Excursion Maputo art heritage tour at Maputo

Discover the history of Maputo's art on this half-day tour.

Maputo and Malangatana's house

Depart the pier and get a glimpse of important artistic, historic and cultural sites of Maputo City and its colourful surrounding neighbourhoods. Travel to Malangatana's house, a Mozambican painter and poet.

Born in Matalana, Ngwenya spent his early life attending mission schools and helping his mother on the farm. At 12 he went to the city of Lourenço Marques (now Maputo) to find work, becoming ball boy for a tennis club in 1953. This allowed him to resume his education and his interest in art. Augusto Cabral, a member of the tennis club, gave him materials and helped him to sell his art. In 1958 Ngwenya attended some functions of Nucleo de Arte, a local artists' organization, and received support from the painter Ze Julio. The next year he exhibited publicly for the first time, and two years later came his first solo exhibition, at the age of 25. In 1964 Ngwenya, who had joined the nationalistic FRELIMO guerrilla, was detained by the PIDE, the Portuguese secret police, and spent 18 months in jail. He was given a grant from the Lisbon-based Gulbenkian Foundation in 1971, and studied engraving and ceramics in Portugal, Europe. Back in Mozambique, his art was exhibited several times in both Maputo and Lisbon until Independence. In 1979 he participated in the exhibition Moderne Kunst aus Afrika, which was organized in West-Berlin. After 1981 he worked full-time as an artist. His work was shown throughout Africa and is in the collection of the National Museum of African Art in Washington, DC. He also helped to start a number of cultural institutions in Mozambique. Ngwenya was awarded the Nachingwea Medal for his Contribution to Mozambican Culture, and was made a Grande Oficial da Ordem do Infante D. Henrique. In 1997 he was named a UNESCO Artist for Peace and received a Prince Claus Award. Malangatana Ngwenya died at age 74, on 5 January 2011 in Matosinhos.

Ntsindya Cultural Centre, Xipaminine Market an Lunch

Continue to Ntsindya Cultural Centre, a club which used to host intellectuals, musicians and writers who fought independence. After your visit to the Cultural Centre, visit one of Maputo's cultural heritage venues such as Xipaminine Market followed by lunch at Fundação Fernando Leite Couto - Sal & Grafia (or similar).

Re-board your vehicle for the return drive to the pier.

Points of interests

Points of interest seen on this excursion include: Malangatana House, Ntsindya Cultural Centre, Xipaminine Market, Lunch

Note

Please note: This tour involves a moderate amount of walking for approximately 547 yards (about 500 metres), at times over uneven surfaces, with a few steps to negotiate at the sites visited. This tour is not suitable for guests with limited mobility, and guests who utilise a wheelchair. Lightweight, comfortable clothing with flat, closed-toe walking shoes and sun protection are recommended. Mozambique is a third-world country and although it offers a rewarding experience, it differs markedly from South Africa in all aspects. Guests are advised that there is no formal guiding qualification required for Mozambique, therefore we support the local community by using local escorts/guides. Most of these escorts/guides have many years of experience in guiding for visiting cruise ships. The coaches are maintained, although basic, and the quality can vary considerably and may not be up to the standards of those found on other excursions. Whilst the roads are tarred, there are many with potholes. There are also a number of bumpy dirt roads. Some of the monuments and attractions encountered on this tour fall under the category of "military or state defence objects'. Photography of these monuments and attractions is strictly prohibited, and you may face serious problems by ignoring these rules. Therefore, please ask your tour guides before photographing such sites. The tour sequence may vary.