Last week we came back from a two day visit to Bibala, in Nambibe Province. Also to make some preparations for the DRP. But where conflicts about land are the main problem in Gambos, In Bibala access to water appears to be the biggest problem. All rivers are temporary and most chimpacas (dams) have silted up.
Bibala is somewhat more developed than Gambos too. Whuile Gambos is a forgotten municipality of Huila Province, Bibala appears to be one of teh more important municipalities in Namibe Province. Bibala village is already covered by the cell phone network and has a bank with an ATM and a teacher’s college. On the down side, there was no cold beer to be had at all.
In Bibala you also see students in western style clothing mingling with youths dressed traditionally. As sson as you leave the village, almost everybody is dressed the traditional way. Bibala is inhabited by communities with different cultures and as these are intermarrying, they are mixing and exchanging cultures. Polygamy is common, even more so than in Gambos, most of the men have two wives.
But the ‘rules of inheritance‘ are slightly different. If a man inherits five cows from his uncle from others‘ side, the sons of his sister will inherit five cowes from him, as in a matrilinear society. But if the man has managed to increase the herd during his life,the extra cows are inherited by his own sons, as in a patrilinear society.
Another interesting tidbit of knowledge is that ownership of cattle is not restricted to men. We have heard that at least some widows own cattle. Not that these women advertise this, so far it is tolerated rather than accepted.
Finally, people who herd cattle are not necessarily the owners. Most cattle owners have distributed part of their animals to several herders probably to spread the risks/hedge their bets. In return for their herding services, the herders get the manure, the milk and can use the animals for ploughing. Some also receive one calf per year for their work, allowing them to start building their own herd.
Bibala appears to be an interesting example of cultures in flux. Increased contacts with different cultures, possibly due to the civil war, may have caused these changes. I know that traditions are not set in concrete, but it is interesting to see this happening here.
Bibala is somewhat more developed than Gambos too. Whuile Gambos is a forgotten municipality of Huila Province, Bibala appears to be one of teh more important municipalities in Namibe Province. Bibala village is already covered by the cell phone network and has a bank with an ATM and a teacher’s college. On the down side, there was no cold beer to be had at all.
In Bibala you also see students in western style clothing mingling with youths dressed traditionally. As sson as you leave the village, almost everybody is dressed the traditional way. Bibala is inhabited by communities with different cultures and as these are intermarrying, they are mixing and exchanging cultures. Polygamy is common, even more so than in Gambos, most of the men have two wives.
But the ‘rules of inheritance‘ are slightly different. If a man inherits five cows from his uncle from others‘ side, the sons of his sister will inherit five cowes from him, as in a matrilinear society. But if the man has managed to increase the herd during his life,the extra cows are inherited by his own sons, as in a patrilinear society.
Another interesting tidbit of knowledge is that ownership of cattle is not restricted to men. We have heard that at least some widows own cattle. Not that these women advertise this, so far it is tolerated rather than accepted.
Finally, people who herd cattle are not necessarily the owners. Most cattle owners have distributed part of their animals to several herders probably to spread the risks/hedge their bets. In return for their herding services, the herders get the manure, the milk and can use the animals for ploughing. Some also receive one calf per year for their work, allowing them to start building their own herd.
Bibala appears to be an interesting example of cultures in flux. Increased contacts with different cultures, possibly due to the civil war, may have caused these changes. I know that traditions are not set in concrete, but it is interesting to see this happening here.
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