Ilha de Luanda

Thatched huts for tourists on Luanda Island.

Ilha do Cabo (English: Cape Island) typically known as Ilha de Luanda (English: Island of Luanda) is a spit^[1] off the shore of Luanda, the capital of Angola. It is cultivated by a low sandy strip formed by sedimentation. In administrative terms, the peninsula belongs to the municipality of Ingombota in the Luanda Province.

When Paulo Dias de Novais, a Portuguese navigator, arrived here in 1575 with several hundred soldiers and settlers, the island was inhabited by Axi-lwanda, a subgroup of the Ambundu people which was tributary to the Kongo Empire. The island was an important location to collect zimbo, the shells that constituted the currency of the Kongo king before the arrival of the Portuguese.^[2] The Portuguese settled here for a while, before they decided to establish themselves on the continente, in front of the island. They started to use the name of the African inhabitants as a name for the island and the town, spelling it first "Loanda" and then "Luanda".

The Ilha, as it is called colloquially by the population, is connected with the city through a narrow passage^[3] and is located at the foot of the Fortress of São Miguel. Here is the place where residents are recovering from the stress of the capital, especially on weekends. A wide variety of exclusive bars and restaurants along the long beach with hotels and clubs, as well as flea markets and marinas are attracting visitors.

The first ever built church by the Portuguese in Angola, the church of Nossa Senhora do Cabo is located here.^[4] It was erected by some 40 settlers in 1575, before switching to the mainland in 1576, founding the present capital of Luanda.

Culture

The "União Mundo da Ilha" (a carnival group),^[5] was founded in 1968 by the indigenous inhabitants of the island. The group has a number of members of 150 items that aim at Varina and Semba as their main style of dance. Much of the elements that were part of the group since its foundation are already tired and without strength to endure over the past, for this reason it was decided by the gradual entry of young people willing to uphold the tradition of the group.

The Clube Náutico da Ilha de Luanda sports club is situated on the island.

Well-known dishes from this area are Mufete and Muzongué (a type of broth).^[2]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ilha de Luanda.

• Ilha de Luanda and his traditions

Coordinates: 8°46′43″S 13°14′37″E / 8.77861°S 13.24361°E / -8.77861; 13.24361