Mozambique is named after an Arab trader, Mussan Bin Bique, who settled on an island north of the modern country. Photo Credit: TravelWeekly.com
Mozambique, one of southern Africa‘s glorious tourist secrets, is a country with an intriguing history of how it was formed through colonization and to be called what it is now.
For one thing, the name “Mozambique” has been known for more than 1,000 years in the Arab world. This points to the transcontinental prominence ancient Mozambique held from the first millennium in the common era.
The land of the modern country has been populated since at least, the 4th century CE by Bantu-speaking peoples. From the west and north of southern Africa, the earliest immigrants came and settled around the Zambezi River, right down to the coastal areas where by the 5th century CE, they were living an advanced sedentary life.
From the 9th century, trade between the peoples of the east and south African coast and Arabia opened up. Yemeni traders, specifically, became important seafaring visitors to the east coast of Africa around this time.
The trade across the Indian Ocean led to the founding of multiple port towns such as Sofala and Angoche. These autonomous polities, one of which was founded around the 10th century by an Arab Muslim, Mussa al-Bique, on an island that is now part of Mozambique, became essential points for cross-cultural exchanges.
Mussa al-Bique’s eponymously named town was corrupted into Mozambique, perhaps by the Portuguese who arrived in the 15th century. European cartography after that period cemented this name that has now been used for more than 500 years.
Mozambique used to refer to just al-Bique’s island but from the 16th century, the name was in reference to the inland territories that the Portuguese had secured after the port town of Sofala right up to the Zambezi.
By the 19th century, the African peoples of that Portuguese colony had begun to think of themselves as a nation, thus prompting a push towards sovereignty. Mozambique the independent nation in 1975 under the leadership of Samora Machel.
Source:face2faceafrica.com
888366 127367I really treasure your piece of work, Great post. 36822
162119 370966I believe this internet website has got quite fantastic indited written content material articles . 583041
331190 450486never saw a web site like this, relaly impressed. compared to other blogs with this post this was definatly the most effective site. will save. 103674
390318 996688This internet website may possibly be a walk-through its the data you wanted in regards to this and didnt know who must. Glimpse here, and youll absolutely discover it. 69939
436369 603424hi!,I like your writing so significantly! share we keep up a correspondence extra approximately your post on AOL? I require a specialist on this space to solve my problem. Could be that is you! Seeking ahead to peer you. 310253
400851 758797Music started playing anytime I opened this internet website, so annoying! 6245
867146 107850This is truly fascinating, Youre a very skilled blogger. Ive joined your rss feed and appear forward to seeking more of your magnificent post. Also, Ive shared your internet site in my social networks! 642401
791471 737045Fantastic blog, Im going to spend more time reading about this subject 457467
373840 717012love your imagination!!!! great function!! oh yeah.. cool photography too. 598499
237289 616615surely like your internet site but you need to check the spelling on several of your posts. Several of them are rife with spelling issues and I find it quite troublesome to tell the truth nevertheless I will surely come back once again. 293373
147346 25955As I web site possessor I believe the content material matter here is rattling wonderful , appreciate it for your efforts. You need to keep it up forever! Very best of luck. 615145
512095 117764Some genuinely wonderful information , Gladiola I identified this. 799537
531273 362396Wow What excellent info. Thank you for the time you spent on this post. 730109