Biambia

Item

Title

Biambia

Description

Biambia lived in Mungu in the area of Soba Kanguli. The village has been located in present day Huila province (see below). He found items for the sisters, arranged demonstrations of things they wanted to see and provided them with information about a variety of topics such as collecting honey. Below are a series of diary entries from the sisters about him. Unfortunately we can only view him through the writing and photogaphs of the Powell-Cotton sisters.
Diary of Diana Powell Cotton: 25.5.37 Wed: District: Mungu; village, Kanguli (chief’s name). Luvando…People began to come into camp: first the chief followed by the honey man of last year: Biambia or (Antonio); ...

Get Biambia to work to talk to people about arranging tattooing, hairdressing, trap making, getting dolls etc etc.

We were told Luvando dolls resembled our Tchilengues one but there were none here. Biambia however turned up with a set of 5 made of corn pith with wax head and breasts: 2 little girls, 1 mufuko a hekunga and a married woman.
Diary of Diana Powell Cotton: 28.5.37 Friday
Biambia came in early, very cold and wet. Set off at about 8 a.m. across fields to his grainfields where we had a fierce argument with two wives and a small daughter who would not have cicatrisation done. On to his huts which were empty, huge fish baskets standing outside and a hollow grinding stone. Looked into cattle pen and photographed it, then set off again along tiny paths through bush and grain fields: giants millet some four feet above our heads.
Finally came out to a deserted European house and found the Tchimbanda of last year there and his family. Young girl delighted to have cicatrisation done and the Tchimbanda is an operator.
Diary of Diana Powell Cotton: 29.5.37
Biambia told us he could not go with use as elder brother was in post and he could not leave the women. Gave him a full length of strong cloth bought at Caconda with which he seemed pleased. [There is an earlier reference in the diary which seems to imply they asked him to travel with them.]

Date

May 1937

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Relation
Title Alternate label Class
Kanguli Agent