The country of Angola, which is located in the South Western region of Africa, was initially home to the Bushmen called Khoisan. The Khoisan were mainly a hunter-gatherer society. However, between the 1300 and 1600 period, the Bantu speaking people who had moved from the Western parts of Africa, Cameroon and Nigeria became the new inhabitants of Angola. The Khoisan are said to have either been assimilated into this new group or to have moved away further Southwards. The Bantus formed such historically significant kingdoms as Dongo and Kongo. The name Angola is borrowed from the Dongo Bantu Kingdom who refer to their king as Ngola. When the Portuguese first landed on the West Coast of Africa, Angola is said to have been among the first countries that they explored. This was back in the 15th Century. The Portuguese founded Angola as its colony as far back as 1575. The now capital city Luanda, became known as a city much later in the year 1605.
Angola Slave Trade
Angola is of particular importance in slave trade. Back in the 17th century, most of the slaves called pecas who were transported to work in Portuguese farms and plantations came from Angola. This was a time when Europe was going through the agrarian revolution and was therefore in high demand for labor for their large plantations. Initially, the reason why the Portuguese were interested in Angola was because it served as a link between Africa and Europe plus the fact that it had vast gold deposits that could be exploited and exported. It was not until much later that the interest was turned into slavery and slave trade. The main casualties of the Portuguese were locals who were sold off to them by the African chiefs. Agents, who were known as pombieros, bought or exchanged the slaves for such items as wine or cloth. In most cases, the slaves were sent to work in the sugar plantations not only in Brazil but also in such regions as Sao Tome, Principe and later in the America’s. In order to keep the slave trade going, the supply had to be maintained. This meant that raids were a constant feature in Angola. The purpose was to capture men, women and children who were then sold off as slaves.
Embargo
Angola primarily traded with Brazil. Consequently, most of the ships that docked Angolan harbors in Luanda and Benguela were Brazilian trading ships. For the better part of the 17th century, slave trade took centre stage. However, it began to decline in the 18th century as focus shifted to other forms of trade. The biggest blow to slave trade in Angola was an embargo, which was involved in the export of such products as ivory, cocoa, coffee and even peanut oil placed on by western countries in the 19th century. By this time, large trading companies had been established in Angola. As a result, the export of slaves from Angola to Europe and the Americas was banned in 1836. However, despite the ban, slavery and slave trade would still be a legal activity in Angola under Portuguese rule up until 1875.
References
“Angola”. Encyclopedia of the Nations. 2009.
“History of Angola”. History World. N.d.
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