Mozambican Capulanas: Tracing histories and memories

The capulana identifies Mozambican women in various ways. It is a piece of colorfully printed cotton material, usually 1,7 m by 1 m; it is wide enough to cover a woman comfortably. The brightly coloured cloth brings colour to the countryside's monotonous landscapes as well as to the streets of the towns. Capulanas often feature a strong central design or theme; others ude them as a skirt/a wrapper, or sometimes as a shawl, or as a veil over heads and shoulders (in muslim areas of northern Mozambique); some use them as a sling for carrying babies, or to wrap and carry their belongings. This versatility and usefulness explain the popularity of capulanas throughout the country.