The Art Nucleus

The Art Nucleus is a long-standing centre of Art and also an association house for artists gathering here in Mozambique. It was established in its current location in the Polana district within the Maputo City. The centre has always been connected and an expression of Mozambican politic history. 

The name Art Nucleus appeared for the first time in Mozambique in 1937 as a title to an exhibition depicting “Lourenço Marques”. Due to the lack of freedom of political expression that existed within the Portuguese colonial regime the centre was mainly used for exhibitions of the works from Portuguese artists. However, due to the persistent complaints and objections of some Portuguese artists (although often manipulatively through the colonial political regime) they slowly opened the Nucleus to the growing numbers of Mozambican artists. 

One of the most noteworthy of these artists is Malangatana
Valente Ngwenya who, expressing his feelings of nationalism obtained huge acclaim with first individual exhibition in 1961. The political freedoms where shortlived from 1964 onwards many Mozambican artists and their works were rounded up with their works destroyed by the Portuguese Secret Police (PIDE) with the members of the Nucleus arrested and accused of being FRELIMO party sympathisers. After independence in 1975 the name of Nucleus was briefly changed to “Centro Organizativo dos Artistas Plásticos (COAP)”, meaning Organizative Centre of Plastic Artistic, a shortlived experience and very soon after the name of Art Nucleus Association was reinstated. 

Led by artists such as Bertina Lopes, Malangatana and Alberto Chissano the members of the Nucleus dedicated the development of the centre to Mozambican modern art. As the funds from government and foreign agencies dried up there then followed a very static and dry development period through the civil war years. 

With the cease fire of the Civil War in 1992 and the subsequent launch of a major project for peace consolidation “ Transformação de Armas em Instrumentos de Trabalho” meaning Transforming Weapons into Working Tools(supported by the Justice Department, Peace and Reconciliation of Mozambique Council of Churches) there was a new phase for the life of the Artistic Nucleus. 

Many young Youth artists took up the initiative; in 1993 after reopening of the building young artists created works of Art using AK47s, mines and a variety of weapons. Now the Nucleus is a flourishing centre for art and holds various workshops and exhibitions exposing Mozambican arts across the world. 

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The Cathedral

Just near the Municipal Council Building there is the Holy Cathedral which, through its architectural beauty is another “must stop for anyone in the down town area. Due to the rapid growth of the City in the early part of the 20th century it was decided that the small churches in existence were not serving the expanding congregations and influx of European Christians. 

The idea of building a Cathedral which could suit everyone was born in the early 1930’s. It was Sebastião José Alves, the then Governor of Mozambique who launched the idea. However, it was in era of D. Rafael Maria de Assunção (1920-1936), Colonel José Ricardo Pereira Cabral (General Governor of Mozambique) donated for the population of Mozambique, on 15th August 1931, the plot where the Cathedral of Maputo is now situated. 

The building design was a self-initiative of the Engineer Marcial de Freitas e Costa who also directed its construction. The launching of the first brick took place on the 28th June 1936, in the last public act of D. Rafael Maria de Assunção who was, at the time, the Apostolic Administrator of the Prelazy of Mozambique. 

The decoration of the Cathedral was enriched by various Portuguese artists’ Then the building was completed and opened on the 15th August 1944 by Cardinal Cerejeira. 

Amongst the numerous Christian Chapels existing in the City of Maputo the “ Cathedral” stands out not only because of its beauty and architecture importance but also because of its spectacular white colour in the form of a cross.

Now this was the saddest thing of all. Even in a church - break inns and theft can't be controlled anymore. 

The cathedral had placed a money box on one of the inside walls, where people could donate towards bread for the poor.

Above shows the box wrenched open to get to the money!

What is the world coming to?

Maputo Railway Station

Maputo's imposing Train Station is one of the city's landmark buildings. 

The dome was designed by an associate of Alexandre Gustav Eiffel (of Eiffel Tower fame), although Eiffel himself never set foot in Mozambique. Also impressive are the wrought-iron lattice work, pillars and verandas gracing the exterior. Inside are some old steam engines, and the Chez Rangel Jazz Café (see Drinking), one of the city's best night spots.

Although the station is still in use, trains run infrequently and it's often deserted.

The building of the Maputo Railway Station, is built in front of the “Praça dos Trabalhadores“(meaning workers square), the former Mac-Mahon Square. 

The construction of the “Department of Railway of Lourenço Marques” as it was called in the colonial era, started in 1908 and ended two years later in 1910. 

The project was designed by an Engineer, Alfredo Augusto de Lima, The remarkable bronze dome, founded specially for the building, was constructed in South Africa and its assembly was an innovation for that time. 

The construction of this central station was vital for the region with its operational inauguration and opening on 19 March of 1910, and then the subsequent running of the first train to Lhanguene.

One thing that has been incredibly sad about being a tourist in Maputo is that the tourist attractions all seem quite run down, even worse is the fact that the guides are generally very uneducated about their own history as well as the history and significance of the attractions they take you to.

I have been on a major fact finding mission, armed with the photos I took to try and figure out why all the places I had seen was considered a tourist attraction at all. Only to discover that there is widely very little information even on the net. 

Whoever goes on a Maputo City Tour, needs to understand that they will most probably return to their hotel that day quite disappointed, not because Maputo had nothing to offer, but because no-one has taken the time to really try and make it an interesting experience for a tourist.

The is a overall lack of interest in really creating fun filled, factual information on the history of Mozambique and the places of interest.

Samora Machel Statue & Tunduro Botanical Garden

In the Shadow of a Great Man...

The statue of Marshal Samora Moises Machel is located in front of the Tunduro Garden and besides the Iron House. Samora Machel was born on the 29th of September 1933, in Chilembene, Gaza Province, south of Mozambique. 

In 1963 he joined FRELIMO in Tanzania, in order to take place in the National Liberation War. A bold move at the time in 1967 he created a Female Nucleus in order to include women in the Liberation War. In June 25th 1975, the country got its independence from the colonial power of Portugal and he became the first President of Mozambique. 

Samora Machel was a charismatic leader of socialist inspiration, he faced, almost alone, the racist regimes of South Africa and Rodhesia (Zimbabwe) and fought against RENAMO in a long civil war within the country. 

He died on the 19th of October 1986 when the plane he was travelling on crashed in Mbuzini, South African territory. The accident was rumoured to have been a pilot error on behalf of the Russian pilot who was flying at the time. There was speculation of the possible involvement of the South African Government but it was never proved. 

A National Hero and “Father of the Nation”, Samora Machel symbolizes the liberation of the human being from all forms of discrimination and exploitation. Thus the reason a Bronze Statue was erected in the 1990s in his honour. The statue depicts Samora Machel with his arm raised and finger pointing up, a characterising stance of his during his popular speeches.

The Entrance & Trees to the Tunduro Botanical Garden.

It is situated in an area known as “Horta dos Banianes” in central down town of Maputo City within a few metres of the Cathedral. Originally established in 1885 as “Vasco da Gama Garden” the Tunduro Garden was designed by the British landscape architect Thomas Honney, the same man who designed gardens for the Sultan of Turkey and the King of Greece. 

Between the period 1907 and 1918, the garden was under the charge of Thomas Honney who used only the lower part (about 30% of the total area) of the garden which extends some 64 000 m2. Between the period 1927 and 1944 the garden area was extended and used more extensively under the charge of Guilherme Melquíades. 

The entrance shaped in the form of an archway built in the Manuelino architectural style is painted in white and adorns the main entrance from Samora Machel Avenue. Within the gardens,
there are different native and exotic plants and trees from Africa, Europe, Asia and South America. 

Unfortunately, these gardens have been left to its own devices and weather challenges and it is honestly not worth while stopping of at this so-called tourist attraction. 

It has long gone past its prime and now looks like a standard government park, strewn with litter - with the smell of urine and alcohol everywhere. The homeless people who inhabit it during the evenings, have found a little spot in paradise.

Workers Square & War Memorial

Just in front of the Railyway Station there is the Praça dos Trabalhadores (Workers’ Square) which has in its centre the unique colonial monument that remained in the City after the independence reminding us of the effort of the Portuguese and Mozambican soldiers during World War I. 

The monument was conceived by the sculptor Ruy Gameiro and was inaugurated on the 11th of November 1935. On the upper side of the monument seats a statue of a lady holding a snake with her right hand. 

According to popular myth the snake lived amongst the trees in the square and it used to bite those who wanted to rest below the shadow of the acacia trees. Attempting to kill the snake a lady prepared a pot of porridge and whilst hot carried it on her head. 

The snake tried to bite the lady’s head and instead fell into the pot of hot porridge and died. 

Therefore, it is believed that the statue standing in the centre of the square was built in honour of the lady, popularly known as Senhora da Cobra (meaning snake lady). 

Fortress "Nossa Senhora da Conceicao"

 

Located next to the Maputo Fishing Harbour, downtown, the Fortress “Nossa Senhora da Conceição" is one of the most important and historical monuments of Maputo City. 

The history for the Fort stems from around 1721 when Dutch settlers established Lagoa Fortress on the right bank of the Espírito Santo River, (The Maputo River) at the Ponta Mahone, (Catembe). This was abandoned in 1730 and then re-established by Austrian settlers in 1777 and used for the slave trade, this was then destroyed in 1781 by a Portuguese expedition coming from Goa.

In order to protect the Portuguese trade and commerce in the area a basic fort area was established on the left hand side of the Bay in 1782. Later this military establishment was transformed into a fully fledged Fortress and its construction concluded in 1787.

In 1796 the Fortress was attacked by French pirates who although unsuccessful in holding on to it due to illness from Malaria and other diseases severely damaged its infrastructure. 

The Fortress was rebuilt by Tenant Luis José and inaugurated on the 25th August 1799.

The impressive tree that stands just in front of the Fortress has a dark past because of its use by the Vátua warriors who hanged the captured prison governor in 1883. 

The building as it stands now was built in 1940 currently used as the Museum of Military history.

The construction design (a squared plan built of red blocks) is typical of this many other Portuguese Forts spread around the East African Coast. Inside there is a distinctive painting of Ngungunhane whom was one of the main leaders in the colonial resistance war. The Fort also houses his coffin, which was laid to rest here after having been deported and executed in Portugal. Additionally there are statues of Mouzinho de Albuquerque and António Enes whom were icons of the colonial presence in Mozambique. In acknowledgement of its architectural and historic importance the Fortress was classified as a Mozambican Cultural Heritage Monument in 2002; as such it is protected by the Law of Protection of Cultural Heritage 

                          Dru mesmerized by a big gun!!!!!               Ngungunhane's coffin