The Mwila are said to be one of the earliest Bantu people to undertake the migration into Angola. The women are famous for keeping their traditional African culture with some of the most astonishing hairstyles. Hairstyles are very important and meaningful in Mwila culture. Women coat their hair with a red paste called, oncula, which is made of crushed red stone. They also put a mix of oil, crushed tree bark, dried cow dung and herbs on their hair. Besides this, they decorate their hairstyle with beads, cauri shells, buttons, and even dried food or feathers. In addition to beading their hair, they wear heaving bead work around their
necks. Their necklaces change as they mature, with each being meaningful for each period of their life. I’m very happy I got to experience a place like Angola. Despite the turmoil of its past, it is a remarkably peaceful and friendly place now. As more tourists visit these remote parts of the country, and as the local population pursues living a more modern lifestyle, these traditional ways will not be around indefinitely. • See more images from my Angola trip: https://www.flickr. com/photos/squidgallery/albums/72177720301330002
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Mwila women and their extraordinary beading.
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