Angolan Food: Cassava Sticks

With its tropical and sub-tropical climate regions, Angola is has a perfect climate for growing tuberous roots such as yucca or cassava.  In rural areas, cassava is either a primary staple food or a secondary co-staple because of the ease of growth and its starch / carbohydrate content which gives the consumer a 'full-feeling'.

Cassava roots are very rich in starch and contain significant amounts of calcium, phosphorus and vitamin C.  However, they are very poor in protein and other nutrients.  In contrast, cassava leaves are a good source of protein and are rich in amino acids.

A common use of the root in Angola is to make cassava sticks.   Essentially, after the root has been peeled, shredded and pounded, the pounded flesh is wrapped up in banana leaves and then steamed for several hours to cook and soften.  
The finished cassava sticks are very thick and solid; thicker than mashed potatoes and nearly the consistency of modeling clay.The cooking infuses the flavor of the banana leaves with the cassava resulting in a flavor much like steamed artichoke.  The food is served warm or at room temperature with soup, stew or any other sauce dish.   The cooked sticks keep for several days if stored in the leaf wrapper in a cool, dry place.

How Tourism can Benefit Destinations: The Gambia - by Sandra Asuming

At West Africa Discovery we are always looking for stories, photos, videos and articles as to how tourism can benefit local communities in destinations. The following contribution has been put forward by Sandra Asuming who spent some time in The Gambia discovering how, if sustainably and responsibly managed, tourism can have positive effects for underdeveloped countries.

Travelling to Gambia for the first time was odd as I didn't know what to expect, if am being honest, Gambia as a tourist destination was something I never considered when planning a holiday until I entered Leeds metropolitan university in 2008.

Studying international tourism management meant I would have the opportunity travel. The first trip on this course was to the Gambia and the main purpose was to explore the country, as well as discovering the benefit of tourism to one of the poorest country in the world. As a tourism student I have leant that tourism is an important sector in the economy, as it provides employment opportunities for local residents, earns valuable foreign exchange for the host destination, it can help improve social lifestyles. Tourism has been accepted as a tool for development in developing countries such as the Gambia. The industry generates a lot of employment opportunities especially for the youth in Gambia. Through tourism around 26000 people are employed either directly or indirectly. The employment figures are for full-time jobs or part-time job equivalents in the case of persons. These jobs include tour guides, beach vendors and souvenir traders. Tourism in the Gambia is thus essential to the economy and to the people. The end benefit of this is income earned by parents which goes towards their children education and the betterment of their living conditions.

My experience in the Gambia was extra-ordinary as I witness the importance of international tourism; their export earner is a big factor in the balance of payments of the Gambia. The global foreign currency receipts overtake the exports of oil products, motor vehicles, telecommunications equipment, textiles or any other product or service. Tourism jobs and businesses can be created in the most underdeveloped regions of Gambia by providing an incentive for residents to remain in rural areas rather than moving to overcrowded cities. Travel and tourism stimulate enormous investment in new infrastructure, most of which helps to improve the living conditions of local residents as well as tourists in Gambia. Tourism development projects often include airports, roads, marinas, sewage systems, and water treatment plants, restoration of cultural monuments, museums and nature interpretation centres. The tourism industry provides governments with extra tax revenues each year through accommodation and restaurant taxes, airport taxes, sales taxes, park entrance fees, employee income tax and many other fiscal matters. The Gambia has established itself as a tourism destination which caters for people who want to exchange cold weather for sunny sandy beach and sunshine. Therefore travelling to Gambia also has a benefit for individual needs and desires.

The Gambia is a peaceful and stable destination which offers the best climate in the world all year and has amazing landscapes. The country is known as the smiling coast of Africa. This makes the Gambians warm and friendly people with a contagious relaxed attitude to life. A visit to Gambia will give you the chance to interact with local people, try local cuisines, and visit historical site and most of all relaxing on the beach. During my week in the Gambia I visited a lot of interesting places such the craft market, there the local men and women craft interesting art to take as a souvenir to take back home. Serekunda market was one place worth visiting; the place has items one would not think existed. A Gambia holiday excursion consists of bird watching, boat rides on the Gambia River, a tour of the national park to see the monkey sanctuary, eco-tourism for those of you who are interested in the conservation and preservation of unique areas of Gambia.

I thoroughly enjoy my time in the Gambia and there is plenty more to explore there. It is definitely a ‘must-go-and-see’ for everyone. It is important to travel to this country as it helps increase the awareness of tourism and increase revenue to the economy and improves local lifestyles.

For more information on responsible tourism, sustainable travel opportunities in West Africa or just to get in touch, you can visit our web portal at www.westafricadiscovery.co.uk, or connect through facebook or twitter.

Bangkok in Brief

Welcome to Bangkok : The city of culture.

Welcome to the metropolis of Bangkok, one of Asia's most thriving commercial centres. Many first-time visitors to Bangkok have little idea of what they'll actually encounter, Bangkok metropolis, accommodating around 8,000,000 residents, is a sophisticated, fast-growing and occasionally traffic-jammed city.

 

 

Referred to today as the City of Angels (Krung Thep in Thai), Bangkok was once called the Vanice of the East because of its many canals. Although many canals have been filled-in, taking away some of the city's old-world charm, it's still one of the most intriguing places worth visiting in Asia. Numerous visitors keep coming back to the city, some for vacations, some for business and some even to settle down here. Without doubt, modern-day Bangkok is a tourist destination of the East offering a greater variety of things to see and do than any other city in Asia.

Established in 1782 as Thailand's capital, the official full name of the city is probably the longest in the world:

Krung Thep Maha Nakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayutthaya Mahadilokphop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udom Ratchaniwet Maha Sathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathatthiya Witsanukam Prasit.

Bangkok (City of Angels) offers an abundance of sites and attractions for tourists and is famous for its Buddhist Temples (Wats) including the famous Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaeo), adjacent to the Grand Palace. This temple and other beautiful examples of carefully-preserved Thai architecture are referred to in more details in the following section. Bangkok, located in the center of the country, is also an excellent stepping-off point for visiting other parts of Thailand. Although the measured pace of old Siam is now a thing of the past, the country's rich cultural and natural heritage still survives.

Accommodation in the city covers a variety of price ranges, but all offer high standard of service presented by friendly staffs. The city probably has the highest concentration of luxurious hotels in the world.

Currently, hotels and shopping venues offer amazing bargains, following the depreciation of the Thai baht currency in 1997. And for those in search of bargains, Bangkok has excellent examples of Thai handicrafts, Thai antiques, paintings, T-shirts in-fashion accessories, high-grade Thai silks and high quality jewellery.

 

The city also boasts a cornucopia of inexpensive restaurants featuring mouth-watering dishes from all regions of Thailand and international cuisine from just almost everywhere in the world. Many gourmets of Thai food, now rated No. 5 in the world's culinary top ten, considering Bangkok to be on a par with Hong Kong for gastronomic experiences.

 

The city offers a broad variety of restaurants, ranging from simple noodle stands to the most elegant dining rooms. Visitors from Europe and North America who consider themselves connoisseurs of Thai food will find Bangkok a gastronomic paradise. Despite the country's economic downturn, Thai people continue to be outwardly friendly, greeting visitors with their usual gracious hospitality and sincere expressions of friendship-traits which have earned Thailand the title of "Land of Smile". 

 

And that is no gimmick as you will discover by the time you have to leave Thailand. When the time comes, we hope you will leave the city of Bangkok feeling a deep warmth for its many charms and find it fascinating enough to enable us to welcome you back again and again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bangkok Geography:
Located in the center of the country, quite close to the Gulf of Thailand, the greater Bangkok Metropolis (including the former capital of Thonburi on the other side of the Chao Phraya River) covers an area of 1600 km2.

The city is situated right in the middle of the rice bowl of Asia, also known as Chao Phraya River Delta.

Bangkok Weather:
If you like the hot weather, Bangkok is the place for you. Average temp. rarely dip below 25 degree Celsius during the city’s 3 seasons. Between Nov. and Feb. the weather is warm and dry with temp. from 19 – 33 degree Celsius.; Mar – May is hot with temp rising to as high as 42 degrees, and from Jun – Oct (rainy season) it is warm and sometimes wet, but never cold. Even the rain is warm.

Angola Refugees: A Woman's Personal Story

(UNHCR Report)  Fifty year old Angolan, Maria Mbuona, and six members of her family live in a tumbledown home the size of a garden shed.  When it rains, the thatched roof offers no protection and the flimsy wall are scant defense against malaria-carrying mosquitos.

Maria is a refugee, living in neighboring DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo) in the Kilueka refugee settlement.  The settlement lies on largely barren land and life is extremely tough.  Maria wants to go back home to Angola after 12 years of living in exile.

She's not the only one; some 43,000 of her Angolan compatriots living in hundreds of settlements dotted around the province have said they want to return to northern Angola with the help of UNHCR (United Nations High Commission of Refugees). The remaining 37,000 Angolans in this country wish to stay, including a small number living in Kilueka.

The first batch is expected to return home next month under an agreement reached in early June between UNHCR and the governments of Angola and DRC. "The signing of this agreement and the adoption of practical measures for the voluntary repatriation of so many Angolan refugees is a significant achievement," said Mohamed Boukry, UNHCR's Kinshasa-based regional representative.

Maria should be among them. She was pregnant when she fled her home in the north-west Angolan province of Zaire and made her way to Bas-Congo in January 1999, during the third and final stage of the 1975-2002 Angolan Civil War, which left huge numbers dead or displaced and destroyed infrastructure.

She and her husband became separated from their eight children when armed assailants attacked their village. "It was midnight and the troops entered the village and started killing people," she recalled, adding that some children were kidnapped; the boys to be soldiers and the girls to work as porters.

She worried about her own children, including the baby in her belly, as she struggled to cover the 65 kilometres to the border and the town of Songololo, about 10 kilometres inside Congo. "I was taken to hospital in Songololo and I could still hear the gunfire."

But the family was reunited in Songololo before being moved to Kilueka, which was a camp at that time. UNHCR provided the refugees with basic assistance. "I lived for a year under that plastic sheeting," Maria said, referring to the ubiquitous shelter material she received.

She said it was difficult leaving everything behind, "including our culture." Between 2003 and 2008, UNHCR ran a first voluntary repatriation programme that saw 59,000 people go back. But many, like Maria, opted to remain in Bas-Congo. "I wasn't ready to go back. I had a child who was sick," she explained.



Some people were also worried about conditions across the border after years of conflict in Angola. In recent years, the Angolans have had to largely fend for themselves and it is not easy. "The refugees here are alone. We have no help," Maria noted.


She owns her flimsy hut and has a small vegetable patch, but that's it. This family breadwinner cannot afford anything more. "To survive, I help others to farm their land and even if I work for many hours a day, I will earn very little money."

This has a knock-on affect. "I have no money to buy food, no money to buy clothes," she said, adding: "Sometimes my husband brings in a bit, but it's difficult and that's not a normal life."
Paying the school bills for her four youngest children is also a problem, Maria said, adding: "We can't get medical care. The price is too expensive." The nearest hospital, moreover, is 30 kilometres away in Kimpese, where UNHCR has reopened an office to help prepare the refugees for their return.


Pedro Matondo, who represents the 508 refugees living in Kilueka, said people had already started returning on their own. The 41-year-old teacher from Cuimba in Zaire province said 15 families have gone back in the past year. Of those still here, "90 per cent of them want to go home," he stressed.

They include Pedro. "I'm waiting for you to name a date," he said. "It's been a long time since we heard of conflict, so now I think I can return." He echoed Maria's testimony about the harshness of life, noting that in the rainy season floods were a hazard and the fragile houses were at the mercy of storms.

Like others, he was grateful to the Congolese. "We have good relations with the Congolese because they have welcomed us."

Now it's time to return. "Peace or not, I suffered too much here and I want to go back to my country," said Maria, sitting under a tree and pounding manioc for the evening meal as the sun sank over the hills.

By Leo Dobbs in Kilueka, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Angola - Going Digital

Angola is now among the top three countries in the SADC (Southern Africa Development Community) region whose migration from analog to digital communication is in an advanced state. Angola now shares digital capabilities jointly with South Africa and Botswana in areas of digital public television, ministries of social communication, telecommunications and ICT ( Information and Communication Technologies).

While the digital format has long been the standard for European and western nations, Angola's "advancement from seven to 50% within 5 years is very noticeable in today's world, especially in Africa and other Third World countries", claims the secretary general of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Hamadoun Toure.

The digital migration is a change from the analogical system of communication and transportation of data to digital technology, which will provide better efficiency as well as the reduction of excess equipment of consumers in the use of communications and ICT.

The Angolan government has just inaugurated a mobile ICT Center to take ICT to users situated in isolated areas around the country.  The mobile USD$30,000 Ndola Digital mobile ICT center is one of several to be rolled out in various regions of the country.   The first center includes 16 PCs, a printer and a projector for audiovisual lessons.

Angola's minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Maria Candida Teixeira, said the mobile centers would help provide education and digital inclusion to under-served communities. (ANGOP)

Cities in Thailand to Savour

The tourist in Thailand can probably trip a carillion of famous Thai cities off their tongues although their claims to fame may well be more notorious than famous and remembered for reasons that may well be better forgotten. Clearly Bangkok, being the capital city, holds its own claim to fame. Chang Mai, being the ancient Siam capital, also holds a claim to fame. Thailand's peninsula offers names to travellers to Thailand that many know by heart, whether they have visited Thailand or not: Phuket, Pattaya, and Koh Samui.



Udon Thani, to the north-east of Thailand, amidst the Isaan countryside, is really only a town but it has a couple of claims that ought to bring it to the attention of the traveller to Thailand. Hua Hin, Krabi, Khon Khan and Surat Thani are all cities in Thailand and known to a greater or lesser extent. Other famous cities in Thailand include Koh Phangan, Koh Phi Phi, Kanchanaburi, Ayutthaya, Nakhon Ratchasima although these are lesser known to the international world outside of Thailand.

City of Angels and Rose of the North
The city of Bangkok, is the capital city of modern Thailand, colloquially known as the City of Angels. Meanwhile, Ayutthaya and Chang Mai each share historical claims to being capital cities from ancient Siam. Rose of the North is the title given to the ancient city of Chiang Mai. As with any capital city Bangkok reveals a cosmopolitan diversity, five star hotels rubbing shoulders with dilapidated roadside food-stalls.
This diversity is further exhibited in Bangkok's wide range of excellent hotels and restaurants offering a truly international range of cuisine. Shopping offers the tourist a truly absorbing pastime, especially as Bangkok lays claim to some of the biggest shopping malls in Asia. If shopping malls seem rather tame, you can always visit Chatuchak, a particularly large outdoor market held at weekends, or other outdoor markets with similar characteristics.

The famous Thai city of Chiang Mai lies along the Ping River. It has long spread its suburbs out from around its original 700 year old limits. Apart from being the old capital city of Thailand, Chiang Mai is particularly noted for its innumerable Buddhist temples, each one surpassing the previous one in exquisite decor. The oldest of Thailand's temples, Wat Chiang Man, is located here. Another 'must-see' for any visitor to Chiang Mai is the lake, Huay Tung Tao, nestling amongst a mountain-bound terrain. There is also a zoo which cares for the welfare of more than 7,000 animals.

Pearl of the Andaman Sea and other Coastal Cities
Phuket has the honour to be known as the Pearl of the Andaman Sea. Other coastal cities include Hua Hin, Krabi, Pattaya Beach, Patong Beach, Rayong, Chumphon: in fact, with Thailand having 3,219km of coastline there are far more cities than could possibly be included here. Much of Thailand's coastline could be designated as areas of outstanding beauty, especially Hua Hin and Krabi. Many beaches cater for the family; there are some areas where young people party all night and sleep all day, however.

 

Different Cities Reflect Diversity of Provinces
Thailand has many different provinces, each one different from the next. Some of this difference can be due to a range in temperatures, some due to specific handicrafts being traditional to that village or province: there are silk villages where silk material is produced and woven and other villages where this silk is tailored into beautiful garments. The temperature in Chiang Mai is vastly different to the temperatures experienced in the beach resorts to the south of Thailand so naturally this would be reflected in how different the cities in the north are to those in the south.

Nevertheless, regardless where tourists to Thailand go, they cannot fail to be moved by the beauty and history each of Thailand's famous cities evokes. Busy these cities might be, but the evocative aura experienced as travellers visit each city is something that will always remain in their memories: these cities will provide the traveller to Thailand with a lifetime of never-to-be-forgotten reminiscences to savour in the future.

 by Soophott Lert

New Layout, New Destionations and More!

 Summer Vacations 2011 are finally here!

Isn't it a great occasion to introduce a few changes on my blog? As you have probably already noticed, the website has undergone a major redecoration. I hope you will like the new layout as well as new navigation and search options.

Additionally, several new articles appeared in the Asia section, as it is one of the most popular travel destinations. I'm sure you will find something just for you among all the new resources. Don't be surprised if it inspires you to plan new trips!



Remember, any feedback is welcome. If you have any suggestions, do not hesistate to write.

Oh, and one more thing... happy reading!

Angolan Albinos: Living with Health and Social Challenges

Albinism is a genetically inherited condition which affects some 2000 Angolans, according to World Health Organization statistics. While in Europe and the United States albinism affects about one in 20,000 people, in some parts of Africa the rate is as high as one in 1,100.  The prevalence of this rate is mainly attributed the ritual intermarriage practices of Africans to people within their own tribe, thus propagating the condition.

Genetically, albinism is passed from parent to child, in which the body does not produce the pigment melanin. Albinos are born with pale skin, light hair, pinkish eyes and and impaired vision. Melanin is the skin’s own natural protection against the sun’s rays and lack of melanin puts albinos at risk for many types of solar skin damage, including deadly skin cancers. The risk is of skin cancer is especially great for albinos living in sub-Sarahan African regions like Angola, where ultraviolet rays are high because of the close proximity to the Equator.

Inherent to Africans born with this genetic condition, comes social segregation and discrimination because of the obvious appearance dissimilarities and the long-held tribal superstitions about the powers that albinos are perceived to possess. While albinos in Angola appear to not face overt violent attacks because of cultural norms, reports from countries like Senegal and Tanzania tell how albinos face grave and even life-threatening discrimination.  Albinos have been murdered in Tanzania and Burundi, apparently being targeted because of the belief  peddled by some witch doctors that albino's blood or body parts have magical qualities that can bring riches or cure disease. 

In Angola, the lack of adequate health care, the difficulties accessing education and employment, and social marginalisation mean many albinos have their sight and skincare conditions exacerbated unnecessarily.  In the rural areas of Angola, this often relegates albinos to live in destitution with very few options for employment or healthcare. (adapted from WHO, UNHCR Refworld Report, Hatsforskinhealth.org)

Testing a Doctor's Pediatric Skills!

Angola has some of the highest infant mortality rates globally, which are attributed to the unimproved social and healthcare conditions.  Visiting doctor, Dr. Nicolas Comninellis, recently submitted the following report of his day of pediatric consultations at the CEML Hospital.

"Here at CEML it is the nurse practitioners that first attend to those coming for care. Paulo and Miguel are skilled, thoughtful, and can manage most individuals just fine. For me, they save the more complicated cases. Today, first, these included a four-year old girl who was growing normally until struck with cerebral malaria. She suffered a stroke and has been quadriplegic ever since. Second, they sent me an eight-year old girl with sudden liver failure, jaundice and ascites – all of unknown origin. Next, a two-month old with imperforate anus who was passing stool via his urethra. And finally, I received this eight-month old with hydrocephalus. Just a typical day of complicated pediatrics"

Check out Dr. Cominellis' blog inmedblog.us/nicholascomninellis and website for more information on international medicine - INMED  www.inmed.us

Paris Syndrome

Have you ever heard about the Paris syndrome?

Some Japanese tourists suffer a shock when visiting Paris. Having idealized Paris as the perfect romantic European city for a long time, once in the city they feel disappointed with what they find.

A BBC article by Caroline Wyatt describes this situation as follows:

A dozen or so Japanese tourists a year have to be repatriated from the French capital, after falling prey to what's become known as "Paris syndrome". That is what some polite Japanese tourists suffer when they discover that Parisians can be rude or the city does not meet their expectations. The experience can apparently be too stressful for some and they suffer a psychiatric breakdown. Around a million Japanese travel to France every year.Many of the visitors come with a deeply romantic vision of Paris - the cobbled streets, as seen in the film Amelie, the beauty of French women or the high culture and art at the Louvre.

The reality can come as a shock. An encounter with a rude taxi driver, or a Parisian waiter who shouts at customers who cannot speak fluent French, might be laughed off by those from other Western cultures. But for the Japanese - used to a more polite and helpful society in which voices are rarely raised in anger - the experience of their dream city turning into a nightmare can simply be too much. This year alone, the Japanese embassy in Paris has had to repatriate four people with a doctor or nurse on board the plane to help them get over the shock. They were suffering from "Paris syndrome". It was a Japanese psychiatrist working in France, Professor Hiroaki Ota, who first identified the syndrome some 20 years ago. On average, up to 12 Japanese tourists a year fall victim to it, mainly women in their 30s with high expectations of what may be their first trip abroad. The Japanese embassy has a 24-hour hotline for those suffering from severe culture shock, and can help find hospital treatment for anyone in need. However, the only permanent cure is to go back to Japan - never to return to Paris. To know more you can read the article on Msnbc.com Travel News. Have you ever experienced something similar to this in Paris or anywhere else? Please leave your comments.

African Folklore: Why Mongoose Kills Snakes

(A Bushman Legend) In ancient times, Mongoose and Secretary Bird were great friends. One day they walking through the bush when they came upon a large snake.

Snake asked Mongoose to accompany him.  He found something special and wished to show it to Mongoose.  Secretary Bird said she was hot. She wished to bathe and drink at a water hole some distance away. So Secretary Bird said farewell to her friend Mongoose and flew off.

Mongoose and snake set off together. After a long walk, they came to a nest on the ground. The nest had some eggs in it. Snake knew that the nest belonged to Secretary Bird, but he did not tell Mongoose this.

"Have you every tasted eggs?" Snake asked Mongoose.
"No, Snake, I have never eaten an egg," replied Mongoose eagerly.
"They are very good. Why don't you try one?" suggested the cunning Snake. He broke open the shell of one of the eggs.

Both Mongoose and Snake started to eat the eggs. Mongoose agreed that he never knew anything that tasted so good. Just as they had gulped down the last egg, they saw Secretary Bird approaching.

The devious Snake called out, "Mongoose has eaten all of your lovely eggs!"

Secretary Bird was very angry and very sad that her friend Mongoose had betrayed her. Then she saw that Snake had egg around his mouth too!

"You have both eaten my eggs," Secretary Bird said furiously.



Mongoose explained to Secretary Bird how Snake had tricked him.  Then both Secretary Bird and Mongoose set upon the deceitful Snake and killed him.

"From now on, we shall both watch for snakes and kill them," said Mongoose to Secretary Bird and they have done so ever since.

Secretary Bird learned how to build her nest atop thick, thorny trees to protect her eggs and young from predators.  She also eats snakes, stamping them to death with her long legs and horny, scaled feet.

Mongoose eats snakes too.  He is able to kill them by being quicker than lightning and faster than the speediest snake.

But Mongoose can never forget the lovely taste of eggs and whenever he can find them he will always eat them.  (From Nick Greaves, When Lion Could Fly and other Tales from Africa)

Angola Slavery Museum: A Monument to a Painful Past of Trade Activity

Situated some 18 kilometers south of the capital city Luanda,  sits the National Museum of Slavery; a monument using the original building that processed the transferral of thousands of slaves.

The Museum consists of the Chapel and adjacent rooms; it is a tiny two-story building that sits on a beautiful cliff facing the ocean and Mussulo Island. The Museum itself is relatively modest, but in spite of its size and simplicity, the message is big: “it is a testament and a reminder of the history of the Angolan people who lived in the day of slavery and it stands as a monument to those who suffered and were affected by slavery.”

This little museum is of great importance in the history of slavery because over a period of two centuries, through its doors, millions of slaves entered it to be baptized before being sent off on their arduous journey to the colonies in the Americas. The bulk of the slaves exported to the new world departed the shores of Luanda and were sent to Bahia, Brazil, with a good number sent directly to the North America and the Caribbean islands.

According to historians, slavery in Angola existed since the early times. But starting in the 16th century the conquest of Portugal's explorers began the founding of settlements and trade ports which mitigated and expanded the major trading activities with the Imbangala and Mbundu tribes.  These tribes were inherently involved in an internal 'African slave trade' and the arrival of the Portuguese precipitated the beginning of the 'Atlantic Slave Trade'.

For several decades, slave trade with the Portuguese colony of Brazil was an important trade avenue in Portuguese Angola, and also an important supplier of workers for the emerging Brazilian agricultural sector.   Historians note that besides the benefit of two Portuguese colonies, the slave trade also benefited the local black merchants and warriors who profited from the trade. In the 17th century, the  Imbangala tribe became the main rivals of the Mbundu in supplying slaves to the Luanda slave processing market. In the 1750's the Portuguese sold 5,000 to 10,000 slaves annually, devastating the Mbundu

economy and population. The Portuguese gave guns to the Imbangala soldiers in exchange for slaves.. Armed with superior weapons, the Imbangala soldiers captured and sold natives at a far larger scale. 

Historians note that Portugal had the monopoly on the export of slaves from West Africa for at least two centuries, exporting at least five million slaves; 40% of the total slaves found in the new world.

The Museum curators emphasized that although Portugal tends to be blamed for the fate of slavery in Angola and other parts of West Africa, various individuals such as African kings, African merchants, and local Angolans of mixed color were notorious slave traders. He mentioned that the the greatest organizer of the slave trade in 19th century Angola, was the infamous Dohna Ana Joaquina, a woman of mixed color, and she betrayed her people. (Epinions.com Review, Wikipedia)