Valdemiro “Miro” de Sousa told Lusa that the recognition as the country's intangible cultural heritage, announced last Saturday by the Government, will also contribute to the objective of elevating Kizomba to the status of world heritage site at UNESCO.
The head of this association that aims to promote, disseminate and defend the identity of this musical genre originating in the country stated that, for Angolans, in addition to being a manifestation of music and dance, Kizomba also represents “a feeling” that “exploded in the world” and has been adopted as an artistic expression in several countries “which have also made it their own”.
“For our part, we must recognize this receptivity, but also prepare our country to receive those who enjoy this practice of dance and music. We have to prepare the best conditions to receive tourists who come to Angola because it is here that they feel the true meaning of dancing Kizomba”, he highlighted.
Miro de Sousa also highlighted the character of universality, with Kizomba standing out in other places such as Cape Verde, the West Indies or Portugal, which are also “part of this heritage”.
Portugal was, in fact, “a gateway for Kizomba to the world”, considered the event promoter, adding that Italy, France, the Netherlands, Luxembourg or even Macau are also dancing Kizomba.
“The marriage between Portugal and Angola has been going on for 500 years, it was almost inevitable that the taste for Kizomba had taken hold”, he highlighted, alluding to the presence of the Angolan community and the “very strong” ties, including family ones, between the two countries.
Miro de Sousa stated the importance of all agents and event promoters linked to Kizomba being “aligned with the same purpose”, overcoming “some fragmentation”, in order to also boost tourism.
“Angola, if it wants to claim this trophy, really needs to make interlocutors, internally, discuss the various dimensions of this cultural practice and embrace the universe that has come to really like Kizomba (…) it is a collective effort that we must do,” he declared.
Cultural tourism is beginning to be sought after in Angola and must be “enhanced to the maximum to extract the dividends that tourism brings to the economy”, highlighted the same official, adding that sectors such as hotels, crafts, gastronomy and transport.
“Angola is not just oil or diamonds, but it also has a very strong cultural potential”, he reinforced, admitting that Kizomba can do for Angola what Samba did for Brazil.
The Original Kizomba Association will promote, at the end of May, a festival associated with an international conference on Kizomba that aims to be a space for critical reflection on the cultural practices associated with Kizomba, whether in music or dance.
Regarding Kizomba, Miro de Sousa said that it is an occasion for conviviality and expression of joy for the Angolan soul: “It is our way of being”, he summarized, remembering the etymology of the word that means “party” in Kimbundu, one of the national languages .
The Government declared Kizomba and Tchianda, genres of Angolan music and dance, as the country's cultural and intangible heritage in the field of social practices, rituals and festive acts.
The executive decrees, signed by the Minister of Culture, Filipe Zau, were published on Saturday in the Diário da República.
