The trademark folk art form of Santo Damásio in Mozambique is Psikelekedana, a type of softwood carving made from the wood of the cashew nut tree. Dino (Camordino Mustafá Jetha) began to learn to carve at the age of 18 from an elderly neighbor who was a master of the craft. Dino learned to join the figures to a base in order to create scenes of daily life, and customs and traditions such as weddings, and Chiguiana, the after-wedding ceremony for receiving gifts. He received further training from Aid to Artisans and has participated in exhibitions in Maputo as well as participating in the National Fair organized by Centro de Estudos e Desenvolvimento de Artesanato (CEDARTE).

(Notes courtesy of Santa Fe International Folk Art Market).
 

Camordino Mustafa Jethá (Dino Jethá) was born in the neighborhood of São Dâmaso, on the outskirts of Maputo, on November 5, 1977. There he spent his childhood until the insecurity of wartime forced his family to take refuge in the capital. After peace, he returned to Sao Damaso, where he still lives today.

He learned to work with wood with older neighbours at the age of 13. He made pieces he sold to help with household expenses. First, cars and motorbikes, replicating the ones I saw. Then the same motifs enriched with human figures. Finally, new ideas, new themes, responding to requests and suggestions.

If 2003 is an important year in Dino Jethá's career in Mozambique, it is also a milestone internationally. With the support of international organizations and national figures, he participated in the Cultural Industry Exhibition, in the Chamber of Commerce of Washington DC, in the United States of America. The following year, again in Maputo, he presented at the Camões Institute - Portuguese Cultural Center "Christmas in Psikhelekedana", with several creative nativity scenes and a sequence representing "The Birth of the Child Jesus".

Since then, the activity of Dino Jethá has been intense, especially focused on the foreign market that has managed to conquer. Since 2009, he has been a regular guest at the International Folk Art Market, one of the largest exhibitions of handicrafts worldwide, organized annually by the International Folk Art Alliance in the city of Santa Fe, in the United States of America. 

(Above notes courtesy of Club odf Mozambique https://clubofmozambique.com/event/psikhelekedino-art-exhibition-by-mozambican-artist-dino-jetha/).