Um olhar antropológico sobre os homens de pumbo em Inhassunge - Moçambique

Abstract

This dissertation aims to understand, based upon a situated perspective, the meaning and importance of Pumbo, as well as how it operates in social relations in the province of Zambézia, in the district of Inhassunge, Mozambique. The ethnographic research has revealed the Pumbo, in the autochthonous-traditional context, as a vehicle of power, respect and hierarchy for the men who possess it. Indeed, possessing the Pumbo not only differentiates men's bodies but also marked a collective belonging, reinforcing the strength and presence of the ancestors in Inhassunge. At the same time, this research seeks to broaden the study of gender relations by studying the discourses of men and women of different generations about Pumbo. In the narratives constructed by the communities, several types of Pumbo are identified, each with its own specific function related to labor practices, success in fishing or hunting, as well as to victory in football games; in short, Pumbo operates as a symbolic reference. The community considers it as a practice transmitted across generationa by the ancestors, a practice that has to be maintained as a form of respect, being a vehicle of connection with ancestry. However, in some circumstances, the men who have it are victimised/accused of being witches by the other men and, in turn, the former say it is envy because of the success they have achieved. Keywords: Pumbo, Ancestry, Gender Mozambique