A dhow typical of the Indian Ocean once again linked the island of Mozambique to the coastal fishing village of Cabaceira Pequena, built using traditional techniques as part of the "Sea Sound" heritage preservation project, funded by the United States.

The dhow is a typical sailboat from the Indian Ocean, of various sizes and characterized by having at least one mast with Latin sails, used for centuries in the region for transport and fishing.

According to a source from the US Embassy in Mozambique, the Sea Sound project involved six young community leaders and 10 trainees who were trained in oral heritage research and recording, filming and editing techniques on that historic northern island, "affected by climate change and under threat of losing its unique history due to the spread of violent extremism".

"An 8.5-meter dhow was built, using the community's ancestral traditions, which now serves to transport residents between Ilha de Moçambique and Cabaceira Pequena. The process of building the boat is part of more than 80 pieces of content about maritime cultural heritage and 120 songs by women and men of the sea, recorded in audio and video, which will soon be available on a digital platform and on community radio stations," explained the source, quoted by Lusa.

The US government said it had made 161,280 dollars available for the "Sea Sound" project, arguing that it could "be used as a tool for community tourism and local resilience to climate change". This funding was secured through the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation, which is once again supporting the defense of local cultural heritage on Mozambique Island, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1991.

The three main components of the "Sea Sound" project under implementation include the identification and documentation of traditional songs, sea chants, myths, tales, oral accounts of slavery, ancient boat-making and navigation techniques through in-depth individual interviews and sociological and anthropological analysis.

It also plans to present this content in audio and visual podcasts "in a creative way to raise awareness of maritime heritage, use it to create a sustainable UNESCO tourism program and preserve this heritage for future generations around the world".

It will also include the development of a digital maritime cultural heritage platform "where you can listen to and watch the eight-episode podcast about Mozambique Island's maritime heritage and links to the African diaspora".

The content collected in this project has already given rise to "Nakhodha and the Mermaid", a 33-minute immersive mixed-media experience, which includes additional funding from the Sound Connects Fund, an initiative of the Music In Africa Foundation (MIAF) and the Goethe-Institut, financed by the European Union with the support of the Organization of ACP States (Africa, Caribbean and Pacific).

The exhibition takes the visitor on a sensory and experiential journey, through a combination of spatial audio podcast, 360° video mapping images and virtual reality. The exhibition is available on Mozambique Island for tourists and residents of all ages.