Exploring The Rich Cultural Traditions Of Angola

Angola's traditions are heavily influenced by its history of Portuguese colonial rule and its indigenous Bantu culture. The country's culture is also shaped by its diverse ethnic communities, each with their own customs, traditions, and native languages.

The Ovimbundu, the largest ethnic group, live predominantly in the central highlands. Other major ethnic groups include the Mbundu, who cluster around Luanda province, and the Bakongo, who live in the northwest provinces.

The impact of years of civil war has also left Angolans cautious, but hospitable and sociable. The country's tumultuous past has inextricably influenced the customs and way of life of its people.

Language

Angola's official language is Portuguese, a legacy of its colonial past. However, the country is home to a diverse range of ethnic communities and tribes, each with their own native languages or dialects. While Portuguese is the official language, for many Angolans, it is a second or even third language.

Portuguese in Angola

Portuguese is the dominant language in Angola, with almost 80% of the population speaking it as a primary or secondary language. The variant of Portuguese spoken in Angola is known as Angolan Portuguese, which is phonetically similar to the Mozambican variant. The use of Portuguese in Angola stems from the country's history as a Portuguese colony. During the mid-twentieth century, Portuguese was quickly adopted by Angolans as a lingua franca among the various ethnic groups. After the Angolan Civil War, many people moved to the cities, where they learned Portuguese, and when they returned to the countryside, more people were speaking Portuguese as a first language.

Native Languages

There are over 100 distinct ethnic groups and languages/dialects in Angola. The three dominant ethnic groups and their languages are:

• Ovimbundu, who speak Umbundu
• Mbundu (also called Ambundu), who speak Kimbundu
• Bakongo, who speak Kikongo

Other native languages spoken in Angola include Chokwe, Kwanyama (Oxiwambo), Bangala ('Mbangala'), Fiote, Herero ('Helelo'), Ngangela, Ngoya, Nyaneka, Songo, and Mbunda. All native languages of Angola are considered national languages.

Bilingualism

Many Angolans are bilingual, speaking Portuguese and one or several African languages, mostly from the Bantu language family.

Portuguese is the mother tongue of 39% of the population, and about 71% of the population speaks Portuguese at home. In urban areas, this number rises to 85%, while in rural areas, 49% of the population speaks Portuguese at home. Younger urban generations are increasingly moving towards the dominant or exclusive use of Portuguese in their daily lives.

The foreign languages most taught at school in Angola are English and French, and the government has planned to make English a compulsory subject in the future.

Religion

Angola is a secular state and its constitution guarantees freedom of religion. The country has a rich religious history, with many different belief systems coexisting.

Christianity

Christianity is the predominant religion in Angola, with Catholicism being its largest denomination. The country has a long history of Catholicism, dating back to the 15th century when a Christian church was established in the Kongo region. The Portuguese colonisation of Angola for over 500 years also played a significant role in spreading Catholicism. The religion is practised by 41% of the population, according to the 2014 national census.

Protestantism

Protestantism is also a significant denomination in Angola, with 38% of the population identifying as Protestant. The Protestant churches have a long history in the country, with some of the important Protestant missions arriving in the late 19th century. The Protestant missionaries played an important role in the communities, acting as teachers, healers, and counsellors.

Indigenous Religious Systems

There are as many indigenous religious systems in Angola as there are ethnic groups. These belief systems typically involve the worship of ancestral and nature spirits. The belief in spirits is associated with a worldview that leaves no room for the accidental, with all events, favourable or adverse, attributed to a causal agent.

Other Religious Groups

Islam is a minority religion in Angola, with 80,000-90,000 adherents, mainly migrants from West Africa and families of Lebanese origin. The Baháʼí Faith, Judaism, and Hinduism are also practised by some members of the Angolan population.

Social customs

Angola's social customs are heavily influenced by its tumultuous past, including years of civil war and Portuguese colonial rule. While Angolans identify with their country, they also strongly identify with their ancestral tribes, with over 100 distinct ethnic groups in Angola, each with its own language and customs. The largest ethnic group is the Ovimbundu, followed by the Ambundu (or Mbundu) and the Bakongo.

The impact of civil war has left Angolans cautious, but also easy-going, hospitable, and very sociable. Hierarchy is important in Angolan culture, and titles and surnames are used as a sign of respect. Greetings are also important, and it is customary to shake hands with each guest individually and to greet elders first. Greetings are not rushed, and it is expected that you will inquire about the other person and their family. Direct eye contact is avoided, especially when women are speaking to men, although this is changing among younger Angolans.

Gesticulating is common in Angola, and conversations can become animated, with hand and head gestures used to convey both positive and negative emotions. Angolans feel a strong desire to please others, so they may tell you what they think you want to hear. Getting a definitive answer can be difficult, especially if the response would be negative.

Angolans are comfortable with closeness and have no issues with personal space. They are also very hospitable and enjoy entertaining in their homes. Food is usually served communally, and the eldest person present serves themselves first. If invited to eat at an Angolan household, it is customary to dress formally, as you would for a business meeting, as a sign of respect.

Food customs

Angola's food customs have been heavily influenced by its history of Portuguese colonial rule, which ended as recently as 1975. As a result, Angolan cuisine combines indigenous African ingredients and cooking techniques with Portuguese influences and ingredients brought over from other Portuguese colonies, such as Brazil.

Staple ingredients in Angolan cuisine include beans, rice, pork, chicken, various sauces, and vegetables such as tomatoes and onions. Spices such as garlic are also frequently used. Funge, a type of porridge or mash made from cassava, is a staple dish, often eaten with fish, pork, chicken, or beans. Funge is also sometimes made with cornflour and is then more similar to polenta. It is described as bland but filling and is often eaten with sauces and juices or with gindungo, a spicy condiment.

Another popular dish is muamba de galinha, which is chicken with palm paste, okra, garlic, and palm oil hash or red palm oil sauce, often served with rice and funge. It is frequently referred to as the country's national dish and is considered to be high in antioxidants that help prevent heart disease and control cholesterol.

Other popular dishes include calulu, a dish made with dried fish, vegetables, red palm oil, and spices, often served with rice, funge, palm oil beans, and farofa; mufete, grilled fish served with plantain, sweet potato, cassava, and gari; and moamba de ginguba, a variant of muamba de galinha that uses peanut sauce instead of palm paste.

In terms of drinks, various homemade spirits are made in Angola, including capatica, made from bananas, and cazi or caxipembe, made from potato and cassava skin. Popular non-alcoholic drinks include Kissangua, a traditional drink made from cornflour, and soft drinks such as Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Mirinda, Sprite, and Fanta. Mongozo, a traditional homemade beer made from palm nuts, is also popular and is now commercially produced for export.

Gender roles

Angola has a long history of Portuguese influence, which has impacted the country's gender roles and traditions. While the country gained independence from Portugal in 1975, the Portuguese presence in Angola dates back to the 16th century, and the Portuguese language and Roman Catholicism remain prevalent in Angolan culture.

Women's Roles and Rights

In traditional Angolan society, women play a vital role in farming and food trading, while men are typically herders and wage labourers. However, the country's civil war, which lasted from 1961 to 2002, disrupted traditional gender roles. During the war, women took on new responsibilities, such as clearing land for agriculture, while men collected and sold firewood. As a result of the conflict, many households are now headed by women, and polygamy has become less common. Despite these changes, women still face challenges in Angolan society. The literacy rate for women is significantly lower than that of men, and few women hold top positions in politics, economics, or the military. Additionally, women are often paid less than men for the same work and are at a higher risk of being victims of landmines, with 80% of landmine victims being women and children.

Angola has committed to empowering women and promoting gender equality. The country has adopted policies to support gender issues, advance women's rights, and address violence against women. These policies aim to increase women's representation in decision-making spheres, promote equal access to social rights, and eliminate gender disparities in education. As of February 2021, 29.6% of seats in parliament were held by women, and civil society organisations are working to address gender inequality and promote women's economic empowerment.

Men's Roles

Men in Angola have traditionally been responsible for herding and wage labour. However, due to the civil war, many men were involved in fighting, resulting in a high number of male deaths. This has led to a growing number of female-headed households. In urban areas, men are predominantly employed in the transport and building sectors, while in rural areas, they may be involved in subsistence farming or selling firewood.

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