PRESENTATION 2: ARTS IN ANGOLA

I thought that Azmera’s presentation on arts in Angola was very fascinating. I also thought that she covered the topic very thoroughly, covering the history of the country while giving all necessary background information that helped explain the current state of the country and how the art has developed over the years. Covering everything from music, poetry and sculpting to painting and dance, it is clear that there is a vast amount of diversity in terms of the art in Angola, and there is a an art form for everyone. I also found it very interesting that the form of martial arts, Capoeira’s point of Origen can actually be traced back to Angola, and not Brazil, although that is where the art truly began to flourish. As someone who has practiced Capoeira when I was a young girl, I found it really fascinating to discover all of the historic background about how the arm came to be what it is today.

The other thing that I really enjoyed learning about Angola was the impact that poetry has played in the history and identity of the country. The story of Antonio Agostino Neto, and how through his art or poetry, he baca me an activist fighting for the rights of his Angolan people. I like how powerfully motivating his story was, and the fact that he later became the first president of Angola is something that many people most likely would not know about the country. A lot of new and interesting facts were presented about Angola, and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to learn more about this Lusophone country.