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The Wiriyamu Massacre of 1972: Its Context, Genesis, and Revelation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 June 2013

Mustafah Dhada
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Abstract

This text on the Wiriyamu massacre of 1972 in Mozambique uses fieldwork and archival materials to address its historical context, the methods used to collect data for the narrative, the trajectory that the narrative took to reach the pages of The Times of London, the contest that ensued over its veracity, and its eventual acceptance as true by all parties concerned. The text concludes that both the context as well as the construction of the massacre narrative was much more complex and nuanced than the extant literature suggests. Its revelation too was governed by a series of factors, some directly related to the story and the timing of its arrival in London, and others entirely disconnected from the text of the massacre as received by The Times of London. The text discusses in the end how both the preponderance of evidence and a change in regime in Portugal among other factors delivered the narrative safely for all to agree on its veracity as a common text.

Resumé

Cet article sur le massacre des Wiriyamu en 1972 au Mozambique utilise les études d’archives et de terrain pour évaluer son contexte historique, les méthodes de collection des données utilisées pour créer le récit de cet évènement, sa trajectoire vers les pages du journal The Times of London, les protestations qui suivirent concernant la véracité de ce récit, et finalement son acceptation par tous les partis concernés. Cet article conclut que le contexte aussi bien que la construction du récit du massacre, étaient bien plus complexes et nuancés que la littérature qui en subsiste veut bien le suggérer. Sa révélation fut également le résultat d’une série de facteurs, certains étant reliés à l’histoire et au timing de son arrivée à Londres, et d’autres complètement disconnectés du récit du massacre tel que The Times of London l’a reçu. Enfin, cet article démontre qu’à la fois la prépondérance de preuves, et un changement de régime au Portugal furent parmi les autres facteurs qui rendirent le récit du massacre une version de la vérité acceptable pour tous.

Type
Critical Historiography
Information
History in Africa , Volume 40 , Issue 1 , October 2013 , pp. 45 - 75
Copyright
Copyright © African Studies Association 2013 

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