Chokwe
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Chokwe | |
|---|---|
| Total population | 1.16 million |
| Regions with significant populations | Angola, Congo (Kinshasa), Zambia |
| Language | Wuchokwe, many also speak French, Portuguese or English. |
| Religion | Christian, Animist |
| Related ethnic groups | Mbundu, Bantu Luba, Lunda, Lwena, Ovimbundu, Songo |
The Chokwe are an ethnic group of Central Africa whose ancestry can perhaps be traced to Mbundu and Mbuti Pygmies. The Chokwe were dominant in the Lunda states of 17th and 18th century Angola, but fell from power with the advent of the colonial era. Large groups of Chokwe currently reside in Angola, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Their language is Utchokwe, a Bantu language. They speak official languages of their countries: English in Zambia, French in Democratic Republic of Congo, and Portuguese (as first or second language) in Angola.
