Angola
  Angola is situated towards South West Africa, with a landscape as diverse as beaches, forest, savannah and desert. The country’s current population, mostly of Bantu origin, is the result of an ancient and complex history. The slave trade plays an important role in this history, and between the 15th – 19th centuries, Africans were exchanged for arms, gun-powder, alcohol, glassware and cowrie shells, originally from the Maldives, a group of islands in the Indian Ocean. Many Africans were taken from Angola to the Americas, particularly to Brazil. The Portuguese presence in the country was concentrated in the ports to the north and south of Kwanza, in their two main posts on the coast in Luanda and Benguela, in the forts and in the coastal military posts. Angola’s waterways (known as libambos) are very important in the country’s slave trading history, carrying African slaves from the interior to the Atlantic Ocean.



Benguela

As well as for use by colonialists and slave traders, churches were also used to ‘christianise’ enslaved Africans, who had to be baptised before being loaded onto slave ships like cargo. Churches symbolised oppression and opposition to African religions and practices, and stand as testimony to the violence of enslavement. ‘Nossa Senhora do Pópulo is an example of an 18th century church in Benguela.

Benguela is also characterised by its quintalões or ‘slave enclosures’ that were intended to control enslaved Africans.
Luanda

In the 16th century, Luanda became the centre of Portuguese presence in Angola. It was directly linked to the trade in slaves who were mostly being taken to Brazil. Luanda became known as a mythical traditional African – Brazilian town. It was where the slave ‘caravans’ would end coming from the interior, and in return many different goods were passed along the same route into the interior. These goods had a long lasting effect on the reshaping of Angolan cultures and values. Luanda has many places of memory today that were either built or created by enslaved Africans, showing how important the slave trade was to this town. Ports, forts of all sizes, churches, chapels, market places, buildings - in particular hotels, shops and quintalões, or slave ‘enclosures’ and places of refuge and resistance (known as quilombos, mutolos or coutos) for people who were turned into merchandise for Europeans. All these are symbols of how much this town was marked for centuries, by the slave trade.



This church, ‘Igreja do Carmo’, was built in the 17th century in Ingombotas, Luanda. Many quintalões were also in this area, to control Africans before they were transported to the Americas.

This is Morro da Cruz in Luanda, and the slavery museum, built with a chapel in the 18th century. It was where thousands of enslaved Africans were embarked onto slave ships to face the Middle Passage. The chapel stands alone facing out to sea. The area is barren, no trees or fertile land around it, symbolising the isolation and misery that were caused by the slave trade.



Also in Luanda, many buildings belonged to members of the local aristocracy and to traders. This is a hotel, which belonged to D. Ana Joaquina in the 18th century. This woman – of mixed race – was the greatest organiser of the slave trade in 19th century Angola.



This is Baleizão in Luanda. It used to be known as Terreiro Público, and was where enslaved Africans were gathered and sold.



It was from this port in Luanda, that Africans were herded onto slave ships after coming from the interior of Angola.

Branding Irons

Enslaved Africans were branded with irons, as if they were animals. Different markings were placed on the left and right hand sides of the body. These are examples of branding irons used in Angola.