25th Anniversary of the Mbuzini Tragedy

On June 25^th, 1975, Mozambique became an independent nation with Samora Machel as its first president.  Sadly, on October 19^th, 1986, Samora Machel, along with 34 others, died in a mysterious plane crash over Mbuzini, South Africa, under very questionable circumstances.  Thus, 2011 marks the 25^th anniversary commemorating the tragic events that occurred at Mbuzini.

This Monday, we traveled to Mbuzini, to the site of the plane crash to attend a commemoration ceremony.  We left bright and early at 6:30am crammed into Peace Corps vehicles and drove the 20 minutes or so to the South Africa/Mozambique border.  It seemed all of Namaacha was leaving to go to Mbuzini as well.  Huge charter buses shuttled people down the one way paved road to the border.  Once at the border, we joined the lines of people waiting to cross the double, barbed-wire fences.  Organized chaos, of course. 

As we crossed the double fence, people put red dye on the cuticle of our thumbs, making it look like we were bleeding but serving as our temporary passports for the day and permitting us to return to Mozambique after the ceremony.  We were then funneled between two fences, feeling like we were being herded like cattle.  (Indeed, there were cattle outside the fences and the occasional gigantic cow-pie as we walked along.)  We then descended this steep, rocky hill and approached the amphitheater.

The first thing I thought was how different this would be if we were in the US.  First off, this amphitheater violated every handicapped-accessible requirement, the main entrance requiring one to walk down a steep grassy hill and cross a few boulder-laden paths.  They literally just plopped down an amphitheater at the site of the plane crash.  The amphitheater itself, though, resembled any one might find at an American school, concrete seats overlooking a central stage area.  There was a main stage with a few seats in front of it, then the larger amphitheater sat on the left, and more plastic chairs were placed under a huge tent to the right (where we sat).  They had flat screen televisions throughout so one could better see what was happening on stage/who was talking.  Thousands of people were in attendance (The photos I have of the amphitheater I took when we first got there, but it definitely filled in shortly after). 

Another very un-American thing, the accessibility of the pieces/scraps of plane parts from the plane crash.  No one sat guarding or overlooking the plane remnants, and one was free to climb over them and take photos as they pleased. 

The ceremony itself began informally with a few dance groups and songs.  Then, all of a sudden the sound of a helicopter filled the air and right to our right, the presidents of South Africa and Mozambique landed.  We then sang the national anthem of South Africa and Mozambique (which I also sing every day before class, so I am slowly memorizing the Mozambique national anthem).  Following, the Presidents, families of survivors and other important people laid wreaths on the memorial site and the names of the 35 victims were read.  Next, there were prayers in several religions: Baha’I, Christianity, Hindu, Islam and African Tradition.  Then the Premier of the Province spoke, followed by Machel’s son.  Still, 25 years later, he choked back tears as he spoke about his father.  Then the Presidents of Mozambique and South Africa spoke about Machel, the generosity of each country towards the other and how the tragic event united them in comradery, etc.  (Everything was translated in either Portuguese or English, so it was definitely a long ceremony.)

We ended up leaving early, part way through the Mozambique President’s speech, which was strange to me, but I just do what I am told.  That’s another interesting thing, people kind of just walk around as they please during the whole ceremony, while people are giving their speeches.  Interesting cultural differences.