Last Tribes of Angola is the first book in a collection that delves into the planet’s last ‘islands of cultural resistance’. The result of a joint project by anthropologist Joan Riera and travel photographer Aníbal Bueno, it was presented to the public on 28th September 2021 at the Altaïr bookshop in Barcelona.
Written in English and Spanish, and illustrated with a wealth of photographs, drawings and maps, the book is a unique visual guide to the most remote tribes of south-west Angola.
A guide to the sixteen tribes of south-west Angola
South-west Angola is home to sixteen different cultural groups, each with its own culture, language and aesthetic. The book organises the tribes according to their means of subsistence – in other words, their economy. After placing the sixteen tribes on a map of the region, it introduces the three socio-economic groups.
First come those whose economy is based on gathering and hunting: they are Angola’s first inhabitants and its minority tribes. Second are the semi-nomadic herding societies that inhabit the desert areas of Cunene and Namibe. Finally, there are the farming tribes of the fertile, cool Huíla Plateau.
In their analysis of each tribe, the authors use images and rich illustrations to reveal the territory it inhabits, its way of life, its beliefs and its aesthetic. To conclude, they examine the challenges these tribes face today as cultural minorities, the threats hanging over them and realistic ways of protecting their culture and territory.
Portada de «Last Tribes of Angola», de Joan Riera y Aníbal Bueno.
Women’s hairstyles, the highest form of artistic expression
The authors point out that, apart from the work of some blacksmiths, wooden objects and household basketry, the highest levels of artistic expression among Angola’s tribal peoples are found in women’s hairstyles. These hairstyles indicate each person’s social status, ethnic group and stage of life.
Dimba woman with a traditional hairstyle decorated with safety pins and colourful beaded hair clips.
Where to buy ‘Last Tribes of Angola’
The book is available in selected bookshops and online.
Delivery to Spain and Portugal, including the islands
- Buy the book from Exlibric
- Buy the book from Agapea
- Buy the book from Casa del Libro
- Buy the book on Amazon Spain
Delivery to the rest of the world
Portada de «Last Tribes of Angola», de Joan Riera y Aníbal Bueno.
The Last Tribes project
The Last Tribes project is the result of 30 years of living alongside the world’s last traditional ethnic groups. Observing, respecting, sensing and even coming to understand these societies has led us to conclude that their disappearance would be a loss for all of humanity. Last Tribes is a tribute to cultural diversity and a tool to help preserve it.
These visual guides are designed to bring us closer to the reality of different cultural groups with their own worldview, and with unique ways of relating to their surroundings, adorning their bodies and interpreting the world. The Last Tribes collection of ethnographic guides presents each tribe in an up-to-date way and seeks realistic ways for these last peoples to preserve their way of life.
Joan Riera and Aníbal Bueno, authors of ‘Last Tribes of Angola’.
About the authors
Joan Riera (Barcelona, 1978) is an anthropologist specialising in processes of cultural recovery among tribal societies. Co-founder of Last Places S.L., he combines academic research with organising ethnographic expeditions to the world’s last tribes.
Aníbal Bueno (Orihuela, 1981) is a scientist, writer and photographer specialising in documenting minority societies. He divides his time between research, teaching and working as a travel guide to some of the most remote places on the planet, with the company he co-founded, Last Places S.L.
© Photographs by Aníbal Bueno.
Would you like to meet the tribes of south-west Angola?
Many of the sixteen cultures in the book are part of our routes through the country. If you would like to travel to Angola, on the destination page you will find our upcoming departures, what to see in the country and useful information to help you prepare.
ES
