Mozambique: Blessing ceremony for Topuito MozParks in Larde – Photos

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Mozambique: Blessing ceremony for Topuito MozParks in Larde – Photos

12:47 CAT | 06 Apr 2022

The chiefs of the villages near Nathaca took part in the Maqueia ceremony. [Photo: Diana Carvalho/MozParks]

Traditional African beliefs are deeply spiritual and touch every aspect of human existence. It is a way of life that affects society, culture and environment and is widely practised in modern Mozambique.

The Makhuwa people, an ethnic group that populates Northern Mozambique, believe in the importance of maintaining balance between the spiritual world and the world of living. Asking ancestors and nature spirits for protection and guidance is an essential part at the start of any venture. A traditional blessing ceremony like Maqueia, that involves certain rituals such as offerings and prayers, is supposed to ensure the spiritual approval.

The construction of Topuito, a huge Industrial and Agro-Processing Park, that MozParks is about to start in Larde, Nampula Province, is an event of great significance for the district authorities and local communities. It certainly requires a Maqueia ritual with inviting leaders of the local communities to take a part in the ceremony.

Last week, at the future construction site near Nathaca, sixteen chiefs of the nearby villages led by Regulo, the chiefs’ leader joined the Mozparks team and the representatives of the Larde administration at the Maqueia ritual for the Topuito Industrial Park.

Topuito will be contributing a lot to the sustainable development of the district. Creating jobs, providing work training, protecting the environment and influencing the economic growth of the province will support the expansion of the local communities and improve their wellbeing. MozParks hopes, that in effect, this will ensure a balanced and mutually beneficial relationship between the new enterprise, local authorities and communities.