Peuple - ethnie Luvale

Most Luvale art is in the form of masks, many of which are danced during initiation ceremonies to educate the initiates and to mark the territory where the ceremonies take place. Luvale (Lwena in Angola) peoples are closely related to Chokwe, and their history is interconnected with both Chokwe and Lunda political movements, which have historically dominated the region.Between 1600 and 1850 they were under considerable influence from the Lunda states and were centrally located in Angola.In the second half of the 19th century, considerable development of the trade routes between the Chokwe homelands and the Angolan coast led to an increased participation in trade of ivory and rubber.Wealth acquired from this allowed the Chokwe kingdom to expand, eventually overtaking the Lunda states that had held sway over them for so long.