ETHNIC TOURISM AND TRADITIONAL CULTURE IN MOZAMBIQUE IN THE POST-INDEPENDENCE PERIOD: AN INTERDISCIPLINARY PERSPECTIVE BASED ON VALIMBA DO PAI LEÃO DO DONDO

Abstract

This article presents the results of postdoctoral research that adopts a critical theoretical perspective opposed to the coloniality of power and an interdisciplinary approach to explore the socioeconomic, historical, political, and cultural aspects of Mozambique in the post-independence period. In particular, it focuses on the potential of small-scale, non-mass ethnic tourism, initially academic in nature, in the central region of the country, with an emphasis on the district of Dondo, Sofala Province. Taking the valimba, a traditional Bantu musical instrument, and the experiences and practices of Mestre Pai Leão as a starting point, the study seeks to understand the existing challenges and possibilities for the development of ethnic tourism and for the preservation of Mozambican cultural heritage. Furthermore, it examines the relevance of incorporating local knowledge into education as an essential tool for the conservation of local intangible heritage.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56238/edimpacto2025.052-003