Also known as Khoi, Khoisan, Juǀʼhoansi, !Kung, Ekoka !Kung, Kamusekele, Sekele, or Mucancala

Population & Ecosystem

3.000 Khoisan from Ekoka clan live in the rocky forested hills of Huila Plateau and around 5.000 ‘swamp’ Khoisan live in the large swampy area of Kwando Kuvango.

Economy & Society

In Khoisan society men and women live together in a non-exploitative manner, displaying a striking degree of equality between the sexes. This band level society used traditional methods of hunting and gathering for subsistence into the 1970s. Today, the great majority of Khoisan people live semi-sedentary lives near the villages of Bantu pastoralists.

Also known as Mutua, Twa, Batwa or Batua

Population & Ecosystem

There are 1.500 Mutua living in the dry river beads and forests around Oncocua town.

Economy & Society

Hunter gatherers and blacksmiths. Mutua are organised in small bands composed of around 20-30 members lead by elderly men and women.

Culture & Religion

Mutua speak Herero language. Mutua have given up part of their traditional cultural identity to imitate the dress and language of the Himba tribe.

Also known as Mucuis, Cwisi

Population & Ecosystem

There are 600 Mucuis living in the dry river beads and rocks between Virei town and Curoca Oasis.

Economy & Society

In the old times (before European colonisation) Cuis people practiced seashorefishing. Today they combine hunting gathering activities with animal husbandry (goats) in Virei region.

Also known as Kwepe, Kwadi, Bakoroka, Cuanhoca, Curoca, Koroka, Makoroko, Mucoroca.

Population & Ecosystem

There are 250 Cuepe living around Curoca desert oasis.

Economy & Society

Cuepe used to be hunters and gatherers living along the Atlantic Coast and the desert rivers. Like the Cuis they were mainly fishermen, on the lower reaches of the Curoca River. With the arrival of European settlers, Cuepe moved to more remote areas inside the desert. Today they combine some symbolic hunting with gathering, subsistence agriculture, and goat rearing.

Economy & Society

Semi-nomadic cattle pastoralists. They often steal cattle from Gambue and Muila neighbouring tribes. Agriculture was introduced in 1990s and is still very rudimentary. Cubal were the last tribe to be submitted by the Portuguese colonial army at it was not until 1939 that the last Cubal leader accepted defeat. To this day they continue to be a proud indomitable tribe.

Family structure and organisation are very specific. The father has the authority and is the head of the family, although the matrilineal descent is considered more important, as they inherit through the mother's family. For example the son of the Soba -chieftain of the village-’s sister is the heir of the Soba. Cubal can only get married with an outsider of the clan, although it cannot be with a member of another tribe like a Himba for example. Marriages of convenience are the rule most of the time. The fiancée is presented to her future husband during the Fico ceremony, when she is fourteen or less. This ceremony consists in a party with the two families during which presents are offered.
The couple has to wait a few more years before consummating the marriage in the centre of the village. Cubal men can have several wives and are also allowed to sell their wife, if they don’t get along with her or even if they want to earn money, as a woman can be worth 2 cows, which is about 2000 euros. For a first marriage a woman can even be worth 3 or 4 cows.

Cattle is the real base of support to this important ethnic group in Angola. A Mucubal man is both richer and more important per the number of cattle they have. It can therefore be said that the cattle for any Mucubal is the ultimate expression of their wealth.

Also known as Cuendelengo, Kwendelengo, N’Guendelengo, Olungendelengo, or Ovangendelengo.

Population & Ecosystem

Ngendelengo live in the forested mountains of Serra da Chela.

Economy & Society

Semi-nomadic cattle pastoralists, hunter, gatherers and subsistence agriculturalists. Living in a forested environment has allowed them to develop a rudimentary charcoal business. Nguendelengo produce important quantities of vegetable charcoal that they sell beside the roads that cross their territory.

Also known as Munda

Population & Ecosystem

6.000 Kwando live in the forested mountains of Serra das Neves.

Economy & Society

Semi-nomadic cattle pastoralists, hunter, gatherers and subsistence agriculturalists. Living in a forested environment has allowed them to develop a rudimentary charcoal business. Kwando produce important quantities of vegetable charcoal that they sell beside the roads that cross their territory.

Also known as Zemba.

Population & Ecosystem

There are 200 Timba living in the dry hills separating Angola from Namibia.

Economy & Society

Timba used to be hunters and gatherers. Today they combine hunting with gathering and goat rearing.

Also known as Mumuila or Mwila

Population & Ecosystem

100.000 Muila live in Huila Plateau. Last Tribes Angola team has divided the Muila tribe in Plain Muila (East of Chibia town) and Mountain Muila (West of Chibia town). They speak the same Nyaneka language with slight dialect differences but women dress differently with Plain Muila more richly decorated (hair and necks).

Economy & Society

Subsistence agriculture (mostly maize) and livestock keeping (cattle, goats and fowl). They gather in daily markets (except Sundays and Mondays) to sell and buy agriculture, artisan, and manufactured products. Some few Muila women still produce fine pottery to sell in markets. Muila have a tribal chief who serves as the head of the tribe followed by a headman. Serving under the headman are the elders. Conflicts are resolved by the elders and the headman. A diviner is also often called upon.

Also known as Handa de Quipungo or Vahanda

Population & Ecosystem

30.000 Handa live in the fertile plains of Huila Plateau, between Kamuviu and Hoque market towns

Economy & Society

Handa people mainly practice subsistence agriculture but also grow vegetables (cabbage and onions) to sell in big markets like in Hoque. Hand farmers also keep cattle, goats and fowl. Handa blacksmiths, once very active, are nowadays in regression but some still work to furnish Handa women with jewellery and hoes for the farm work. Potters are also in decay but some Handa women still fabricate clay pots to sell in markets.

Handa women continue to build and use baskets which involve many interesting geometry concepts. We refer, for example, to the notion of volume, conic (truncated) and cylindrical forms, spirals, proportions, geometric figures, patterns, plane transformations and friezes. The remarkable mathematical practices in the baskets are characterized by much unknown ethnomathematical knowledge that constitutes a challenge for future studies.

Handa have a tribal chief who serves as the head of the tribe followed by a headman. Serving under the headman are the elders. Conflicts are resolved by the elders and the headman. A diviner is also often called upon.

Culture & Religion

Handa speak Nyaneka language. Most Handa have converted to Christianity and only the elder generations worship the African Gods and wear the traditional attires. Nowadays it is hard to see women younger the forty years old wearing the white (sometimes green) characteristic necklaces and complex hairdos. Body scarification used to be popular among Handa women but now has almost disappeared. Body marks can only be seen in women over fifty years old.

Also known as Mugambue or Gambo

Population & Ecosystem

25.000 Gambue live in the feet of small rocky hills of Huila Plateau and in the forested plains south of Chibia.

Economy & Society

Gambue people are cattle herders and also practice subsistence agriculture. Hunting is still practiced in forested areas. Gambue blacksmiths have disappeared and now they purchase their hoes and machetes from neighbouring Khoisan blacksmiths or they purchase them in markets. Gambue women still build and use wicker baskets and granaries. Gambue society is ruled by a tribal chief who serves as the head of the clan followed by a headman. Serving under the headman are the elders. Conflicts are resolved by the elders and the headman. A diviner is also often called upon.

Also known as Muhumbi, Nkumbi, Khumbi, Ngumbi, Nkhumbi, Ocinkumbi.

Population & Ecosystem

150.000 Humbi people live the fertile plains around Cunene River between the towns of Humbe and Xangongo.

Economy & Society

Humbi are mainly cattle herders but also practice commercial and subsistence agriculture along the Cunene River. Many young men leave the villages to find jobs in towns and cities.
Humbi have a tribal chief who serves as the head of the tribe followed by a headman. Serving under the headman are the elders. Conflicts are resolved by the elders and the headman. A diviner is also often called upon. .