Mia Couto defends colonisation museum designed by Portuguese and Africans

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Mia Couto defends colonisation museum designed by Portuguese and Africans

3:19 CAT | 10 Oct 2022

Photo: Lusa

Writer Mia Couto said in Óbidos this Saturday that he thought building a museum of colonisation jointly designed by Portuguese and Africans would not open wounds from the past, and would even prove more therapeutic than apologies.

“I think it would be good for Portugal to build a museum of slavery and colonization here, which, contrary to popular belief, would not reopen wounds from the past. On the contrary, it would be more therapeutic than apologies,” the Mozambican writer told Lusa at the Folio International Literary Festival of Óbidos. “Provided it is thought through by Portuguese and Africans together, and that it is a museum to build common memories,” he added.

In Óbidos, where he presided over the delivery of the Fernando Leite Couto Literary Prize, Mia Couto said that Portugal should have a structured approach for Portuguese and Mozambicans to “revisit their common history”, encouraging young Mozambicans to go to this country “to make friends and experience culture together”.

The writer pointed out that this cultural sharing “is not achieved with conferences and seminars, which last two or three days, with nothing then remaining,” suggesting that Portugal should host young Mozambican writers for longer stays.

Mia Couto was speaking to Lusa at the end of the Fernando Leite Couto Literary Prize which, in its third edition, awarded two writers in the same year for the first time.

Maya ngela Macuacua won with her novel “Black Diamonds In The Middle Of Crystals”, and Jeremias José Mendoso with the collection of short stories “When The Owls Call”.

The prize award ceremony was, for the second consecutive year, held at the Folio International Literary Festival of Óbidos, at a roundtable of authors in which the two young writers participated.

Filipe Daniel, mayor of Óbidos, announced at the session his intention to “reopen an old library” in northern Mozambique, where Geremias José Mendoso developed his taste for literature.

“Óbidos has a lot of books. Some titles are even duplicated, and we’re going to move forward with partnerships to send collections to Mozambique and reactivate the library. This could be important for many young people, helping foster their taste for literature,” he said.

The Folio Festival will take place until the 16th of this month in 24 spaces in the town of Óbidos, where, over 11 days, around 300 authors from ten countries will gather for a program that includes 16 exhibitions, 36 concerts, 14 author panels, 62 presentations and book launches, 16 workshops, plus other gatherings, workshops and masterclasses and film sessions.

Source: Lusa