The southwest of Angola, a region limited between the Huila plateau, the Cunene river and the Lona desert, concentrates several different cultural groups, each one with its own culture, aesthetics and language.
The highest level of artistic expression of these people is found in women’s hairstyles. They symbolize the social level, ethnic origin and life stage of the person.
“Himbas”: with a large number of ornaments and complicated styles in their hairstyles, they also stand out for the coating of their body and braids with Otjize paste.
“Cubal”: with its geisha-type buns.
“Hakaona”: headdress made from dung, fat and herbs.
“Handa”: with imposing white bead necklaces called “Handa”: with imposing white bead necklaces called Missanga.
“Muila de plain”: from childhood to old age, women do not stop adding necklaces of beads, shells and metallic objects to their necks, forearms and ankles, covering their hair with a red paste called Oncula made of crushed red stone, they also put a mixture of oil, crushed tree bark, dried cow dung and herbs on their hair.
“Mountain muila” – hairstyle is very important and significant, having a shaved forehead is considered a sign of beauty. The dreadlocks on the back of the head are called Nontombi; three dreadlocks indicate that there is a dead person in the family.
