Telling Europe to Africans and Africa to Europeans in a new narrative language, creating a story between two worlds that, for different reasons, are going through a period of great change. And it is precisely change that is at the heart of MUDAR, a project created with the aim of promoting integrated urban development to improve the living conditions of the population of Beira.
Over the last few months, the team of oSuonoMio, a company pioneer in Italy in the production of sounds and podcasts, has been engaged in two separate trips to Mozambique with the aim of producing an original narrative podcast in three languages, Italian, English and Portuguese.
A story that will give you the opportunity to immerse yourself in the vitality of a young country, where everything seems to be on the verge of change: a reality characterized by great socio-economic tensions, with enormous natural wealth and rampant structural poverty.
From the historical neighbourhood of Mafalala in the capital Maputo to the Maquinino market in Beira to the northern provinces: the sound portrait is that of a surprising, fascinating place, where people, however, seem to live in different timelines depending on their economic power.
The mission of oSuonoMio is to tell this moment with new eyes, far from Western paternalism, using the tools of narration, immersive storytelling and musical language.
The story moves on three different narrative levels, starting with a love story between two young people from different continents and forced to deal with distances and obstacles. The second level is that of mystery, a story full of unexpected events, enigmas, adventure and suspense. Finally, the most important level: that of the living and pulsating reality, of cultural and social comparison. In recent years the country had to deal with various crises more and more frequently, each of which has brought with it the seeds of a relaunch, of a structural rebirth.
From the threat of climate change, with the devastating fury of cyclones Idai and Kenneth of 2019 and other recent cyclones, to the gas crisis in the Northern province of Cabo Delgado. From the death of the rapper Azagaia last March, to the political tensions that erupted following the results of the latest municipal elections last October.
By following the episodes of the podcast, with its original story, you will have the opportunity to explore in depth the differences between Europe and Mozambique: learning about history and customs, from art to cuisine, from traditions to perspectives on life in a journey that offers an in-depth look at the richness and diversity of both continents.
“Mudar Podcast” led oSuonoMio on a hunt for stories, voices, sounds and nuances, to discover a country rich in beauty, music, relationships and contradictions.
In a first mission Emanuele Lapiana, who deals with the coordination, artistic direction and the entire sound landscape of the project, traveled around the country collecting audio material, interviews but also establishing partnerships with the main local stakeholders (radio networks, speakers, actors and Portuguese voice actors).
In a second mission in November Gianluca Taraborelli, responsible for editorial coordination, focused on the narrative setting, on specific historical, cultural and social aspects. He went in depth in search of historical roots and local traditions, but above all trying to capture the complexity and extreme dynamism of this important period of change.
Sounds and stories have been with us since the times when humans lived in caves or constantly moved from place to place. Stories, especially those that concern relationships, have no geographical affiliation. They are common to every culture.
Narratives not only pass down customs and traditions but are ultimately the most precious tool for understanding where we are going, how we are changing.
This is why MUDAR chose a narrative podcast to tell about Mozambique and Europe, as well as the context in which the project takes place. The podca