#ambundu

The Anthropological Masterlist is HERE.

Central Africa is an African region that spans the central part of the continent.

AMBUNDU ─ “The Ambundu, or Mbundu, people are an African people. They are native to northwest Angola.” ─ Mbundu Information ─ Angolan Culture ─ Kimbundu Language (in Portuguese)

ANGOLA ─ “The Angolan people are an African people that share the Angolan culture. They are native to Angola.” ─ Angolan Information ─ Angolan History ─ Angolan Rulers

BAMBUTI ─ “The Bambuti, or Mbuti, people are an African people. They are native to Congo.” ─ Mbuti Culture

BUSHONGO ─ “Bushongo, or the Kingdom of Kuba, was an African civilization that lived from 1625 C.E. to 1884 C.E. They lived in Central Africa.” ─ Kuba Art ─ Bushongo Creation Myth ─ Bumba in Bushongo Myth

CAMEROON ─ “The Cameroonian people are an African people. They share the Cameroonian culture.” ─ Cameroonian Information ─ Cameroonian Culture ─ Cameroonian History

EFIK ─ “The Efik people are an African people. They are native to southern Nigeria and western Cameroon.” ─ Efik Language

NGOMBE ─ “The Ngombe are a Bantu linguistic group. They are native to the Democratic Republic of Congo.” ─ Akongo in Ngombe Mythology

Southern Africa is an African region that spans the southern part of the continent.

HIMBA ─ “The Himba people are an African people. They are native to northern Namibia.” ─ Himba Information

KHOEKHOE ─ “The Khoekhoe, or Khoikhoi, people are an African people. They are nomadic and native to southwestern Africa.” ─ Early Khoekhoe Society ─ Khoekhoe Religion ─ Khoekhoe Language

KHOISAN ─ “The Khoisan people are an African people. The term refers to anyone in South Africa that does not speak a Bantu language.” ─ San Culture ─ Khoisan Culture ─ Khoisan Dictionary

PEDI ─ “The Pedi, or Bapedi, people are an African people. They are native to northeastern South Africa.” ─ Pedi Culture ─ Pedi History ─ Pedi History

SOTHO ─ “The Sotho, or Basotho, people are an African people. They are native to southern Africa.” ─ Basotho Clothing ─ Sesotho Language

Bottle, Ambundu, 1875, Art Institute of Chicago: Arts of Africa

Often highly inventive in their forms, small bottles are made by potters throughout Central Africa for holding liquids such as beer, oil, water, or palm wine. Such pieces are often treasured personal possessions and are therefore appropriate for use in honoring ancestors, whether through the pouring of libations on special occasions or by placing them on shrines or graves. With its organic, gourdlike shape, this vessel may have been fashioned by a Chokwe potter in Angola or may be Ambundu, from the Kongo-speaking region further north. The maker’s steady and confident hand rendered tightly etched bands of pattern around the bottle’s neck and charming depictions of animals, including an antelope and a bird, around the shoulder. Gift of Keith Achepohl Size: 21 × 17.8 cm (8 1/4 × 7 in.) Medium: Terracotta

Bottle, Ambundu, 1875, Art Institute of Chicago: Arts of Africa

Often highly inventive in their forms, small bottles are made by potters throughout Central Africa for holding liquids such as beer, oil, water, or palm wine. Such pieces are often treasured personal possessions and are therefore appropriate for use in honoring ancestors, whether through the pouring of libations on special occasions or by placing them on shrines or graves. With its organic, gourdlike shape, this vessel may have been fashioned by a Chokwe potter in Angola or may be Ambundu, from the Kongo-speaking region further north. The maker’s steady and confident hand rendered tightly etched bands of pattern around the bottle’s neck and charming depictions of animals, including an antelope and a bird, around the shoulder. Gift of Keith Achepohl Size: 21 × 17.8 cm (8 1/4 × 7 in.) Medium: Terracotta

Bottle, Ambundu, 1875, Art Institute of Chicago: Arts of Africa

Often highly inventive in their forms, small bottles are made by potters throughout Central Africa for holding liquids such as beer, oil, water, or palm wine. Such pieces are often treasured personal possessions and are therefore appropriate for use in honoring ancestors, whether through the pouring of libations on special occasions or by placing them on shrines or graves. With its organic, gourdlike shape, this vessel may have been fashioned by a Chokwe potter in Angola or may be Ambundu, from the Kongo-speaking region further north. The maker’s steady and confident hand rendered tightly etched bands of pattern around the bottle’s neck and charming depictions of animals, including an antelope and a bird, around the shoulder. Gift of Keith Achepohl Size: 21 × 17.8 cm (8 1/4 × 7 in.) Medium: Terracotta

Bottle, Ambundu, 1875, Art Institute of Chicago: Arts of Africa

Often highly inventive in their forms, small bottles are made by potters throughout Central Africa for holding liquids such as beer, oil, water, or palm wine. Such pieces are often treasured personal possessions and are therefore appropriate for use in honoring ancestors, whether through the pouring of libations on special occasions or by placing them on shrines or graves. With its organic, gourdlike shape, this vessel may have been fashioned by a Chokwe potter in Angola or may be Ambundu, from the Kongo-speaking region further north. The maker’s steady and confident hand rendered tightly etched bands of pattern around the bottle’s neck and charming depictions of animals, including an antelope and a bird, around the shoulder. Gift of Keith Achepohl Size: 21 × 17.8 cm (8 1/4 × 7 in.) Medium: Terracotta

Bottle, Ambundu, 1875, Art Institute of Chicago: Arts of Africa

Often highly inventive in their forms, small bottles are made by potters throughout Central Africa for holding liquids such as beer, oil, water, or palm wine. Such pieces are often treasured personal possessions and are therefore appropriate for use in honoring ancestors, whether through the pouring of libations on special occasions or by placing them on shrines or graves. With its organic, gourdlike shape, this vessel may have been fashioned by a Chokwe potter in Angola or may be Ambundu, from the Kongo-speaking region further north. The maker’s steady and confident hand rendered tightly etched bands of pattern around the bottle’s neck and charming depictions of animals, including an antelope and a bird, around the shoulder. Gift of Keith Achepohl Size: 21 × 17.8 cm (8 1/4 × 7 in.) Medium: Terracotta

Bottle, Ambundu, 1875, Art Institute of Chicago: Arts of Africa

Often highly inventive in their forms, small bottles are made by potters throughout Central Africa for holding liquids such as beer, oil, water, or palm wine. Such pieces are often treasured personal possessions and are therefore appropriate for use in honoring ancestors, whether through the pouring of libations on special occasions or by placing them on shrines or graves. With its organic, gourdlike shape, this vessel may have been fashioned by a Chokwe potter in Angola or may be Ambundu, from the Kongo-speaking region further north. The maker’s steady and confident hand rendered tightly etched bands of pattern around the bottle’s neck and charming depictions of animals, including an antelope and a bird, around the shoulder. Gift of Keith Achepohl Size: 21 × 17.8 cm (8 1/4 × 7 in.) Medium: Terracotta

Mbundu/Ambundu people of Angola performing traditional dance.

The Mbundu also known as Northern Mbundu or Ambundu are Bantu-speaking people living in Angola's North-West, North of the river Kwanza. They are distinct from the Southern Mbundu or Ovimbundu people. The Ambundu speak Kimbundu, and mostly also the official language of the country, Portuguese. They are the second biggest ethnic group in the country, with 2.4 million people in the latest count. The Ambundu nowadays live in the region stretching to the East from Angola's capital city of Luanda. They are predominant in the Bengo and Malanje provinces and in neighbouring parts of the Cuanza Norte and Cuanza Sul provinces. The head of the main Mbundu kingdom was called Ngola, which is the origin of the name of the country Angola.

By the late 1960s, the Mbundu living in the cities, such as Luanda and Malanje, had adopted attributes of Portuguese lifestyle . Many had intermarried with Portuguese, which led to the creation of an entirely new class of mestiços. Those who received formal education and fully adopted Portuguese customs became assimilados. The Mbundu were the MPLA's strongest supporters when the movement first formed in 1956. The MPLA's president, Agostinho Neto, was the son of a Mbundu Methodist pastor and a graduate of a Portuguese medical school. In the 1980s, the Mbundu were predominant in Luanda, Bengo, Cuanza Norte, Malanje, and northern Cuanza Sul provinces.