Biljana Jurukovski, Mumuhuila people-Angolan enduring tribe and their artisan skills (Travel 2017)

From the elaborate collars and dreadlocks worn by the Mumuhuila people to the square hats of the Mucubal people, Angola is home to some of the most fascinating and at same time one of the less explored tribes in the world. Country ravaged by civil war for 27 years and littered with landmines is definitely not on the top of 'Go to places'. I was lucky to be part of expedition and to be able to photograph and present to the public the Artisans of Angola. One of the most iconic tribe is the Mumuhuila tribe that is famous for the females special hairstyles.Hairstyles are very important and meaningful in Mumuhuila culture.Women coat their hair with a red paste which is made of crushed red stone. They also put a mix of oil, dried cow dung and herbs on their hair. They also decorate their hair with beads and shave their forehead as a sign of beauty. The plaits, which look like dreadlocks have a precise meaning. Women or girls usually have four or six dreadlocks, but when they only have three it means that someone died in their family.Mumuhuila Women are also famous for their mud necklaces and each period of their life corresponds a specific type of necklace. When they are young, girls wear heavy red necklaces, made with beads covered with soil. Later girls start to wear a set of yellow necklaces called, Vikeka, made of wicker covered with earth. The women’s hairstyles and necklaces are so intricately designed that presents a new form of artisan skills where products from the nature are utilized.

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