Kassinga

Kassinga lies in the southern Angolan interior, in the highland country of Huíla, where plateaus rise above river valleys and woodland. Communities across this country combined cultivation, livestock keeping and exchange to suit the altitude and the rainfall. Maize, sorghum and beans were grown on the plateau fields, while cattle and goats grazed the upland grass.

During the early modern centuries, the highlands of southern Angola connected to the political networks and commerce that reached inland from the Portuguese coastal settlements. Imported goods such as cloth and metal reached the interior through intermediaries, while the trade in captives and recurring warfare placed pressure on villages. African rulers and communities pursued their own alliances, and the highland peoples kept their herds and markets at the centre of local life.