Pungo Andongo
Encyclopedia
The Black Rocks at Pungo Andongo (Pedras Negras de Pungo Andongo) are found some 116 km from the provincial capital of Malanje
in Angola
. They are a series of mysterious rock formations
, many incredibly and spectacular shaped in the form of animals, standing high above the flat African Savanna
.
There is a fort
erected by the Portuguese
in 1671. The region is noted for its 350-foot- (107-metre-) high Calandula waterfalls on the Lucala
River; the Luando Game Reserve in the south; the Milando animal reserve in the north; and the Pungo Andongo stones, giant black monoliths
associated with tribal
legend
. Most of the region’s inhabitants are members of the Mbundu peoples. The chief economic activities are stock raising.
We can find Ana de Sousa Nzinga Mbande footprint
on the rock, the history proves that the Angolan
queen Nzinga of Ndongo and Matamba
is a local. The Ginga still live as an independent people to the north of this their ancient country. The water is remarkably pure, the soil is light. Access to these areas remains difficult, because the going is torturously slow on the decreipt roads, lined with idle shells of abandoned houses - the country's infrastructure really has yet to be rebuilt. Many roads are only passable by four-wheel drive vehicles - or long hours of travel by foot. In these parts, one hundred kilometers can be a four-hour trek, even with the best of jeeps.
Malanje
Malanje is the capital city of Malanje Province in Angola with a population of approximately 222,000. Nearby is the spectacular Calandula waterfalls, 85 km from the city. These falls are 105 metres high and their great width makes them the main tourist attraction in the region. It is a...
in Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
. They are a series of mysterious rock formations
Rock formation
This is a list of rock formations that include isolated, scenic, or spectacular surface rock outcrops. These formations are usually the result of weathering and erosion sculpting the existing rock...
, many incredibly and spectacular shaped in the form of animals, standing high above the flat African Savanna
Savanna
A savanna, or savannah, is a grassland ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently small or widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to support an unbroken herbaceous layer consisting primarily of C4 grasses.Some...
.
There is a fort
Fortification
Fortifications are military constructions and buildings designed for defence in warfare and military bases. Humans have constructed defensive works for many thousands of years, in a variety of increasingly complex designs...
erected by the Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
in 1671. The region is noted for its 350-foot- (107-metre-) high Calandula waterfalls on the Lucala
Lucala
Lucala is a town and municipality in Cuanza Norte Province in Angola....
River; the Luando Game Reserve in the south; the Milando animal reserve in the north; and the Pungo Andongo stones, giant black monoliths
Monolith
A monolith is a geological feature such as a mountain, consisting of a single massive stone or rock, or a single piece of rock placed as, or within, a monument...
associated with tribal
Tribe
A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally, consists of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states.Many anthropologists use the term tribal society to refer to societies organized largely on the basis of kinship, especially corporate descent groups .Some theorists...
legend
Legend
A legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
. Most of the region’s inhabitants are members of the Mbundu peoples. The chief economic activities are stock raising.
We can find Ana de Sousa Nzinga Mbande footprint
Footprint
Footprints are the impressions or images left behind by a person walking. Hoofprints and pawprints are those left by animals with hooves or paws rather than feet, while "shoeprints" is the specific term for prints made by shoes...
on the rock, the history proves that the Angolan
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
queen Nzinga of Ndongo and Matamba
Nzinga of Ndongo and Matamba
Nzinga Mbande , also known as Ana de Sousa Nzinga Mbande, was a 17th century queen of the Ndongo and Matamba Kingdoms of the Mbundu people in southwestern Africa.-Early life:...
is a local. The Ginga still live as an independent people to the north of this their ancient country. The water is remarkably pure, the soil is light. Access to these areas remains difficult, because the going is torturously slow on the decreipt roads, lined with idle shells of abandoned houses - the country's infrastructure really has yet to be rebuilt. Many roads are only passable by four-wheel drive vehicles - or long hours of travel by foot. In these parts, one hundred kilometers can be a four-hour trek, even with the best of jeeps.