Published Story
Crafting a Turtle-made bracelet
"What are you doing right now?" Zé Luís: Now, I’m doing a turtle bracelet. Besides turtles, I also craft on ivory, pau-preto (Blackwood)… I work with a lot of materials. (...) I’m a sculptor, a turner, a carpenter. Yo...
A concentrated Zé Luís caught my attention. A repetitive scrapping with determination and diving the piece on the water, intrigued me tremendously. What was he crafting? As I approched him, Zé, which is short for José, soon told me about all of his talents.
José (Zé) Luís
Craftsman, 43 years old
Excerpted · August 2017
Interviewer: What are you doing right now? [Displaying on the photo above]
Zé Luís: Now, I’m doing a turtle bracelet. Besides turtles, I also craft on ivory, pau-preto (Blackwood)… I work with a lot of materials.
What is your connection with the Island of Mozambique?
Z. L.: It is a historical Island. A place of history.
But for you, personally.
Z. L.: Well, if I think about my handicraft job…Some days there are meetings amongst craftsmen. They never invite me! And I don’t know why. They know me, even in the House of Culture, they know that I’m almost one of the first artists in this Island. The first artists. But they don’t recognize me. I’m a sculptor, a turner, a carpenter. You are seeing it right? I’m all this things they call art. I just don’t paint. But in sculpture I do everything. For example, with wood I can do jewellery, bracelets. If you want to see my art I can show you.
You know what is UNESCO and its role regarding the Island of Mozambique? The WHS classification…?
Z. L.: No, I don’t.
Do you think the Island of Mozambique has changed over time? Especially after 1991?
Z. L.: No. The Island haven’t changed at all. Everything is still the same. Just some buildings are different now. In that aspect, it has changed a bit, yes.
Overall, do people care about the conservation of the Island as an historical place?
Z. L.: That I don’t know. Some people do, some people don’t.
What do you consider to be your own personal heritage?
Z. L.: A part of the Island that I can say, that it is continuing there for another while, it is the fortress. It is from a craftsman. In those times, the arts almost started in the Island of Mozambique. So I think is best for the Island to continuing to have craftsmen.
Is there any story or anything else you would like to share?
Z. L.: No.
Did you visit any museums of the Island? If so, what is your opinion about them?
Z. L.: Yes, I did. It tells a good history. Some things are not represented there because some people took things from there. I think it has a good representation of our history.