Amazing what a piece of cloth can do.

I never knew what an important mark capolanas are in the Mozambican cultural. A capolana is a cotton cloth about 2 meters by 1 meter, and is as common as salt in every Mozambican household today.

Capolanas have been in Mozambique since the establishment of the Arab/Indian trade routes in the 19^th century. It was received from Indian traders as a means of trade for other goods. The cloth replaced the traditionally-used animal skins, common early designs included suns, leopards, lions, and other geometric designs. Today these designs include large printed motifs and bright bold colors, and I have seen many with the face of Mozambique’s President Nyusi.

The brightly colored modern capolanas strike every corner of my villa. They are used in a variety of ways - they represent kinship, social class, and even a gift to name a few I have learned so far.

As a garment for woman the wardrobe from everyday casual-wear for shopping, to household cleaning wraps, or even careful tailored for special events. Many women wrap the matching fabric into a beautiful tunic on her head to complete the outfit. Men and children are also seen wearing the fabrics as shirts or dresses. They are also tailored for groups representing themselves as a unit; examples are church choirs, or families at a wedding party.

Preparing to come here I was under the impression that these sarongs were just used for clothing, arriving here I have learned differently.

It is not just clothing here, it is a practical tool used in a variety of ways with cultural tradition. Capolana are often offered as gifts to women, it’s the design that expresses the gratitude from the giver. It has a practical function as well, old capolanas are used carrying heavy loads, or wrapping collected sticks together. They are used in initiation rituals, to carry babies; to cover the deceased, to decorate the house, and in a past generation in the North, it was used by women depending how it was laid out on the bed, as a non-verbal consult between married couples to have intercourse.

I never knew a simple rectangular piece of fabric could be so integrally worn into a cultural for over two centuries until I came to Mozambique.

The capolana is also used in different countries; Kenya, West Africa, Congo and Senegal, as well as Brazil.