Marrabenta Festival is a music and culture festival, that has been taking place in Maputo every year since 2008. The festival is known for promoting Mozambican music and culture. This year the festival will also feature other artists from around the world to join and share their music. Our MCA students and teachers in Mozambique are excited for this years’ edition.
The Marrabenta Festival will be taking place as from the 2nd February to the 3rd of February. This year, South African Arstist Jimmy Dludlu, will be the headliner and will dedicate his performance to the guitarist and songwriter Nanando. Other headliners include Stewart Sukuma, Alberto Mucheca, Gabriel Chiau, Xidiminguana, Dilon Djindji, Djambo Orchestra, the Galetons, Banda Nkuvu, Mozpipa, Team Sabawana, Republic of Pandza, among others.
The festival will be showcased in four locations around Maputo city and province: Centro Cultural Franco-Moçambicano and Estação Central dos Caminhos de Ferro of Mozambique, on the 2nd of February, and Centro Cultural of Matalane and Distrital village of Marracuene, on the 3rd.
Paul Sithoe, representing the company responsible for the event Laboratório de Ideias, says that the festival is important as it helps preserve this traditional musical style and culture originating from Mozambique.
“It is important to support our musicians, not only when it comes to events of this kind, but also individually. They are the real makers of our culture”.
The phone operator, Mcel-Mozambique, is the main sponsor of this event. The Head of Events, Promotions and Sponsorships of Mcel, Jonas Alberto, praised the Marrabenta Festival for being one of the few events that can bring together artists of different generations, thereby contributing to the preservation of Marrabenta music and the exchange of experiences between musicians. “We congratulate Laboratório de Ideias for daring to promote these regular monumental events since 2008. Mcel is honored to be part of it. The Mozambican culture and Marrabenta, both need this kind of initiatives”, said Jonas Alberto.
Musician Jimmy Dludlu, has promised to give the public a good show and to take this opportunity to pay tribute to Nanando, guitarist and composer who died in 2010. Jimmy Dludlu made this request to the organization when he was invited to join this year’s Marrabenta Festival, which also includes the sponsorship of several institutions, among them Caminhos de Ferro de Moçambique, Centro Cultural Franco-Moçambicano and Agência Suíça para a Cooperação e Desenvolvimento.
We look forward to seeing you there, to promote Mozambican culture and Marrabenta!
