Godmothers of War - Mozambique
Amilton Neves | Maputo, Mozambique, Mozambique
Photographer: Amilton Neves
Exhibit Title: Godmothers of War - Mozambique
Location: Maputo, Mozambique, Mozambique
“Godmothers of War” is a project telling the story of the Mozambican women who took part in the National Women’s Movement from 1961-1974. These women were sponsored by the Portuguese government to provide moral support to the soldiers fighting on the frontlines of during the Mozambican War of Independence. Many of these women were rewarded with influential positions in society and the upper classes and some were even given houses by the Portuguese government.
In 1974, when the war of independence ended with a ceasefire agreement between the Mozambican FRELIMO forces and the Portuguese government, the National Women’s Movement officially ended. However, these women were ostracized from society for their role in supporting the colonial forces. The Madrinhas de Guerra project reflects on this very important – but often forgotten – piece of history in Mozambique by visiting the homes of the Madrinhas de Guerra who still live in Maputo today and embody the past of the opulence experienced during the support of the Portuguese government and the subsequent marginalization felt after independence.
Amilton Neves Cuna is a professional photographer based between Maputo, Mozambique and Tampa, FL whose work examines contemporary societal issues using storytelling and documentary techniques. His past and current projects focus on addressing perceptions of individuals who find themselves at the margins of society through narratives of empowerment while preserving often forgotten aspects of our modern history.
Cuna has participated in training courses at the Sooke Photography School in Canada, Nuku Studio in Ghana, as well as the International Urban Photography Summer School at Goldsmith's University of London. He has been prominently featured several times at the Franco Moçambicano Cultural Center in Maputo, Mozambique. His work has been exhibited in Mozambique, Ghana, Portugal, Brazil, Ethiopia and Canada. In addition to pursuing his independent projects, Cuna also works as a freelance documentary photographer throughout Africa.
Amilton Neves Manuel Cuna
contactamilton@gmail.com
www.amiltonnevesphotography.com
Featured Photographer of the Month, Social Documentary Network, January 2018.
Shortlisted, Contemporary African Photography Prize, 2018.
Winner, Palm Springs Photo Festival Portfolio Prize, 2018.
Solo Exhibition, September 2018, Jamestown Cafe, Accra, Ghana
Solo Exhibition, November 2018 - March 2019, Fortaleza Maputo, Mozambique
Make Comment/View Comments
