makonde people in northern Mozambique, primarily in the districts of Muenda, Nangade, and Muidumbe of the Cabo Delgado province. It is traditionally performed during significant life events such as puberty rites, funerals, or for entertainment. The dance involves solo or group performances with dancers wearing masks that depict animals or people, accompanied by drums and choirs of women and men. It symbolizes the human spirit, cosmic harmony, the struggle between good and evil, and aims to overcome fear while restoring gender balance.

Mapiko serves as a medium for transmitting ancestral values, beliefs, and customs, playing a vital role in guiding youth through the transformation of their bodies as they reach maturity. UNESCO’s recognition of Mapiko underscores its significance in the cultural fabric of Mozambique and the world, and the need for its preservation.