Snippets

Mozambique is a quirky place, full of odd habits and seeming contradictions. Most of the time it doesn't make a lot of sense. One the one hand, it is a country barreling into the 21st century with one of the fastest growing economies in the world - on the other, it seems steeped in superstition and fear of change.
In a conversation with my empregada about why people on the street are unhappy with aspects of the current government, she said that the closing down of informal street-front shops is a real issue, even though people are offered stalls at formal markets. People are apparantly suspicious of formal markets, because neighbouring sellers might curse your stall, stealing all the business for themselves. Hmmm. Bet Woolworths (the UK one) didn't think of that!
When one of a neighbour's two maids was fired, my empregada explained that the first maid held magic in her mouth and had spoken badly of the second maid. Apparantly, her version of a silver tongue means that the senhora listens only to her.
And there is a bombed out house on the way to Matola which, and I quote verbatim, `a white man bought to restore, but can't, because it is haunted by a witch'.  This was the tale told me by a child, shortly followed up by adult elaboration that it is the house of the witches, where a coven still meets. Apparantly, if you get close enough, you can see the words `house of witches' spray painted onto the walls in Portuguese.

Maputo also has its own take on weddings. Although I'm sure that some church wedding do happen, modern Mozambique is traditionally Marxist, so most people wed at the Magistrates - seemingly on a Saturday. Despite the non-religiousness of the affair, everyone is bedecked in bridal attire with lots of bridesmaids in shiny dresses and lots of men sweltering in dark suits. It seems traditional that they all go down to beach (often loaded into the back of trucks) where the bridal party troop all the way down the decaying pier to get their pictures taken. It is ever so slightly bizarre to watch sometimes three or four separate wedding parties traipsing down the pier, photographer in tow, the bride in her big bright white shiny dress, the shiny bright bridesmaids watching from the road side. I can only conclude that the Maputo wedding album must be a standardised affair, with the pier photo somewhere in pride of place.
Other than these observations (and a surreal encounter with a bridal party shopping in Game, bride and groom in their full attire), I really don't know that much about Maputo nuptials. But DB has been invited to a wedding in a few weeks - so insider knowledge to follow shortly!