Becoming a Tailor

Tucked in Litine neighourhood, in the Macuti part of the Island, is Ibrahim's tailor shop. Bright and vivid fabrics contrasted with the dark walls. There were sewing threads and garments everywhere we looked. Some were from clients, waiting for a fix repair, others were old materials, soon to be recycled. Ibrahim was sewing next to two of his workers, using manual sewing machines, with a treadle. Adults and children, waited patiently by the door.

Ibrahim Mamade

Tailor, 64 years old
Excerpted · August 2017

Note: This conversation was translated from from Macua, the local dialect, to Portuguese, by Hafiz Jamu.

Interviewer: What is your connection with the Island of Mozambique?
Ibrahim Mamade: The Island of Mozambique has a great meaning for him, but especially the profession he has. It is hard to get the tools necessary to do this work. Even the lines used to soak, or the needles…are hard to get. In a negative way, there are not great living conditions here but he have nowhere to go. We can’t steal.

Do you think the Island of Mozambique has changed over time?
I. M.: After the independence things were ok, because they were materials that was left from the colonial time but now the Island is declining.

What do you think about the coming of foreigners to the Island? The UNESCO World Heritage Site classification helped boost tourism or the coming of foreign investigators and investors..?
I. M.: He personally doesn’t see many foreigners but when he was informed that the things would now be good he believed it and thought that it would be beneficial but in reality he isn’t feeling anything changing.

Overall, do people care about the conservation of the Island as an historical place?
I. M.: He feels that yes. But they don’t see nothing changing. The reality is that everyone would like to see the Island renovated, good looking and nice but it is not happening. What he is hearing from people is that another elections are going to take place and other people will be in charge to improve the Island of Mozambique’s quality of living and will be again a good place to live. Nothing happens. People go there and vote but nothing changes. And another year, again voting and still nothing. The Island still has things to improve. We are waiting and our day of death will arrived and things still weren’t done

Is there any story or anything you would like to share?
I. M.: He told how they got this machines. He was an apprentice from 1966 and a tailor since 1970. He went to learn the job with a master. The financial system, back then, they used to pay in advance the machines and then there was a system of tax collection, a very simple one. But very strict. Not like today. Today some random person appears and they go to the market according to the economic activities that are taking place. There is a difficulty to work because there are no materials to work with. No needle, fabric, pieces for the machines, it is very hard. This machines were bought by 2250 escudos [former Portuguese currency] and then he was taught the art of soaking with the master. Right now he is teaching some students also. He is the master now. Everything on the Island is like this. A person learns with the master.