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THE PROVINCE OF HUÍLA

Lubango is the capital city of the province of Hu
íla, which has an area or 75, 002 km2. Initially, with the Portuguese colonization, Huila was included in the territory of Benguela and by a decree law passed in April1849, was integrated in the District of Moçâmedes (now called Namibe). The main municipalities are Quilengues, Lubango, Humpata, Chibia, Chiange, Quipungo, Caluquembe, Caconda, Chicomba, Matala, lamba, Chipindo and Kuvango.
 

The municipality of Humpata has great tourist potential. It was where the first colonies were set up, due to the natural beauty of the area. The Fenda do Alto Bambi, the Cristo Rei Belvedere, the Barragens (Dams) das Neves show other spots which are an absolute must for the tourist.

This region was discovered by the Boer colonizers on 4th January, 1881. It was dec1ared a council (municipality) on 17th January, 1883. It has an area of 1,261,250 km2 and around 60,000 in habitants. The main economic activities are agriculture and rearing of stock.

The Huilana people are divided into six ethniclinguistic groups: the Nyaneka, Nkhwnbi, Umbundo, Nganguela, Cokwé (Quioco), Herero, non-Bantu. In the north of the province, Caconda, Caluquembe, Chicomba and Chipindo the same version of the Umbundu language is spoken, although there are certain regional differences.

However, the most widely-spoken language in the province is Olunyaneca-Nkwnbi. 
 

The first European contact with lands of the Tableland is dated from 1627. The first tries of settlement were in Humpata by Boers about 1880. The Madeira people appeared a bit later as Portuguese settlers and in January 1885 settled the colony of Sá da Bandeira. The progress of all the Tableland became even more clear and Lubango assumed during years the role of operations centre of Além-Cunene, having dominated administratively the neighbour districts of Moçâmedes and Cunene during considerable periods of time.

In 2 December 1901 the new district of Huila was created asa consequence of the division of the district of Moçâmedes, with head-quarters in Lubango that reached the category of village by an edict, getting the name of Vila de Sá da Bandeira – paying tribute to the man that did so much for the settlement of the Southern regions of Angola. Sá da Bandeira, the capital of Huila, became city in 31 March 1923 when the railway road got at last to the Tableland after crossing the desert and the Chela mountains.

The European colonisation area was formed by a range of 60 km having its centre in Chibia colony. .
 

It as also formed by the countries of Humpata, Lubamgo and Huila. The Huila Tableland, highly wooded, is one of the most picturesque areas of all South and perhaps of all Angola because of its furrows of natural fissures and little basins where one can find roads that link the villages and where the water flows frenetically to the main rivers during the rain season.

Agriculture was the first purpose of Sá da Bandeira and wheat became the biggest production. Step by step, the settler observed that due to the poverty of the soil, agriculture could not be practiced without fertilisers. So, it became evident that to own cattle was more important that to own lands. To the primitive settlers of Madeira were given by the government, working cattle. The natives, traditionally breeders and owners of big herds continued however to be the forming basis of the district.

The banks of the rivers Caculevar and Cunene were considered appropriate areas for the breeding of cattle. Like this appear the breeders whose activity made big fortunes.

The ox became for the settler a real symbol of richness, a status already used by the natives. When transports became mechanical and roads were improved, peace came quickly in a time of safety that corresponded to the establishment of commerce. Industry came later on and grinding and customs took the leadership.

Metallurgy, footwear, lard, sausage industry, ceramics, woods and soft drinks became important. The arquitect’s João António de Aguiar Urbanisation Plan was the biggest responsible for the geometrical form that the city shows. Outside the circulation area of the city, in its Western extreme there is the green space that corresponds to the “Parque da Senhora do Monte” (Park of the Hill Lady), one of the main symbols of the city.

In the Tableland relief of all the chain mountains, there are many waterfalls from the rapids of Tunda-Vala, a few km from Lubango, to the waterfall of Huila just near the village with that name, including the Zoo Technical Station to the South and also Hunguéria. One can find everywhere whispering water falling from slopes and forming little and picturesque foamy water tables.

The great number of waterfalls forms the landscape that surrounds Sá da Bandeira. But the most photographed places are perhaps presently, the fissure of Tunda-Vala and the Leba Hill with its incredible asphalt spiral. Further on there are the great waterfalls of Ruacaná where all the Cunene torrent falls suddenly into a geological fissure of more than 100 m of depth with an incredible intensity.

To get to Ruacaná waterfalls, one needs to cross the Donguena region and then cross by difficult land, the sand rivers that run beside the Cunene. In this animal paradise abounds hunt. The sands of the dry little rivers have marks of wild animals and of the great herbivores, showing a prodigious, savage and primitive life. And if the South is rich in animal species it is not less from the ethnographic point of view.

Since the primitive Bochiman, one of the most primitive examples of human species, to the Mu-huila shepherd and the Ovampo warrior, Huila is an exceptional interesting field for anthropologists and ethnographers.

The great number of waterfalls forms the landscape that surrounds Sá da Bandeira. But the most photographed places are perhaps presently, the fissure of Tunda-Vala and the Leba Hill with its incredible asphalt spiral. Further on there are the great waterfalls of Ruacaná where all the Cunene torrent falls suddenly into a geological fissure of more than 100 m of depth with an incredible intensity.

To get to Ruacaná waterfalls, one needs to cross the Donguena region and then cross by difficult land, the sand rivers that run beside the Cunene.

In this animal paradise abounds hunt. The sands of the dry little rivers have marks of wild animals and of the great herbivores, showing a prodigious, savage and primitive life. And if the South is rich in animal species it is not less from the ethnographic point of view.

Since the primitive Bochiman, one of the most primitive examples of human species, to the Mu-huila shepherd and the Ovampo warrior, Huila is an exceptional interesting field for anthropologists and ethnographers.

Beyond the kindness of its climate, the city has another proposal: centre of teaching. Sá da Bandeira has recovers after Independence its primitive name of Lubango and one may consider it today the less afflicted Angolan city during the years of war, keeping its economic and social basis rather stabilised and its great tendency for tourism.



Useful Information


Police: Tel.: (061) 20007
Hospital Central da Huila: Tel.: (061) 20007

Chemist's: Farmácia Leba: Tel.: (061) 23432
Red Cross: Tel.: (061) 23004
Railway: Tel.: (061) 21247
TAAG: Tel.: (061) 20497
Intercity: Tel.: (061) 23320

Climate: Tropical and humid.

 

 

How to get There
By air

The airport of Mucanca is the only one that links the province to the rest of the country. There are various airlines that land at Mocanca daily, among these TAAG, Sal and Air Gemine. There are another three earth runways at lamba, Caluquembe and Matala, where small aircraft coo land.

By road
The province of Huila is connected to other provinces by road, namely Namibe, Huambo, Benguela and Cunene. Most of the roads are undergoing construction works due to the armed conflict which degraded them.


Natural attractions


Huila's fascinating countryside is displayed in the Leba mountains, where a monument of Christ the King is to be built, in Tundavala, in the Huila Waterfalls, Hunguéria, the cave and lagoon of Tchivinguiro, the belvedere at the "Boca da Humpata", the belvedere of Crislo Rei (Christ the King), the huts, caves and lakes at Ondimba, the Quipungo Lagoon.


Lubango is an absolute must for the visitor due to its many places of interest, such as the 1st May Square, now remodeled.
Lubango is one of those places which simply cannot be missed, where the tourist can appreciate the very best that Nature has to offer.

Nature Reserves
Bicuar Nature Reserve:
This was declared a hunting reserve on 16th April, 1938 and was upgraded to a National Park on 16th December, 1964. It has an area on, 900 km2 and has a wide variety of animais, for example elephants, lions, palanca, olongo and black buffalo.

Guelengue e Dongo Forest Reserve: This reserve has an area of 1,200 km2 and it is flanked on its northem border by the River Chicusse, to the east by the Rivers Chissanda and Cusso, to the south by the River Cussuvo, and to the west by the River Cunene.


 

 
   

Cultural tourism

The old Palácio do Governo (Government Palace) was built in 1887, the Municipal Council building being constructed at the turn of the century, between 1900 and 1915. Another old building is the Huila Mission Church, which dates back to 1880. The Barracões, a historic site where the founders of Lubango are buried, was built between 1884 and 1885. The old railway station is another interesting place to visit (1905 - 1923) and the Hamilton Lopes building dates from 1895.

The province has a long list of interesting buildings, such as the Mandume School Building, ex. Liceu Diogo Cão, the Colégio Paula Frassinete building, built by the Dorotheian nuns in 1938, the Tchivinguiro school and tbe AI. meida farnily house. Ali of these buildings belong to the period between 1885 and 1938.

The province of Huila has several old churches, among which are the following:

The Sé Catedral Church (Cathedral) (1939), the Chapel of Nossa Senhora do Monte (1919), the Monumento Cristo Rei (Christ the King Monument) at Ponta do Lubango (1945/1950), a Tchivinguiro Church (1892) and the Quihita Church (1894).

There are also several interesting forts and prisons built by the colonial power were placed along the line of penetration into the territory, formed by the River Caculevar and the Cunene Hydrographic basin, the aim being to guarantee peace and security to the colonies which they set up.


More information

There are snack bars, beer houses, pastry shops, ice cream parlours and yoghurt shops. The Cantinho da Gembrinha, is a must, a place which serves as a meeting place for family and friends. You can try the local Ngola beer here and numerous local dishes can be tasted, in a comfortable, agreeable atmosphere in the open air.

There are four sports clubs in Huila, three sports centres, a young entrepreneurs club, the Commercial, Industrial and Agricultural/Farming Association (APCIL) plus hotelling associations.
 

Where to stay
COMPLEXO TURÍSTICO ONDYELWA LODGE Tel.: 244 (61) 20159

GRANDE HOTEL DA HUILA
Avenida Dr. Agostinho Neto; Tel.: (061) 20512

HOTEL TURíSTICO MUNHONGUERA LODGE
Tel.: (061) 20159

HOTEL IMPÉRIO
Rua Deolinda Rodrigues - Lubango

Where to eat
RESTAURANTE ACUBATA
N.S. Monte; Tel.: (061) 20240 

RESTAURANTE RESTAURAÇÃO
Prédio do Comércio Interno, Bairro comercial; Tel.: (061) 21947