Luchazi People

Luchazi Kingdom: A history of sovereignty By the fourteenth century, the Luchazi people were centrally settled in what is now present-day Angola. Prior to colonial rule, clans were highly organised and wielded significant power, often functioning as autonomous kingdoms because of strong kinship ties and deep loyalty. As a result, Luchazi territories were clearly demarcated into kingdoms and chiefdoms. The Muangana is the royal ruler of the Luchazi people and resides in a palace known as the Nganda . Within the Nganda, the Muangana’s residence is enclosed by a well-trimmed pole-and-grass palisade called Citungu ca Muangana. The term Muangana refers to a royal ruler—male or female—and is equivalent to “king” in the Luchazi language. The title Mueni is used before the names of Luchazi kings, queens, princes, and princesses. Between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries, the Luchazi royal family expanded significantly. As the number of princes and princesses increased, many left the ce...