Flag Independence without Flags? Mozambican Decolonization on the Periphery of the New Nation

Abstract This article examines the history of Mozambican decolonization on the periphery of the new nation, in the province of Niassa. The article offers new insights into our understanding of Mozambique’s decolonization process “on the ground,” complicating Frelimo’s still dominant liberation narrative. As a central argument, the article challenges the romantic idea of the pioneering role of Niassa’s so-called “liberated zones” in Mozambique’s nation building process. It shows that it was not local (wartime) practices that informed national plans, but rather national directives that were imposed on local experiences. Drawing mainly on sources from the Arquivo Permanente do Gabinete do Governador in Lichinga, the article also hopes to highlight the potential of post-colonial archives in Africa, which continue to be neglected.