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Angola’s Indigenous Population: A Mosaic of Cultures
From hairstyles that tell stories to ancient click consonants – Angola offers a fascinating encounter with vibrant cultures and living history.
The Official Host Country of ITB Berlin 2026, Angola, counts among Africa’s most exciting destinations for culture enthusiasts. Travelling through the country becomes an impressive expedition into the origins of humankind. Around 35 million people and more than 100 ethnic groups call Angola home – many of them have preserved their centuries-old traditions, languages and ways of life to this day. Visitors do not merely gain rare insights, but experience living culture at close quarters through rituals, art forms and everyday practices.
© Ministry of Tourism of Angola @ Kleber Group Credit Robert Haidinger
The Mwila (also Mumuila)
A visit to the Mwila, who live exclusively in Angola – mainly in the provinces of Huíla and Namibe – is both a visual and anthropological discovery. Mwila women are known for their elaborate hairstyles made from ochre, butter and herbs, decorated with shells or beads. These hairstyles are more than adornment: they reveal age, marital status and social role. Clothing, jewellery and ritual body painting complete a visual appearance deeply rooted in cultural meaning. Encounters with the Mwila offer unique insights into a culture in which visual expression and social identity are inseparably intertwined.
© Ministry of Tourism of Angola @ Kleber Group Credit Robert Haidinger
The Kuvale
The Kuvale, who are related to the Herero, are semi-nomads in southern Angola and live from cattle herding. They reside in kraals, small family units of low, tent-shaped clay dwellings surrounded by thorny brush and wooden stakes. While the men set off daily with their herds to the grazing grounds, women and children remain in the village. Typical of Kuvale women is their braided hat wrapped in fabric, as well as the traditional breast binding with the oyonduthi (a narrow cord used to bind the breasts). They also wear colourful wax-print cloths, numerous arm rings and decorative scarification.
© Thomas Thadewaldt, DIAMIR Erlebnisreisen
© Thomas Thadewaldt, DIAMIR Erlebnisreisen
The Himba
Near the border with Namibia live smaller groups of the Himba, a semi-nomadic ethnic group closely connected to nature and livestock. Their hallmark is the red-shimmering otjize ochre paste, made from butterfat and powdered earth. It protects against the sun and insects and also holds spiritual significance. The intricately braided hairstyles of Himba women likewise communicate individual life stages or clan affiliation. Their traditional clothing is complemented by characteristic jewellery made from shells, leather and metal, symbolising beauty and status. Despite increasing influence from modern lifestyles, the community preserves its spiritual practices, social structures and storytelling traditions – a valuable cultural heritage of southern Africa.
The San
In the far south of Angola, several thousand San still live today, direct descendants of the Khoisan peoples, among the oldest surviving population groups in the world. Their language is characterised by distinctive click consonants, and their everyday life has traditionally been shaped by hunting and gathering. The San’s knowledge of plants, animal behaviour and survival in the savannah has been passed down for millennia and ranks among the continent’s most significant cultural treasures. Their way of life is based on mobility, deep understanding of nature and collective responsibility – values which are gaining new relevance in the face of modern environmental challenges.
For further information on Angola, the Official Host Country of ITB Berlin 2026, please visit www.angolatourism.com.