Being a Musician in Socialist Mozambique: From Invisibility to Unfeasibility (1974–1994)

This article analyzes the musician’s social status in Mozambique during the so-called socialist period (1974–1994), focusing on música ligeira (popular music) artists and groups. Using “ethnography of the past” and “subject-centered ethnography” as primary methodological strategies, this article explores relevant topics such as the relationship between musicians and entrepreneurs, the creation of the musician’s union, the consequences of the lack of copyright laws, and the effect of the civil war on musical activity. It also details the experience of three musicians—António Marcos, Mingas, and José Mucavele—who, in turn, represent three different solutions regarding musicians’ adaptation to the social and political changes that characterized the first years after Mozambique’s independence.