A Fortaleza de Maputo como espaço de memória da resistência anticolonial: disputas narrativas e desafios na salvaguarda do patrimônio histórico (1975 até a actualidade)

Abstract

This work analyzes the Fortress of Our Lady of the Conception of Maputo as a historical cultural heritage and space of memory, with a particular focus on its re-signification as a place of memory of anti-colonial resistance. Historically associated with the exercise of power and Portuguese colonial domination, the Fortress is today one of the most emblematic monuments of the city of Maputo, assuming a central role in debates about heritage, memory and national identity in the post-independence context.

The study has the specific objectives of analyzing the historical context of the Fortress of Maputo, examining the monument as a space of memory of anti-colonial resistance, evaluating the state of conservation and management of the heritage, and understanding the perceptions of visitors about the historical narratives presented. It starts from the understanding that cultural heritage is not just a set of material goods, but a symbolic field where memories are selected, interpreted and socially disputed (Arantes, 2006).

Methodologically, the research adopts a qualitative approach, using bibliographic analysis, direct observation of the heritage space, and interviews with visitors to Fortaleza, conducted in August 2025. The analysis shows that, despite the efforts at musealization in the post-independence period, a predominance of colonial narratives persists in the historical exhibition of the monument, limiting the appreciation of the memory of Mozambican anti-colonial resistance.

The visitors' perceptions reveal the existence of a critical reading of the monument, marked by the demand for more inclusive narratives, capable of integrating symbols, protagonists, and historical experiences associated with resistance to colonialism, a fundamental process in the construction of national memory (Barreto, 2011).

It is concluded that the Maputo Fortress should be understood as a space of memory in permanent dispute, whose potential as historical cultural heritage depends on the critical review of museological narratives and the incorporation of multiple voices in the construction of Mozambican history and identity. (TRADUÇÃO NOSSA)