actresses-from-mozambique

"I loved attending the festivals and rituals of my village. When I started school, I was in great shock. What was my life there was forbidden. At that time, my country had not yet achieved independence and the educational system was very repressive. The paddle was used constantly and I was beaten a lot for using my real name, that is, the name given to me in my village. When the country achieved independence in 1975, the new government adopted the concept of a new man; the creation of a national consciousness through culture. That's when versatile artistic groups began to emerge. And I, who had previously been reprimanded for singing and dancing to my songs, also joined this movement. And it was at that moment that I began to cultivate my culture without fear. Artistic groups were created in the neighborhoods and the idea of ​​unifying the Mozambican people through culture led to an intense exchange between the cultural practices of the north and south of the country. That's when I started singing, dancing, and reciting poems.However, shortly after independence, we had another war that lasted for years. We went back to square one. At that time, we didn't sing or dance, and food was scarce."

"I did an exchange program with the girls from Cia As Capulanas. I really liked the idea I saw and this experience left me very inspired. I have a project called Palco Aberto, which aims to take theater to places where people don't have access to it. And their project, Pé no Quintal, was an important source of inspiration for me."

"These authors are always inspired by a specific reality and follow that story. So, whether or not we choose an author, a theme, or a text has a lot to do with that. The first work by Mia Couto that we adapted was a strong critique of the bureaucratic system and corruption in Mozambique. Our politicians went to see that play and laughed a lot (it was a satire) and that was a way that Mia has of talking about problems with art. Another text of his that I adapted was Flight of the Flamingos, which also addresses the theme of corruption, scandals, and crimes. We need to bring the book to life, make visible what the author wanted to say there, make it public."