As a foreigner living in Maputo, Mozambique, I have observed how Mozambique glorifies the heroes of its past, as do most countries around the world. Valorizing heroes of the past is important for national heritage, but not at the expense of overlooking the heroes of the present. The heroes of today’s Mozambique are many, but more often than not they are common folk toiling in every field of work to make a difference in the lives of the people, and to make the country a better place.
As he prepares for what we hope will only be a temporary departure from his motherland, it is appropriate that we recognize one such hero in our midst – Luis Sala. Popularly known as “Lulu,” Luis Sala is a soloist with the National Company of Song and Dance, a choreographer, and a teacher of dance.
Abroad, Lulu has shared Mozambique’s rich culture with audiences from around the world on the many tours he has made with the National Company. At home, he has delighted heads of state and foreign officials on countless occasions with the contagious energy and skill he brings to traditional dance. He has sought out collaborations with artists from other countries, and has pioneered his own contemporary works in an environment where financial support for the Arts decreases more each day and access to the avante-guard is limited at best.
I have had the privilege of getting to know Lulu both professionally and personally during the past two years I have spent in Maputo. I have come to recognize him as a hero not only because of the talent he exhibits on stage and in the rehearsal studio, but also because of his sincere desire to make a difference in the lives of the vulnerable and orphaned children of Mozambique.
Over the past several years, Lulu has taught dance classes for orphans and vulnerable youth at Matola Children’s Center and for Mar Azul, a Capoeira group that works with street kids. In 2005, he mounted a piece with children from Rainbow Ministry entitled “Flowers that Never Wilt,” with support from UNICEF and the National Company. The piece explores how today’s youth cope with growing up in the midst of their country’s full-blown AIDS epidemic. This piece premiered at Cinema Africa on December 1, 2005 for Worlds AIDS Day, and was subsequently performed at schools throughout Maputo. The Rainbow students who participated in this project became a family of sorts, with Lulu presiding at the head as their esteemed leader and role model.
On the heels of the “Window of Hope” project with UNICEF, Lulu began working for “Dance for Life,” a project I developed to bring a curriculum that combines HIV/AIDS education and dance to three Maputo-area orphanages. While observing him teaching in the “Dance for Life” project, I came to appreciate the e
ssence of Lulu’s heroism. He demanded 110% from young people who typically suffer from low self-esteem and don’t expect much from themselves. He inspired them not only with his physical gifts in dance but with words that made them believe in themselves, and believe that they could reach the goals Lulu set for them. He educated them about HIV/AIDS, how to prevent transmission, and why it’s important to support people living with this unfair illness. He educated them not just as dancers, but as human beings. The results on performance day spoke for themselves. If one were to count the orphans and vulnerable children Lulu has reached, the number would easily reach into the hundreds. To know Lulu is to marvel at how he manages to juggle so many different things, most of which require intense physical energy, day in and day out. While driving between orphanages, talking into a cell phone balanced on his shoulder, and shifting gears, I once asked him how he coped with such a demanding schedule. He responded that he had no choice if he wants to survive and make a living (which would be next to impossible if he were to depend only on the small salary he earns as a “cultural ambassador” and soloist regarded by most as the National Company’s best dancer).
Lulu has now set his sights on Canada where he will study dance, perform with various companies, and continue teaching. To stay in Mozambique would be to stagnate as he has already reached the ceiling i
n terms of what the country has to offer in opportunities in dance. Mozambique can only hope that one day he will return to his homeland to use the skills he gains abroad to help develop the Mozambican dance scene which is in desperate need of facilities, choreographers, and teachers. Perhaps one might argue that the Arts are a luxury in a country trying to put an end to absolute poverty, but those seeking creative solutions for Mozambique will find promising answers in people like Lulu and in the Arts. Please join me in wishing Lulu a safe journey and a speedy return, and in honoring him for his achievements as one of Mozambique’s young heroes.
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