Description
The Capulana in Grief or Magic:- A window at the burial ceremony of her husband wears a capulana to cover her head and face, to “hide her tears”. There are even capulanas with white and black patterns to worn as a sign of mourning. But according to painter Malangatana Valente, Who tlaked to us about capulanas in Southern Mozambique, when the woman in the family are getting ready for a funeral ceremony of loved one they buy new capulanas and all dress alike. There is a special capulana , a specific one, that only witch doctors or fortune tellers wear. An ordinary person would not dare wear them, because it would be regarded as a lack of respect, an thinkable behaviour. The Capulana of magic rites has only three colours – white, red and black – it is traditional pattern.
In fact, without detracting from the grace style with which the ladies from southern Mozambique know how to fasten the capulana to waist, you really need to go north, to Nampula, Naacala, Peba or IIha de Mozambique, to see the art and imagination of dress, based on the capulana.
Culturally, giving the gift of capulana, is one of the greatest honours that one individual can behold onto another. If you ever receive a capu-lana as a gift, cherish it. The individual that gave it to you probably took their time in choosing a print or quality that you would be proud to wear or use. Families with a daughter gather trucks and trunks of capulana from relatives and friends over her lifetime, so that when she marries, she can carry with her their experiences, history, and stories.
