“The fire of Samba, the excitement of Bolero, the sophistication of Cha Cha Cha” in Lourenço Marques: the legitimation of empire through the connections between music, phonographic editions and tourism

Abstract

This article presents an analysis of the relationship between music and tourism in Lourenço Marques during the late colonial period, demonstrating that music was crucial in the quest to legitimize the Portuguese empire in Africa during a time marked by strong external and internal pressures for the end of colonialism, and by the growth of emancipatory trends in the continent. The first part of the text describes how musical performances were integrated into the activities of venues frequented by tourists, highlighting the ways in which the inequalities and contradictions of the colonial system were reflected there-in. The second part examines examples of phonographic editions as means of promoting Lourenço Marques as a tourist destination and of idealizing its everyday life.