'I am not a child of myself': The public murals of Malangatana Valente Ngwenya.

The article focuses on the public murals of Malangatana Valente Ngwenya (1936–2011), a Mozambican artist whose work reflects his complex identity as both an individual creator and a participant in Mozambique's post-independence cultural and political landscape. Through close analysis of four key murals—The People's Struggle in the Context of Nature (1975–82), the Zimpeto Mural (1990), Mother Africa (1987), and Requiem for Samora Machel (1988)—the article highlights Malangatana's ability to maintain artistic autonomy while engaging with themes of revolution, tradition, war, and peace. His murals served as accessible, socially rooted media that challenged dominant narratives imposed by colonial and FRELIMO state discourses, and they drew inspiration from Mexican muralists known as los tres grandes. Despite his significant contributions, Malangatana's murals remain underrecognized globally, and the article underscores the urgent need for their conservation and preservation.