The day the Minister of Culture went to visit the King of Marrabenta

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The day the Minister of Culture went to visit the King of Marrabenta

7:49 CAT | 03 Mar 2021

All photos: Ministério da Cultura e Turismo

At 93 years of age, Dillon Djinjir’s main goal is to record a new solo album, bringing together at least 30 unpublished songs.

The “King of Marrabenta” live in Vila de Marracuene, about 30km from the city of Maputo. His house is on the side of the road, and not infrequently visited by onlookers and personalities who recognise Dilon Djindji’s longevity as an artist as something authentic and worthy of respect.

On February 19, one of the people who went to the composer and singer’s home was the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Eldevina Materula, herself a musician.

On the sidelines of this reception, an exclusive for this newspaper, the “king” confessed that, at the age of 93, he continues to compose and sing. Easily. About five minutes and… bam! Out comes a song!

So he strongly desires to record about 30 unpublished songs, kept back due to lack of funding. As long as there is health, Dilon Djindji wants to continue composing and recording music as a way of promoting his own Marracuene district and the whole country.

“We have to sing to make people’s hearts happy. When that happens, even our ancestors rest in peace,” he says.

In fact, Dilon Djindji, at the moment, has two projects. In addition to recording the unpublished songs, he hopes to press 200 copies of his “O Rei da Marrabenta” record to give to doctors and health personnel in recognition of their commitment to citizens at this difficult time. “Doctors help us a lot, and people are being cured in hospitals,” he explains.

Regarding Eldevina Materula’s visit, the “king” said that it is always special when he was visited by a Mozambican leader. Such a gesture, he added, makes him feel valued. However, he did not fail to voice regret at failing to receive an old-age pension, which greatly complicates the unavoidable task of putting bread on the table, especially in times where there is no possibility of him – or anyone else, for that matter – performing in front of a live audience.

Born in Marracuene, on August 14, 1927, Dilon Djindji expressed an interest in music from an early age. At the age of 12 he built his own guitar, and three years started playing at private parties and weddings in the popular “dzukuta” and “magic” styles.

Admirers of the musician and the marrabenta to this day love his vast repertoire of songs such as “Maria Teresa”, “Angelina”, “Achiltanwana”, “Maria Rosa ”,“ Hilwe-WaSanti” and the beautiful “Juro, palavra de honra, sinceramente, vou morrer assim” [“I swear, on my word of honour, sincerely, I will die like this”] a song through which he expresses the difficulties in living in Mozambique.

His career has seen him perform in South Africa, Portugal, England, Norway, Germany and the United Arab Emirates. A pillar of strength is his wife of 60 years, Alice Macanana, with whom he has had eight children.

Dilon Djindji was happy with the minister’s visit and said he felt valued by it, thanking her for the support made available on the occasion, a Ministry of Culture press release reads.

Accompanying the minister, Marracuene administrator Shafee Sidat said that there are several projects in the works designed to enhance and develop culture and tourism in the district.

For now, there is a plan to transform the living room of Dilon Djindji’s house into a gallery housing the musician’s entire estate, an initiative praised by the minister.

Sitting in the backyard with Djindji and his wife, who warmly welcomed the minister, the conversation was long, filled with laughter and stories about the long journey of the Mozambican music baobab and the striking episodes his memory holds.

These conversations are a way for Eldevina Materula to feel close to the artists, having reaffirmed that “the purpose is to honour the work of the makers of the arts and culture and, above all, to seek inspiration for identifying the right measures for the preservation of the arts and the valuing of its creators”.