Abstract
Mozambique’s coastline is one of the longest in Africa. For historians, the most obvious examples of the connections linking Mozambique to the Indian Ocean are the export of gold, ivory and slaves, and the import of Indian textiles. Without minimizing the importance of these linkages, this article draws attention to several other elements that have contributed and continue to play a role in the relationship between Mozambique and the Indian Ocean. The article explores the maritime culture of the inhabitants of coastal Mozambique, including contemporary efforts to protect the environment and develop the fishing industry, also highlighting more mundane aspects of trade between Mozambique and its trading partners across the Mozambique Channel. Finally, we discuss the human connections that were enmeshed in all of these economic networks.
Keywords
Fishing; Indian Ocean trade and traders; Mozambique; maritime culture; slave trade