In search of Nampula fashion at the National Ethnography Museum

Upon setting foot in the province of Nampula, my eyes are greeted by a movement of women dressed in warm and vibrant colored clothes. Faced with such visual beauty, in a country as diverse as Mozambique, I became curious about the roots of the fashion of athiana orera (beautiful women in Macua). Luckily for me, the only Ethnography Museum in the country is in Nampula.

Excited by the possibility of being able to delve into the customs, beliefs and traditions of this society, particularly the female universe, I ventured through the museum’s rooms. The National Ethnography Museum opened its doors for the first time on August 23, 1956, in the colonial era. After independence, it was closed and opened its doors again on June 25, 1993, transformed into a national museum focused on Mozambican ethnography.

The section called “The world of women” tells the story of a people who have always looked for alternatives to dress themselves, having resorted to materials such as animal skin and burlap bags.

But the colors and designs of clothing present on the city’s streets, according to the story told here, are the result of the influence of Indian and Muslim people, who not only left traces in fashion, but also in religion, music and dance.

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