The Angolan artesanate is rich and varied, due to the existence of 7 ethnic groups in the 18 provinces of Angola, with differents habits, customs and traditions.
- Bakongo: artisan pieces tied to they beliefs and magic. "Cabaza" decorative shows the life full of love, friendship, affection, happiness and beauty; the basket is used for the agriculture product transport.
- Ambundu: they are religious and like to organize popular celebrations, like the carnival. Make a wood seat (destined to soba, more important person of the community) and a basket of healer.
- Cokwe: they believe to much in the magic and that the woman paper is to be mother. The divination basket is part of the world of witchcraft and they guess what causes diseases, death... The mask painted black and red and decorated with threads of rafia always are made and used only by men, in social, politics and mysteries ceremonies. The thinker of Cokwe is perhaps the most famous piece.
- Ovingangela: dedicated to hunting, cattle and agriculture. They work in black and polish ceramic, and iron. The masks and the rape box are very used.
- Ovingangela: dedicated to hunting, cattle and agriculture. They work in black and polish ceramic, and iron. The masks and the rape box are very used.
- Ociwambo: dedicated to bovine creation and artesanate. The wrist mumuila with hairs combed equal to the women of that region is one of their particular habits. The "Cabaza" is a important piece to the shepherds.
- Khoisan ou bosquímanes: they have low stature, clearer skin, clear eyes and wide and flattened nose. The men dedicate to hunting and search of water and the women to the works domestic servants. The fire is the central element in its life and this associate to beliefs and mystical practice. They work a only a little, to look for food and to cook them, dedicating the rest of the time to games, dances and musics. Product the xikoma (musical instrument).
Each ethnic group creates pieces with artistics outlines of great meaning for its culture, in spite of all this variety, in the Angola streets is not used to see artesanate sale, because the supply is limited for the few tourists.
The main materials used in the mask or sculptures by the angolan craftsmen are wood, bronze, ivory and ceramic.
