Our Identity

1. The concept of identity

In psychology, identity is the qualities, beliefs, personality, looks and/or expressions that make a
person (self-identity) or group (particular social category or social group). The process of identity
can be creative or destructive. The concept of identity is complex and different meanings are
evident in different disciplines. By presenting peoples identities as bunches of permanent and
continuous categories, people can be identified, but does this mean that we capture their unique
identity? Though it seems evident that the idem type permits a useful conceptualisation in domains
as law, marketing etc, from a multidisciplinary point of view this understanding of identity seems
to be too narrow. The identity of a person cannot be captured in typologies of roles or in lists of
fixed (group) characteristics used to describe the idem identity of individuals. In doing this, we
would act as if the ipse identity is equivalent with idem identification. This is not the case, because
the idem identity takes a more objective, or third person perspective.

2. Cultural identity

Mozambique is divided along both ethnic and linguistic lines. Mozambicans often identify
primarily with a tribe and/or linguistic group. However, the independence movement that began
in the 1960s was a unifying force, causing these disparate elements to join together in resisting the
Portuguese. Ironically, some of the main unifying factors in the country have been remnants of the
colonial system, including the Portuguese language and the Roman Catholic religion. This is most
evident in the central Zambezi Valley, where Portuguese influence was strongest.

This includes a shared sense of companionship, beliefs, interests and basic principles of living.
When a person identifies with their culture, they often embrace traditions that have been passed
down through the years. The cultural identity links a person to their heritage can help them to
identify with others who have the same traditions and basic belief systems. Some people claim that
a persons cultural identity is the foundation or groundwork on which every other aspect of their
being is built. It is the cornerstone of what makes them who they are. Embracing ones culture
often means practicing a specific religion, wearing a certain type of clothing or something else that
represents their culture. It creates an outward, visible means of identifying that person as part of a
particular culture or nationality.

2.1.Cultural Identity Examples

Belief structure or religion While the white people who live in Australia are commonly more
Christian, the aborigines of the area practicing their own religion.

Dress Every culture has a particular style of dress. For example, some prefer headdresses, while
others choose to wear nothing over their head.

Hair How a person wears their hair can also be an indicator of their cultural identity.

Type of foods eaten Tribes that are gatherers mainly look for natural food sources. Hunters
bring meat to the table. Ethnic groups that live along the coast may gain the majority of their
nutrients from seafood or shellfish.

Examples of cultural identity can include anything that offers testament or validation that a person
is associated with a particular group, religion or race. Many times, the ways a person dresses and
behaves in public are distinct examples of cultural identity and belief patterns.

3. Globalization and National symbols

3.1.Globalization

Globalization is a process of interaction and integration among people, companies and

governments of different nations. It is a process conducted by international trade and investment
and aided by information technology. This process has effects on the environment, culture,
political systems, economic development and prosperity on human physical well being in societies
around the world.

When we say globalization is a process of interaction and integration, how is this process
experienced in Mozambique? Is globalization teaching Mozambicans to increase the value of what
we produce? If we analyze carefully the impact of globalization in Mozambique we can conclude
that have not changed the way we produce goods and services. Instead, we just receive new and
different goods from other countries. Mozambicans today ignore our own culture, our roots and
traditions. We dress in foreign clothes but can you find people outside of Africa who dress in our
capulanas? Globalization is an exchange but we don't exchange. We just receive. Today girls say
that they don't know how to speak changana, ronga, chopi, ajeua, or other maternal languages
because they dont need to. They just need the English, French and Portuguese that colonizing
countries left for us. We cant blame foreign countries. We are the ones to blame because we live
in the European fashion and we forget that we are Africans and we have our own unique culture
and fashion. Now is the time to produce what is ours and make use of it. It is valuable to exchange
experiences but if we want to do that, we must increase the value we place on all our local goods,
ways, and traditions. If we fail to value our African ways others wont value it either.

3.2.National symbols

The Mozambican national symbols are:

The flag;
Emblem; and,
The national anthem.

3.2.1. The flag

The flag of Mozambique was adopted on May 1, 1983. It includes the image of an AK-47 with a
bayonet attached to the barrel, and is one of only two national flags of UN member states to feature
a firearm. Green stands for the riches of the land, the white fimbriations signify peace, black
represents the African continent, yellow symbolizes the country's minerals, and red represents the
struggle for independence. The rifle stands for defense and vigilance, the open book symbolizes
the importance of education, the hoe represents the country's agriculture, and the star symbolizes
Marxism and internationalism.

3.2.2. Emblem

The national emblem of Mozambique was adopted in 1990 in the Constitution of Mozambique, It
shows a gear wheel, bordered by corn stalks and sugarcane. In the middle there is a red sun over a
map of Mozambique in green, and blue waves, an AK-47 crossed with a hoe, and a book. The As
described in the Mozambican constitution the various parts of the emblem have a special
symbolism, as described below:
 the corn stalk and the sugar cane represent agricultural wealth
the cog wheel represents labor and industry
the book represents education
the hoe for "peasantry and agriculture production"
the AK-47 for "defense and vigilance"
the red star represents socialism, but is quoted in the Mozambican constitution to
"symbolize the spirit of international solidarity of the Mozambican people".
the red sun symbolizes the building of a new life wreath is tied with a ribbon bearing the
name of the country.

3.2.3. The National anthem

A national anthem is generally a patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the
history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as
the official national song, or by convention through use by the people. In Mozambique "Ptria
Amada" is the national anthem of Mozambique, it replaced Viva, Viva a FRELIMO in 2002.

4. National languages

Mozambique is a multilingual country. A number of Bantu languages are indigenous to

Mozambique. Portuguese, inherited from the colonial period, is the official language, and
Mozambique is a full member of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries. Ethnologue
lists 43 languages spoken in the country. The widely spoken languages include Swahili, Makhuwa,
Sena, Ndau, and Shangaana. Other indigenous languages of Mozambique include Lomwe,
Makonde, Chopi, Chuwabu, Ronga, Kimwani, Zulu, and Tswa.

Most Mozambicans speak more than one language. Use of the Portuguese language remains
strongly concentrated to the urban population of Mozambique along the coast.

These languages are very important because they show how our country is rich in cultural diversity.

5. National heritage and dances

Many customs in Mozambique are rooted in the culture of local groups, passed down by the
generations. Lets have a look as some of these interesting traditions and customs which make
Mozambique so unique.

5.1.The Language

The official language spoken in Mozambique is Portuguese, but there are over 40 different
languages and dialects that originate from the Bantu family.

5.2.Dress

Western clothes have overtaken the traditional dress of the Mozambicans, however, the Capulana
which is a thick cloth with colorful art printed on it is still worn by some women on top of what
they are wearing and is wrapped from the waist downwards.

Scarves are wrapped around their hair, or on top of their heads, sometimes used as a pillow when
carrying and transporting goods.

5.3.Cuisine

The culture of Mozambique is also featured through its cuisine which combines African, European,
Indian, Malayan and even Chinese food. The seafood is fresh and many rich spices are used to add
flavour to stews. Staple foods include rice and cornmeal dough. Mozambique has a lovely variety
of fruit, such as oranges, grapefruits, bananas, papayas, avocados and coconuts.

5.4.Music and Dancing

Many religious or traditional events include music and dance; like most African countries, it is
how they express themselves. There are various styles of dance and a variation of instruments and
rhythms are incorporated. Traditional musical instruments are handmade from wood, fruits and
animal skin, such as the lupembe, the marimba and the timbila.

5.5.Dancing ceremonies

Local dance ceremonies in Mozambique include the hunting dance of the Chopi, where the dancers
dress in lion skins, the hopping dance of the Makua men who move around on tall stilts and the
Tofu dance of Mozambique Island and the northern coast. In Tete, a common dance is Nyanga,
where the dancer sings and plays the Panpipes (also called the Nyanga). Another dance of the
region is the Nyau Gule Wamkulu Dance.

5.6.Music

Music is very important to the Niassa people who live in the sparsely populated North-Western
region. They use wind instruments, made from dry and hollowed calabashes, which produce a
similar sound to a trumpet. Musicians in a band play instruments of different sizes.

5.7.Cultural differences between groups

When it comes to cultural differences, there is one main distinction between groups. In southern
Mozambique, groups such as the Thonga are patrilineal, where families trace their descent through
the male line.

But in northern areas of the country, many groups are matrilineal. This means males trace their
ancestry back through their mother. In these groups, it is common for husbands to live near their
wifes family.

6. Theft

This is one of the majour problems in Mozambique as many citizens are not employed, so the
engage themselves in doing this negative activity. As the authorities are also not well trained, this
factor makes easier to the thieves to steal. Other factor is corruption among the authorities that
tend to set free the thieves to the community again and again. The issue of corruption created a
rage in the society, encouraging them to judge the thieves with their own methods once they are
caught in action, and the torture is extreme and in many of the cases lead to death.