Maputo , Mozambique ( CNN ) They say no one can resist its chicuembo , an invocation to the ancestral spirits . It will get you off your seat . It will get you dancing . The magic happens when you listen to Marrabenta , Mozambique 's distinctive national music , an energetic mix of local dance rhythms and folk music from Portugal . The word itself is derived from the Portuguese verb rebentar , meaning `` to break '' . Some say this refers to the instruments used to play the music , originally tin-can guitars and wooden boxes with strings . Due to the flimsy nature of their improvised construction , they were particularly prone to breaking . Others suggest it describes the dancing style : sprightly , bouncy , best approached with a `` dance until you break '' attitude . But according to Dilon Djindji , an 85-year-old Marrabenta legend whose career can be traced back to 1938 , it was his very showmanship that spawned the term : his intensity on stage was such that it could break the emotional barrier with the audience . Whatever the truth , Marrabenta has a meaning in Mozambique that goes well beyond words . Mozambique was a Portuguese colony until 1975 , when it gained its independence after a decade-long war . During the colonial period , the regime extended its influence to the arts and culture , demanding that only Portuguese music be played and danced to . Music therefore became a means of self-expression and conservation of cultural identity for many Mozambicans . Marrabenta was born in the late 1930s , and on top of classic themes like love and everyday life , it also offered social criticism and commentary to major events . The lyrics are often in Portuguese , still the official language of Mozambique , but also in local languages such as Shangaan and Ronga . Its musical pattern merges European influences and local styles , from Mozambique as well as neighboring countries . The originators of Marrabenta were ordinary Mozambican men and women , who played guitar and sang at gatherings . But what really defines the genre is not the rhythm , the guitar , or the language : `` What defines Marrabenta is the dance , '' says Dilon Djindji , `` The dance has its own steps . It has its own style . There is also a specific way to play the music . The singing must match the dance and the melody . That is what shows you it 's Marrabenta . '' Marrabenta 's undisputed superstar of this generation is Neyma , `` the Beyonce of Mozambique '' . At the Mozambican Music Awards in 2013 she won several awards including Best Artist and Album of the Year , confirming that the genre has n't lost its luster . `` I have also performed other styles besides Marrabenta , but Marrabenta is where I find myself . Because I 'm African , because I 'm Mozambican , '' says Neyma . `` And I 've realized that other artists have n't explored this music genre much . It used to be seen as though it belonged to older generations . As a style , it was made by older artists . So I want to break with that . '' Marrabenta is well known beyond Mozambique 's borders , but for some artists there 's still more to be done before it can gain international stature . `` We do n't want our music to reach Mozambique only , '' says Wazimbo , one of Marrabenta 's most influential artists . `` We want our music to be known in all corners of the world . But we have n't reached that goal yet , because we do n't have a recording industry . `` We are fighting to make it known , to publicize it . But we realize we also need to establish an industry , we need good promoters , people to take our music to where we want it to go . '' Marrabenta might represent the tradition of Mozambican music , but it 's also strongly influencing its future . A new style , popular with the youngest generations , is a mix of Marrabenta and Ragga . One if its up-and-coming stars is a man who goes by many names : Mr Cizer Boss , Mr Guiriga , Owner of `` Bazucas '' , `` Essa dama uma goia '' , and `` Martelo 4Pause . '' He defines Pandza as `` a fusion between Marrabenta , some hip- hop , and some rhythms from our neighbor South Africa ... some national and international dances . We create a pleasant fusion , the Pandza style that is ours . Just ours . '' Pandza has more groove , it 's more aggressive , and it 's richer in scope , incorporating additional instruments on top of Marrabenta 's guitars and drums . It is just a decade old , but it 's gathering followers rapidly . And yet , this does n't mean that Marrabenta will soon be a thing of the past . It 's all still there . Deeply etched into the groove . Watch : Mozambique 's elusive coffee plant . More : In Mozambique , art from weapons and rubble .
Marrabenta is the distinctive national music of Mozambique . Originally played with tin-can guitars at gatherings , it combines Portuguese folk with Mozambican dance rhythms . Neyma , one of the genre 's most popular artists , had the best selling album of the year in Mozambique in 2013 . A derivative genre called Pandza is also gaining popularity among the country 's youth .