Ditte Haarløv Johnsen, Maputo Diary, 2000-2009
Mozambique gained its independence in 1975. It was ruled by the socialist Frelimo Party. My parents decidedto relocate to help the government rebuild the country. We arrived in Maputo on the 11 of January 1982. I was five years old.
In 2000, I spent another summer in Maputo. This time I helped out at the photo school and got to use thedarkroom for free. One day walking home from the school I met Ingracia and Antonieta. They stood out fromthe crowd as they strolled down the streets of Maputo, hips swaying. They were openly gay and for Maputo this was truly outrageous.“The Sisters”. I photographed the Sisters and got the feeling of a story that was so much deeper than what a few picturescould convey. That was the beginning of Maputo Diary.
One and a half years later, I returned. I went to look for Ingracia at the apartment where he used to live. His mother had passed away and Ingracias older sister, Carla, had taken over the place. She had kicked out Ingracia who was now living with an auntie. Ingracia showed me the way to Antonietas new place. Antonietta was more tired than when we first met. Tired of walking the street every night.“Save money for what if tomorrow I might be dead?” And he lied a lot. It annoyed me when he also lied to people about me, bragging about the big money I had spent on buying us drinks at an imaginary bar the evening before. I told him off and he said: “Ditte; When I meet a man I tell him my nameis Isabel and that I have two children, Carla and Nito. My whole life is built on lies”.
Ingracia’s brother Zito was in jail. Zito had been using hard drugs for a long time and was now doing time at the “Central Prison”. Marcelo, a Sister, had been accused of stealing a pair of pants off a clothesline and was also at the Central Prison. Ingracia had been inside for a while. He sold his stove back home and used the money to pay an officer to sign his release papers.“He should have played safe”.
Rui rented a room in the outskirts of Maputo. He also belonged to the group of Sisters. As a teenager, Ruiwent to Eastern Germany, where he worked on a power plant and came out as a gay man. When East and WestGermany reunited, all Mozambicans were sent home. Coming back was tough. Jobs were hard to find and Rui moved around a lot. Wherever he moved to he would bring with him his pot of orange flowers. Last time we met he said: ”There are so many feelings in my life. I think a lot about love and the work that I don’t have -and sickness.” And I asked him what he meant by sickness. “You know, any kind of sickness… And I’m afraid because I’m alone…”
Twenty percent of the Mozambican population are HIV positive. Yet it is still a taboo to talk of the disease.Rui passed away in 2004. He was 32 years old
http://www.dihajo.com/content/ABOUT/maputo_diary.pdf
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