Mapiko also known as Mapiko-a-Iikuti or Mahoka, is a dance practice with a drum called likuti, which originated from Makonde région.
In shimakonde, mahoka means deceased. It is said that mahoka is the mapiko of the elders, or the power of the elders because it is associated with the ancestors, the elders. The mahoka dance was associated with ancestors who appeared as semi-living beings, like "termites", and was steeped in secrecy and magic.
Specifically, mapiko is defined as a series of acts, each accompanied by symbols reserved for boys and girls and instructed, maintained, and directed by adults already initiated into the practice. It celebrates the passage of teens from puberty to adulthood as well as social integration. In addition to its religious character, the ceremonial has a link to the customs of the ancestors, involving good and evil spirits. As a priority for safeguarding, Mapiko was included in the governance program by government resolution 15/2020 of 14 April. Having created an investigation committee, the Council approved resolution 34/2016 of 12 December, relating to cultural and creative industries policy and strategy. This resolution provides funding for research and events in Mapiko such as a festival called Wimbe Festival is held annually in partnership between the government and private individuals and organizations. The Mozambican public television network regularly airs a program known as Danças e Instrumentals Tradicionais de Moçambique, in which history, ethnography, and performance are discussed. In addition, to protect the authors of works, the government passed the copyright law. Dance training focusing on Mapiko is developed by cultural associations in Cabo-Delgado.
Although the constraints are known from the very beginning, they pertain to the ecological order, specifically the effort to maintain biodiversity. They also promote livestock to ensure an abundance of raw materials for dancers' clothing. The Escola Nacional de Dança has received recognition from the Ministry of Science and Technology for its dance program. Consequently, the Instituto Superior de Arte e Cultura in Maputo created a higher dance course. Using the results of a study recently conducted by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (2021), it has been suggested that mapiko topics should be included within the school curriculum for local history and that ways to safeguard dance should be adopted, as well as ways to manufacture dance instruments. However, international recognition is crucial to better articulate cultural activity with forms of economic incarnation and ensure increased public accessibility.