Celebrating Christmas in Angola

Angolans only began celebrating Christmas after the arrival of Christian Missionaries in the 15th century. Presently, after more than 500 years of Christianity and colonization followed by over 30 years of independence, the celebration of Christmas has undergone various influences – from traditional African culture, popular Catholic traditions from the previous Portuguese colonization and from other Christian sects as well as secularism.

Christmas for most of the people in the countryside is the most-awaited feast; the preparation is done both materially and spiritually. It’s always preceded by spiritual exercises and pilgrimages to the their local churches for the 'ceia'; church service. Materially, families usually save some money during the whole year to buy special foods for this feast – rice, pasta and other industrialized foods. In agricultural communities, some animals are reared to be slaughtered at Christmas – such as cows, goats, and chickens.

In the cities, Christmas preparations are more organized and better structured. Spiritually it is notable in the participation of the faithful in retreats and preparation for the baptism of children. More zealous Christians go to church services at midnight on December 24th and on Christmas Day.  Those who miss the chance to go to church, either because of work or perhaps over-indulgence in festivities, end up viewing the live telecast church services on the National Television Channel.

Since Christmas is also an occasion for a family feast, it is common to find homes filled with parents and grandparents, children and grand-children.  Like in the countryside, unexpected guests are most welcome. There is room for everybody; this comes from the deep-rooted African tradition of hospitality.

At the ceia church service at midnight on December 24th, urban Angolan families eat cozido de bacalhau, or cooked cold fish, with many vegetables. They also eat turkey with rice and drink table wine and other drinks. After the ceia they exchange gifts and eat handmade cakes and dried fruits, including grapes with which everybody makes wishes. 

Specifically, at Christmas urban Angolans celebrate the end of the year and the coming New Year with an Angolan Christmas tradition of the eating of ‘bolo-rei’(translated ‘king-cake’);  a sweet, Portuguese cake. (from La Salette website)

Saving Angola's Indigenous Languages

Angola is a plurilingual country, with six African languages recognized as national languages as well as Portuguese as the official language.  Besides this, it is estimated that there are 37 languages and 50 dialects in use in the country. At the end of October 2013, the blog Círculo Angolano Intelectual (Angolan Intellectual Circle) reported that 30 percent of the Angolan population (almost 8.5 million Angolans) only speak national languages which are not featured in any educational or social program and noted that this factor contributes to provoke social exclusion.

“On average, a language disappears every two weeks, and Africa is the continent most at risk”, wrote the author José Eduardo Agualusa in a 2011 article on the evolution of languages in Angola. However, during the past year a number of online platforms have been created with the aim of protecting Angola's national languages. 

In an attempt to counter the phenomenon, various online initiatives were created during 2013 by young people who view the new technologies as a tool for the promotion and protection of national languages.

One project, still in its initial phase, which aims to promote learning of the Angolan national languages in an innovative way, free of charge and accessible to everyone with access to the Internet, is Evalina. 

Created in May 2013 by Joel Epalanga, an IT project manager in the telecommunications sector, the primary motive for the creation of the platform was the observation that there is a gap faced by many young people with regard to the national languages.

Evalina consists of a Facebook page where content such as incentives to learn and lessons on national languages are shared. At the date of publication of this article, the page featured lessons on Umbundu, the second most-spoken language after Portuguese, and on Kimbundo.

Another project which stands out is the Ngola Yetu Dictionary, a dictionary and online translator for Angolan national languages “developed with the goal of reinforcing Angolan culture and increasing its use among young people”. With a simple and intuitive design not unlike Google, it works as a search engine between the Kikongo, Kimbundo, Umbundo and Portuguese languages. The project has used Facebook and Twitter to interact with web users.

Between 2004 and 2010, a trial was carried out to introduce seven national languages in a series of schools in the country. The Ministry of Education declared in September 2013 that it plans to expand the teaching of national languages into all primary schools. A bill on the Statute of National Language in Angola ”to promote social inclusion and strengthen unity in ethno linguistic diversity” is in its concluding phase. (Global Voices, 2014)

Keila: An Original Angola Board Game

Kiela is a mancala game played by Kimbundu speaking people in northern Angola near Grandos Lagos and Alto Zambeze. The name of the game means "puzzle" or "mindsport"

The game plays an important role in the oral literature and it is said to be a game of peace because "it can turn enemies into friends".

The "Instituto Nacional do Património Cultural" reports that the first official tournament was held in 1989 by the SIAC/Fenacult.  Later in 1999, the government of Angola instituted the "Prémio Kiela", a tournament which has offered prizes up to 1,500 US$ for the winner. In the early 2000s, the game was supported by the Angolan Ministry of Culture and the province governor Aníbal Rocha.

In 1991, Bernardo Francisco Campos developed the first Kiela software and registered it with the Directorate of Spectacles Property Rights, in Lisbon.  Later in 2001, Campos founded an Angolan organization called "Associação para a Promoção do Kiela (Aprokiela)" with the objective to promote Kiela and other cultural values. Campos also trademarked the game in 18 countries, among them South Africa, the European Union, and the USA.

Playing Rules

Kiela is played on a board made by four rows of ten holes. Each player controls the two rows on his side of the board.

The initial position depends on the experience and strength of the players:

▪   Beginners start with one seed in each hole of the outer rows and one stone in each of the four right holes of each player's inner row.

Initial Position for Beginners

▪   Advanced players start with two seeds per hole in the same holes as described above.

Initial Position for Advanced Players

▪   Expert players may, at their first turn, rearrange the stones on their side.

Possible Position after Expert Play

At his turn a player takes the contents of one of his holes, which contains two or more seeds, and sows them one by one anti-clockwise into the succeeding holes of his board side.

If the last stone lands in an empty hole, the turn ends.

If the last stone lands in an occupied hole all these stones (the one just landed plus the ones that were already there) are picked up and sown in another lap.

▪   If this occupied hole is in the inner row and the opposite hole of the opponent is occupied, the stones of this hole are captured and the player keeps on sowing with them starting in the hole following the one that allowed him to capture.

▪   If the outer hole of the opponent is also occupied, the player captures also its stones, and then sows the stones of both opponent's holes.

When a player cannot move (i.e., all his holes are empty or contain single stones), he has lost. (From Mancala.wikia.com)

Esteeming the Albinos in Angola

It is increasingly common to find people with albinism in the streets of Luanda, the capital of Angola. Though living in normal surroundings, in the African context, albinos live with constant social misunderstandings, prejudice, and discrimination concerning their medical condition.  

The word albinism (from Latin albus, 'white', is a congenital disorder characterized by the complete or partial absence of pigment in the skin, hair and eyes due to absence or defect or an enzyme involved in the production of melanin.  Many forms of albinism are associated with sensitive to light (photophobia) and rapid eye movement.  The lack of pigmentation of the skin causes the body to become more susceptible to sunburn and skin cancer.

In Africa, especially in the eastern area, people with albinism have their lives constantly at risk because of superstition that gave them super-natural powers. Many believe that they are “luck” creatures, hence they are killed so that their organs can be used in witchcraft or so that the perpetrator can “inherit luck” of the deceased. The legs and hands amputated are sold to people who use them as talismans, for according to their beliefs, luck or repel evil spirits. Fishermen put albinos’ hair in their fish nets to succeed in the fishery. Miners hang amulets on their necks made from crushed bones and believe that the powder resulting from the bones, after some time buried, turns into diamonds. Those albinos who die are buried by their relatives in places where the remains cannot be unearth by the wizards’ suppliers.

A report published by the UN says that albinos “are often considered ghosts and not human beings”. In some areas they are also killed and buried with the deceased tribal chiefs so that they are not left alone in their graves. Some politicians want to get an amulet to ensure their victory in the elections. Groups of experts of the UN have spoken out and warned against such behavior. One of them is Christof Heyns, Special Rapporteur on Extra-judicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions. 

Angola is one of the few countries where prejudices against people with albinism is not as strong when compared to other African countries. They have a normal life, some occupying positions of responsibility within society.  One of the main reasons may be due to the fact that the use of popular skin whitening products is not part of Angolan culture, which creates an acceptance and an inherent mixing index between peoples. With these features, Angola turns out to be a peculiar country in the African context in light of the Angolan behavior of respecting albino's differences, allowing them to feel proud of what they are in their condition, to thus foster a high self-esteem.

Not everything is perfect as expressed by albino Guilherme Santos, President of ADRA. He adds that often the harassment, discrimination and stereotyping arise from family members. Thus, there remains some prejudice in society from psychological baggage which can be overcome if everyone is involved in giving psychosocial support to family members of people with albinism. 

To provide support, that emerges in a natural and spontaneous way, the Volunteer Support Group for People with Albinism in Angola   Grupo Voluntário de Apoio a Pessoas com Albinismo em Angola (GVAPAA), has been formed. Comprised of a group of citizens of various nationalities who do not seek legal or financial gain, these individuals joined in order to support Angola albinism in a sustainable manner. They believe that education and informing of the people with albinism as well as their families and their community, is the best and most sustainable way to help. In the same line of action, the Association of Support to Albinos of Angola (AAAA), represented by the acronym “4As” includes all persons who wish to join for the good of the Association. It is a philanthropic organization, of National character and unprofitable. (TAAG Austral Magazine 2014). 

Invented in Angola!

Nuremberg (From special envoy) - Angolan inventors, who represented the country at the recent International Fair of Ideas, Invention and New Products (IENA), received seven medals, one gold, one silver and five bronze in Nuremberg, Germany.  The Angolan representatives received eight medals from their participation in 2011.  

This exhibition, at which the eight inventors of Angola presented 17 projects and inventions, had 750 exhibitors from 54 countries. During four days, the projects presented were about inventions or linked to innovations and technologies, electric power, construction machinery, medical technology and medicine, hygiene, cosmetics, various security and alarm, traffic, transport, car accessories, farming, forest and game entertainment.

The most highly ranked Angolan inventions, as evaluated by the judges, were a camera with a USB pen drive and external hard disk, invented by Adilson da Costa (gold medal) and a signaling system for parking at a curb (silver medal), presented by inventor Hélder Silva.

All other Angolan inventions entered were: the use of industrial múcua, the new way of thinking in Mandombe, Angolan culture and art, as well as a computer mouse for those with disabled upper limbs, a multi-use calculator and one special software program, were the Angolan works awarded with bronze medals.

Angola, which is participating for the fourth time, enrolled to join countries such as Algeria, Bahrain, Bosnia Herzegovina, China, Denmark, Germany (host country), Finland, Great Britain, Russia, Hong Kong , Iran, Italy, Qatar, Kyrgyzstan, Kuwait, Korea, Croatia, Kuwait, Malaysia, Macedonia, Oman, Austria, Poland, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, Spain, Sudan, Syria, Taiwan, Hungary, USA, andVenezuela, among others. (Njango Angola, November 2012)