Dércio Muha Gomate is a composer, aural collector, storyteller and National Geographic Explorer from Maputo, Mozambique, whose work moves between nature, memory and imagination. His National Geographic Society-funded project in Gorongosa National Park invites listeners into the park’s shifting soundscape, where water orchestrates the music of life and each season writes a different composition. Through attentive listening and immersive field recording, he creates sonic journeys that draw listeners closer to the natural world and spark a renewed sense of curiosity and connection. Gomate’s artistic voice is also shaped by the mbira, an ancestral instrument carrying memories, stories and quiet universes in its resonance. Its presence can be felt in the sensitivity and intention behind his work across music, mapping and multimedia storytelling. His compositions have been featured internationally, including his contribution to “Nkashi: Race for the Okavango,” winner of Best Original Music Score at the 2023 Jackson Wild Film Festival. Through his artistry, Gomate invites audiences to listen differently, entering sound as a space of discovery, reflection and the unseen forces that shape our world.

Photo by Dilayla Romeo