The Angolan culture is rich and diversified, and each region of the country shows it in different ways be it in handicraft, music, dance, fine arts or literature.

In handicraft and fine arts, special focus should be made on wood, bronze and ivory masks. These masks play an important role in religious and cultural rituals, representing life or death scenes, as Mwana-Pwo for puberty; Kalelwa polychromatic masks used during circumcision ceremonies; Cikungu and Cihongo masks of Lunda-Cokwe mythology, with particular attention to the imaginary of princess Lweji and prince of Tschibinda-Ilunga civilization.

In sculpture, The Thinker, of tchokwe origin, is probably the Angolan most famous piece of art and a symbol of its country. It represents an ancient, a figure that occupies a privileged statute in the Angolan society: “the oldest” represents wisdom, experience and knowledge of secrets of life. The first figures of The Thinker were sculpted in Dundo Museum in the ends of 1940.

The Ngangela art, in west of Bié province and east in Moxico province, comprises the traditional Lwena Ceramics with its magnificent pottery Works, producing pots, bottles and other recipients for water transport and reservoir, with anthropomorphous heads, human or animal figures, evoking proverbs, myths and legends. The colour of Lwena Ceramics is usually black and shinny. This colour is achieved through natural pigments (vegetable and inorganic).

Music and Dance

Semba is Angola’s most popular music styles together with Maringa, Kabetula, Kazukuta and Caduque. According with some researchers, semba is based in massemba and lundu, which are of Portuguese origin. Semba is danced in pairs, with elegant steps from gentlemen and followed by ladies in wide steps where dexterity counts a lot regarding improvisation. 

Kizomba, in Kimbundo language means “party”. The word Kizomba as a dance was born in the 80’s in Luanda, Angola after being influenced by the Zouks.

Kuduro, however, is the fusion of beat music with typically African styles, created and mixed by young Angolans adapting the way to dance, which is to hold the hip to the sides in two times.

Rebita is an Angolan type of music and ballroom dancing that shows gentlemen vanity and ladies adornments. Danced in pairs in coordinated choreographies by the chief of the circle, they perform acts of generosity, gesturing the lightness of their ladies to the tune of massemba.

Kazukuta is the excellence of slow tap dance, followed by body swinging. The dancer stands on his heels or tiptoes, leaning on a cane or in an umbrella. Players play instruments as tins, dikanzas, bottles, barrel arches and for some rhythmic variations, brass cornet and box cornet. Dancers dress listed pants and coats and cover the face with a mask for a better caricature of the enemy. 

Kabetula is a Carnival dance of Bengo’s region and it exhibits pretty fast waggles followed by some acrobatic jumps. Dancers usually present themselves with white shirts or shirtless.

In Cabinda, it is obligatory to visit the sanctuary where the “Bakama” gather to dress the traditional garments of dry leaves from banana tree and the masks. The sanctuary is located in the village of Tchizo – a small village in the outskirts of Cabinda – and centre of the traditional power of the “Macongo”, “Maloango” and “Muangoyo” people.