Mapiko has been declared on the list of intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding, according to a statement that MZNews has seen.

"The indication was made this Tuesday, December 5, at the 18th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, an event taking place from December 4 to 9 in Kasane, Republic of Botswana," the statement reads.

Mozambique submitted the Mapiko application to UNESCO in March 2022, a dance originally called IN'NGOMA YA MAPIKO, with the aim of urgently mitigating the risk of extinction, due to terrorist attacks affecting the practicing districts, and the environmental risk, with the incidence of cyclones.

Another intention, says the document from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, is to make young people aware of the importance of the Makonde identity in respect for human beings.

The guiding principle behind this candidacy is authenticity, inclusiveness and a particular historical, aesthetic and artistic relevance to humanity.

A delegation led by the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Eldevina Materula, is in Botswana to take part in the 18th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

In her speech after Mapiko's inscription, Eldevina Materula said that Mozambique submitted the candidacy because it believes that the memory of the people is embodied in cultural heritage. By protecting dance, the historical, cultural and artistic legacy of the ancestors is guaranteed, but also the advances, achievements and contemporary values will endure and will be passed on to future generations.

"We hope that this recognition will strengthen social and territorial cohesion between the different peoples that make up the ethnic mosaic of Cabo Delgado, if not of Mozambique and the world," said the minister.

The Mapiko originally occurs on the Makonde plateau, comprising the districts of Mueda, Nangade and Muidumbe, in Cabo Delgado Province, in northern Mozambique.

The Mapiko dance is part of a cycle of events associated with the Makonde - Likumbi initiation rites.

It's an apotheosis where dancers, musicians, instrumentalists and the audience come together to celebrate initiation rites, the funeral (of a member of the group) or entertainment.