Exploring Angola: Holidays And Cultural Traditions

Angola has 12 public holidays, which can be increased by bridge holidays if they fall on a Tuesday or Thursday. The country's most important holiday is perhaps the Angola Carnival, one of its most colourful and widely celebrated festivals. Other public holidays include New Year's Day, Liberation Day, International Women's Day, National Heroes Day, All Souls' Day, and Independence Day. During public holidays, most businesses are closed, and employees enjoy paid leave.

Carnival

Angola Carnival Day, also known as Victory Carnival, is one of the most anticipated events in the country, attracting thousands of tourists and spectators, including the President and his cabinet members. It is a three-day celebration that usually takes place a few days before Ash Wednesday, with the biggest day being Tuesday, when the grand parade occurs.

The carnival has its roots in Carnival Tuesday, also known as Shrove Tuesday or Fat Tuesday, which is observed in several countries, including Portugal, Brazil, and Angola. It is a moveable event, typically occurring on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, and is an official public holiday. The word 'Carnival' is derived from the late Latin expression 'carne levare', which means 'remove meat', referring to the practice of abstaining from meat during the Lent fast.

The Angolan Carnival has a long history, dating back to its time as a Portuguese colony. It has always been highly politically influenced, with early 20th-century carnival groups incorporating symbols of colonial power that were mocked. Due to its political nature, the carnival was banned for several decades in the middle of the 20th century. It returned in the 1970s as the Victory Carnival, commemorating the withdrawal of the South African army from Angola in 1976. Until the 1990s, the parades primarily focused on nationalist symbols.

Today, the carnival is a vibrant and colourful celebration, incorporating art, music, dance, and parades. Participants wear glamorous and flamboyant costumes, often incorporating the national colours of Angola: black, red, and yellow. The groups are led by a carnival king or queen, followed by musicians playing traditional instruments and dancers. The parade also includes a nurse, dressed in white, symbolising purity. The carnival is a proud showcase of Angolan culture, and its preparations are taken very seriously, beginning almost immediately after the previous year's carnival.

Religious holidays

Angola has a number of religious holidays, with the most important perhaps being the Angola Carnival. This festival is one of the most colourful and widely celebrated in the country, with shows, performances, parades, and dances. It begins on the last Thursday of the Lenten season and continues until the day before Ash Wednesday.

Another important religious holiday in Angola is Good Friday, which commemorates the passion and death of Jesus and is celebrated by Christians around the world. It falls on a Friday in March or April, before Easter Sunday, which is also a public holiday in Angola.

All Souls' Day is another religious holiday in Angola, observed by Christians across the country. It is a day of praying for the dead and is celebrated every November 2nd, where people visit their departed loved ones.

The Luanda Island Feast is a cultural and religious celebration held annually on the second Friday of November. The festival honours Kianda, the deity of the waters and protector of fishermen in Angolan spirituality.

In addition to these holidays, Angola also observes International Women's Day on March 8th and National Heroes Day on September 17th, which commemorates the birthday of Agostinho Neto, the first president and a national hero. Religious devotions are also popular in Angola, with the pilgrimage to Muxima village in late August or early September being the most well-attended event, attracting thousands of locals and foreigners.

National holidays

Angola has 12 public holidays, which can be increased by bridge holidays if the holiday falls on a Tuesday or Thursday. The country's national holidays include religious and secular celebrations.

New Year's Day

The first day of the year in the Gregorian calendar is celebrated worldwide on the 1st of January.

Martyrs of the Colonial Repression Day

This holiday takes place on the 4th of January and commemorates those who died fighting against colonial oppression.

Start of Liberation War

This holiday, also known as the Day of the Beginning of the National Liberation Armed Struggle, is celebrated on the 4th of February. It marks the beginning of the Angolan War of Independence in 1961.

International Women's Day

Celebrated on the 8th of March, International Women's Day celebrates women's rights and is an important public holiday in Angola.

Good Friday

Good Friday commemorates the passion and death of Jesus and is observed by Christians around the world. In Angola, it falls on the 29th of March in 2024.

Easter Monday

The day after Easter Sunday, also known as Resurrection Sunday, is a public holiday in Angola.

Peace and Reconciliation Day

Also called Peace Day, this holiday is celebrated every 4th of April to mark the end of the Angolan Civil War.

Labour Day

Labour Day, also known as International Labour Day, is celebrated on the 1st of May across the world in recognition of the International Labour Movement.

Africa Day

This holiday is celebrated on the 25th of May to honour the founding of the Organisation of African Unity, now known as the African Union.

International Children's Day

The 1st of June is dedicated to children and their well-being in Angola.

National Heroes Day

Also known as Nation's Founder and National Heroes Day, this holiday is celebrated on the 17th of September in remembrance of Agostinho Neto, the first president and national hero of Angola.

All Souls' Day

Observed on the 2nd of November, All Souls' Day is a Christian holiday where people pray for the dead and visit their departed loved ones.

Independence Day

After gaining independence from the Portugal regime, Angola celebrates its freedom on the 11th of November.

Christmas and Family Day

Christmas is a public holiday in Angola, commemorating the birth of Jesus and promoting family time. It falls on the 25th of December, followed by Boxing Day on the 26th.

Liberation Day

The Angolan War of Independence was fought between the Angolan nationalist forces of the MPLA, UNITA, and FNLA, and Portugal. It began as an uprising by Angolans against the Portuguese imposition of forced cultivation of cotton as a commodity crop. As resistance spread, multiple factions developed, struggling for control of Portugal's overseas province of Angola. There were three nationalist movements and a separatist movement. The war ended in 1974 when a peaceful coup in Lisbon overthrew Portugal's Estado Novo dictatorship, and the new regime granted independence to its African colonies.

The conflict is often viewed as a branch of the wider Portuguese Colonial War, which included the independence wars of Guinea-Bissau and Mozambique. The Angolans waged a guerrilla war, to which the Portuguese army responded with a counter-insurgency campaign against armed groups, mostly dispersed across sparsely populated areas of the Angolan countryside. Many atrocities were committed by all forces involved.

The People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) played a significant role in the war. It was founded in 1956 through the merger of two nationalist organisations and was centred in the country's capital, Luanda. From 1962 onwards, it was led by Agostinho Neto, who became Angola's first president. The MPLA fought against the Portuguese Army, cooperating with but also sometimes conflicting with the FNLA and UNITA. In November 1975, the MPLA declared the People's Republic of Angola, which was not recognised by all governments. Supported by Cuba and the Soviet Union, the MPLA continued to fight for control of the country, ultimately gaining the upper hand.

International Women's Day

Angola has 12 public holidays, which can be increased by bridge holidays if they fall on a Tuesday or Thursday. International Women's Day is one of these public holidays and is observed on the 8th of March. This is a day off for the general population, and schools and most businesses are closed.

To mark International Women's Day, organisations may host events or discussions to promote gender equality. For example, Bureau Veritas organised a special meeting to discuss women in the workplace and gender equality. Flashcards with statements such as "An equal world is an enabled world" and "The rise of women is not about the fall of men" were used to facilitate the conversation. These discussions highlighted the need for advocacy, inclusive mindsets, and tangible actions to achieve gender parity.

While there have been some improvements in women's representation in decision-making committees, inequality persists in Angola and across Africa. African women continue to face challenges such as poverty, sexual crimes, and a lack of educational and work opportunities in male-dominated societies. International Women's Day serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for gender equality and the need for concrete actions to address these issues.

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