Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-p9bg8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T01:09:25.942Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Historical Notes on the Kisama of Angola1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 January 2009

Beatrix Heintze
Beatrix Heintze
Affiliation:
Frobenius Institut, Frankfurt a. M.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

Although the territory of the Kisama was involved in military conflicts with the Portuguese from the very beginning, because of its geographical situation it was not subjugated permanently until the twentieth century. A few chiefdoms, which are traceable through the centuries in the sources, played an important role (Ndemba, Kimone kia Songa, Kafushe Kambare, etc.). A number of different factors were favourable to the resistance of the Kisama. The Portuguese were never really interested in this province, apart from the safeguarding of shipping on the Kwanza. No mineral wealth tempted them there. Even the conquest of the salt mine of Ndemba was undertaken mainly to clear and secure the way to the hoped for silver mines of Cambambe. On the one hand, the great lack of water during the dry season made the provisioning of an army there difficult. On the other hand, at least in the Kwanza region, the dreaded tropical diseases were endemic. For the slave trade, the interior, especially Kasanje, was more profitable. Later, when the neighbouring Libolo increased in importance because of the new trade centres in the Ovimbundu territory (Bihe, Bailundu, etc.), Kisama remained off the beaten track. It is only now that the seclusion of this province, which has one of the game parks of Angola within its borders, will in all probability come to an end because of the discovery of a series of oil fields.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of African History , Volume 13 , Issue 3 , July 1972 , pp. 407 - 418
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1972

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

2 See Bryan, M. A., ‘The Bantu Languages of Africa’, Handbook of African Languages (London, New York, Cape Town, 1959);Google ScholarVon, Mattenklodt, ‘Die Kisama’ (ed. Baumann, H.), Koloniale Vñlkerkunde, I (Wiener Beiträge zur Kulturgeschichte und Linguistik, 6) (1944);Google ScholarDiniz, F., Populaçōes indIgenas de Angola (Coimbra, 1918), 231–6;CrossRefGoogle Scholarde Oliveira de Cadornega, A., História Geral das Guerras Angolanas, written in 1680, I (ed. Delgado, J. M., Lisbon, 1940); II,Google ScholarPortugal em Africa, 8 (1901); 9 (1902); IIIGoogle Scholar (ed. Alves da Cunha, M., Lisbon, 1942);Google ScholarBrásio, A. (ed.), Monumenta Missionaria Africana. Africa occidental, 10 vols. (Lisbon, 1952–1965).Google Scholar

3 Randles, W. G. L., L'ancien royaume du Congo des origines à la fin du XIX6 siècle (Paris, 1968);Google ScholarDelgado, R., História de Angola, I (Lobito, 2nd. ed. 1961).Google Scholar

4 Brásio, , Monumenta, III, 210; VIII, 121;Google ScholarVansina, J., Kingdoms of the Savanna (Madison, Milwaukee, London, 1966).Google Scholar

5 Paes, Brandão, ‘Diario da marcha do chefe do Conseiho do Libollo, tenente Paes Brandão, à regñlo da Quibala’, Portugal em Africa, XI (1904);Google ScholarDiniz, , Populaçñes, 231;Google ScholarDapper, O., Umbständliche und eigentliche Beschreibung von Africa (Amsterdam, 1670).Google Scholar

6 Brásio, , Monumenta, VIII, 118, map opp. p. 16; IX, 338Google Scholar; Diogo da Costa, ‘Do Padre Diogo ao Provincial de Portugal do anno de 86’ “= 1586”, in ‘Descoberta de Angola e Congo. Relações de Angola, tiradas do cartorio do Collegio dos Padres da Companhia’, Boletim da Sociedade de Geographia de Lisboa, IV (1883);Google ScholarCadornega, , História Geral, II (1901), 141, 152, 211, 345, 396; III (1942), 168;Google Scholar ‘Noticia do Paiz de Quissama edo Exercito que foi a castigar os gentios daquella provincia…’ (written in 1798), Annaes Maritimos e Coloniaes, ser. vi, parte não official (Lisbon, 1846);Google ScholarReclus, E., Nouvelle Géographie universelle, XIII, L'Afrique Méridionale (Paris, 1888);Google ScholarDiniz, , Populaçōes, 231;Google ScholarMattenklodt, , ‘Die Kisama’, 73;Google Scholarde Almeida Saldanha da Fonseca, S., ‘Relaçōde uma jornada de Loanda ao Presidio de Pungo-Andongo, Provincia de Angola, no anno de 1847’, Annaes do Conseiho Ultramarino,Google Scholar ser. I, parte nço official (1858); ‘Relatório da viagern so Lubollo corn fim de escolher um logar proprio para a fundaçāo de urns missço catholica-civilisadora…’, Portugal em Africa, I (1894);Google ScholarGalvāo, H. and Selvagem, C., Imperio Ultramarino Portuguées, III, Angola (Lisbon, 1952).Google Scholar

7 Richards, A., ‘Some Types of Family Structure amongst the Central Bantu’, in Radcliffe-Brown, A. R. and Daryll, Forde (eds.), African Systems of Kinship and Marriage (London, 1950), 224.Google Scholar

8 Pero, Rodrigues, Historia da residencia dos Padres da Companhia de Jesu em Angola, e cousas tocantes ao Reino, e conquista, (written in 1594),Google Scholar in Rodrigues, F. (ed.), ‘Uma História Inedita de Angola’, offprint from Arquivo Histórico de Portugal, II (Lisbon, 1936);Google Scholarde Albuquerque Felner, A., Angola (Coimbra, 1933), 145, 232;Google Scholar ‘Catalogo dos Governadores do reino Angola’ (compiled anonymously in 1784), in Colleçāo de Noticias para a historia e geographia das nações ultramarinas… Academia Real das Sciencias, III, 2 (Lisbon, 1826);Google ScholarDelgado, , História de Angola, 285 f.; Arquivos de Angola, ser. 2, vol. xvii, no. 67–70 (Luanda, 1960);Google ScholarBrásio, , Monumenta, III, 209 f.; IV, 335, 342; X, map opp. p. 416.Google Scholar

9 Paias, D., ‘Efeméridas angolanas’, Mensário Administrativo, 26/27 (1949), 8;Google ScholarCadornega, , História Geral, II (1901), 271, 273; (1902), 386; III (1942), 72, 93, 248;Google Scholarda Silva Corrêa, E. A., História de Angola, 2 vols. (Lisbon, 1937; compiled in 1787−99), 1, 311;Google Scholar‘Catalogo dos Governadores’, 398.Google Scholar

10 Brásio, , Monumenta, VIII, 121; IX, 377, 522;Google ScholarCadornega, , História Geral, 11 (1902), 386; III (1942), 248.Google Scholar

11 See among others Brásio, , Monumenta, 111, 200;Google ScholarRodrigues, , Historia da Residencia, 31;Google Scholarde Castello Branco, G. M., in Cordeiro, L. (ed.), ‘Da Mina ao Cabo Negro’, Memorias do Ultramar. Viagens, explorações e conquistas dos Portugueses (Lisbon, 1881,);Google ScholarCordeiro, L. (ed.), ‘Terras e Minas Africanas’, Memorias do Ultramar. Viagens, explorações e conquistas dos Portugueses (Lisbon, 1881,), 6 f., 10;Google ScholarLopes de Lima, J. J., Ensaios sobre a statistica das possessões Portuguezas, in, Angola, Benguella, e suas dependencias (Lisbon, 1846), IIIGoogle Scholar (I), 90/91–92/93; III (2), de Salles Ferreira, F., ‘Memoria sobre o Presidio de Pungo Andongo’, Annaes Maritimos e Col oniaes, ser. VI, parte nāo official (Lisbon, 1846), 118.Google Scholar

12 Cadornega, , História Geral, II (1901), 458; III (1942), 20;Google ScholarFelner, , Angola, 232;Google ScholarCorrôa, , História de Angola, I, 218;Google Scholar ‘Noticia do Paiz’, 122; Travassos Valdez, F., Six Years of a Traveller's Life in Western Africa, vol. 2 (London, 1861), 135.Google Scholar

13 See among others Rebdllo de Aragāo, B., in Cordeiro, L. (ed.), ‘Terras e Minas’, 11 f.;Google ScholarBattell, A., in Ravenstein, E. G., The Strange Adventures of Andrew Battell (London, 1901),Google ScholarDapper, , Umbstāndliche and eigentliche Beschreibung, 598;Google ScholarCorrêa, , História de Angola, 1, 129;Google ScholarValdez, , Six Years, 135;Google ScholarLivingstone, D., A popular account of Missionary Travels and Researches in South Africa (London, 1868), 274;Google ScholarSpringer, A., Die Salzver-sorgung der Eingeborenen Afrikas vor der neuzeitlichen europäischen Kolonisation (Dresden, 1918), 136 f.;Google ScholarBirmingham, D., ‘Early African Trade in Angola and its Hinterland’, in Gray, R. and Birmingham, D. (ed.), Pre-Colonial African Trade (London, 1970), 164 ff.;Google Scholar but Cavazzi de Montecúccolo, cf. J. A., Descrição Histórica dos três Reinos do Congo, Matamba e Angola (Lisbon, 1965, first published Bologna, 1687), 1, 23.Google Scholar

14 See among others Rodrigues, , História da Residencia, 14, 29, 33;Google Scholarde Abreu e Brito, D., Um inquerito a vida administrativa e economica de Angola e do Brasil, written in 1591, ed. by de Albuquerque Felner, A. (Coimbra, 1931), 20;Google ScholarBrásio, , Monurnenta, IV, 434;Google Scholar‘Catalogo dos Governadores’, 352,Google ScholarBirmingham, D., Trade and Conflict in Angola (Oxford, 1966), 82.Google Scholar

15 Cadornega, , História Geral, II (1905), 458, 585; III (1942), 97, 248;Google ScholarFelner, , Angola, 232; ‘Noticia do Paiz’, 122;Google ScholarBirmingham, , Trade and Conflict, 158.Google Scholar

16 Livingstone, , South Africa, 274;Google ScholarMonteiro, J. J., ‘On the Quissama Tribe of Angola’, Journal of the Anthropological Institute, V (1874–1875), 201;Google ScholarValdez, , Six Years, 134, 135.Google Scholar

17 See among others Cadornega, , História Geral, 11 (1901), 396, 412, 457, 458; III (1942), 114f., 248Google Scholar; ‘Noticia do Paiz’, 123.Google Scholar

18 Cadornega, , História Geral, II (1901), 402, 405, 409; III (1942), 248;Google Scholar‘Noticia do Paiz’, 126;Google ScholarBrandão, , ‘Diario da marcha’, 408.Google Scholar

19 Brásio, , Monumenta, III, 375; V, 53;Google ScholarBattell, , in Ravenstein, , The Strange Adventures, 27; Rodrigues, História da Residencia, 29, 33;Google ScholarCorrêa, , História de Angola, I, 212 ff., 219, 238;Google ScholarFelner, , Angola, 184, 189, 208, 423 f.;Google ScholarDias de Carvalho, H., O Jagado de Cassangena Provincia de Angola (Lisbon, 1898), 49;Google ScholarLopes de Lima, , Ensaios sobre a statisttca, III (I), 90/91–92/93; ‘Catalogo dos Govemadores’,Google Scholar 35 Birmingham, , Trade and Conflict, 62.Google Scholar

20 Battell, , in Ravenstein, , The Strange Adventures, 27 f.Google Scholar

21 See among others Brásio, , Monumenta, IV, 65; V, 53 f.; VII, 360; VIII, 121;Google ScholarCadornega, , História Geral, I(1940), 70; II (1901), 396, 401 ff.; III (1942), 248 f.Google Scholar

22 Alves, da Cunha, in Cadornega, , História Geral, III (1942), 51 f., note 76;Google ScholarCavazzi, , Descrição Histórica, II, 62;Google ScholarBirmingham, , Trade and Conflict, 139.Google Scholar

23 See for instance Brásio, , Monumenta, IV, 66; VII, 349, 359 f.; IX, 73, 496;Google ScholarCadornega, , História Geral, II (1901), 229 f., 344 f.;Google ScholarCavazzi, , Descrição Histórica, I, 23; II, 230, 233;Google Scholarde Massiac, M., in Salmon, P., ‘Mémoires de la relation de voyage de M. de Massiac à Angola et à Buenos-Aires’, Bull. des Séances, Acad. Roy. Scie. d'Outre-mer, VI, 6 (1960), 589 (written by de Massiac about 1663−6);Google ScholarCorrêa, , História de Angola, I, 212, 266, 294, 299 f., 311, 323 f., 335 f., 339, 361; II, 8;Google Scholar‘Catalogo dos Governadores’, 377, 397, 403, 406, 407, 412 f.;Google ScholarBrandão de Mello, A., ‘Breve História da rainha Jinga Mbandi, D. Ana de Sousa’, Boletim da Sociedade de Geographia de Lisboa, LXIII (1945), 140, 142, 145.Google Scholar

24 Moares, Sarmento, in ‘Noticia de algums dos districtos de que se compõe esta Provincia’, Annaes do Conseiho Ultramarino, ser. II, parte nã official (1860), 150;Google ScholarLopes, de Lima, Ensalos sobre a statistica, III (I), 5;Google ScholarLivingstone, , South Africa, 274;Google ScholarChatelain, H., ‘Folk-tales of Angola’, Memoirs of the American Folklore Society, I (New York, 1894), 5;Google ScholarOberländer, R., Westafrika vom Senegal bis Benguela (Leipzig, 1878 3), 506;Google ScholarPortugal em Africa, VIII (1901), 623;Google ScholarGalvão, in Randles, L'ancien royaume, 229 (map);Google ScholarMattenklodt, , ‘Die Kisama’, 72.Google Scholar

25 Brásio, , Monumenta, VI, 27.Google Scholar

26 Brásio, , Monumenta, VII, 79, 177, 348 f., 361 f. From the middle of the seventeenth century onwards, wax became a principal Kisama trade commodity, in addition to salt and some slaves and ivory.Google Scholar

27 Brásio, , Monumenta, VIII, 242 f.Google Scholar

28 Mattenklodt, , ‘Die Kisama’, 73–5;Google ScholarAbel, H., ‘Die Landschaften Angolas’, Geographische Rundschau, XII (1960), 110–11;Google ScholarKuder, M., ‘Angola. Eine geographische, soziale und wirtschaftliche Landeskunde’, Wissenschaftliche Länderkunden, VI (Darmstadt, 1972), 18 f., 20 ff., 204;Google ScholarRodrigues, , História da Residencia, 14Google ScholarDapper, , Umbständliche und eigentliche Beschreibung, 597–8;Google ScholarCavazzi, , Descriçāo Histdóica, I, 23;Google ScholarCorrêa, , História de Angola, I, 256,Google Scholar note I; Monteiro, , ‘On the Quissama’, 299;Google ScholarValdez, , Six Years, 234, 236;Google ScholarGalvão, and Selvagem, , Imperio Ultramarino, 452;Google ScholarWestermann Lexikon der Geographie, (Braunschweig, 1968),Google ScholarAngola, , 168.Google Scholar The tropical diseases in the cities on the central northern coast are to be put down mainly to impure drinking water, standing pools of water and unhygienic conditions (p. 167). The nature of the terrain has, however, hardly played a role in the successful resistance of the Kisama to the Portuguese; but cf., Rodrigues, História da Residencia, 33.Google Scholar

29 For this cf., Heintze, ‘Beiträge’, 376. Kafushe is the name of the third child when triplets are born or of the first child born after twins (Dr C. Lopes Cardoso, personal communication).Google Scholar

30 Brásio, , Monumenta, VI, 283 f., 363, 367 f., 370, 523; VII, 178, 201, 360, 526 f., 652; VIII, 121, 129; IX, 335, 374, 379, 496; X, 571;Google ScholarCadornega, , História Geral, II (1901), 394, 594f., 650; (1902), 76, 394, 391;Google ScholarFelner, , Angola, 303 f.;Google Scholar for general data on the history of the Jaga and of the Mbangala, cf., J. Vansina, ‘The Foundation of the Kingdom of Kasanje’, J. Afr. Hict. IV (1963);Google ScholarVansina, J., ‘More on the invasions of Kongo and Angola by the Jaga and Lunda’, J. Afr. Hict. VII (1966);Google ScholarBirmingham, D., ‘The date and significance of the Imbagala invasion of Angola’, J. Afr. Hist. VI (1965);Google ScholarBirmingham, , Trade and Conflict, chapter IV.Google Scholar

31 See for instance Cavazzi, , Descrição Histdrica, I, 303;Google ScholarCadornega, , Histciria Geral, I (1940), 332 f., 345, 365; II (1901), f., 401 f.; (1902), 139.Google Scholar

32 Livingstone, , South Africa, 274; Mattenklodt, ‘Die Kisama’, 75.Google Scholar

33 Monteiro, , ‘On the Quissama’, 399.Google Scholar

34 Hance, W. A., The Geography of Modern Africa (NewYork, London, 2nd. ed. 1967), 493;Google ScholarKuder, , ‘Angola’, 109, 203.Google Scholar