The Jaga and Imbangala Peoples
This is a continuation on our posts about quilombos (here). To fully grasp the African influences on Brazilian quilombos, we’re going to go over the identities and characteristics of the Jaga and Imbangala peoples.
Historical Identity and Characteristics of the Jaga and Imbangala
The terms "Jaga" and "Imbangala" were frequently used interchangeably by Portuguese chroniclers to describe various fierce warrior bands encountered in Central Africa. However, there is a difference between the two. The "Jaga" primarily refers to a distinct group that invaded the Kingdom of Kongo in the late 16th century, whose exact origins and nature have been subject to historical debate.
In contrast, the "Imbangala" were a separate warrior people originating from further south in Angola. They were notorious for their ruthlessness, their distinctive social organization, and practices that included ritual cannibalism. The Imbangala later established the powerful Kasanje Kingdom. It is this Imbangala group, and their specific institution of the "kilombo," that holds the direct and most significant relevance to the formation and characteristics of Brazilian quilombos. The precision in distinguishing these terms is vital for accurately tracing African influences on Brazilian quilombos, as colonial records often generalized or misidentified African groups, leading to historical inaccuracies. Scholarly efforts are therefore crucial for disentangling these complexities and providing a more accurate historical account of the specific African contributions.
Analysis of their Social Structures, including Militarization and Initiation Rites
The Imbangala were characterized by a highly militarized society, structured entirely around initiation rites rather than traditional kinship ties. To maintain their strength and unique social order, they replenished their numbers by capturing adolescents and integrating them into their army. A notable and controversial practice was the infanticide of children born within their kilombo (armed camp), a measure taken to prevent customary kinship from supplanting the primacy of military initiation and loyalty. Boys wishing to be accepted among the men had to prove their worth by killing an enemy in battle.
Key Cultural Practices and their Significance
Beyond their unique social reproduction methods, the Imbangala engaged in distinct cultural practices. They were known for ritual cannibalism, though this practice reportedly moderated over time, becoming restricted to symbolic occasions in later centuries. A significant spiritual practice involved covering themselves with an ointment called "maji a samba," believed to confer invulnerability to soldiers, provided they adhered to a strict set of codes known as yijila. The Imbangala were also nomadic, moving their camps every few months and often engaging in pillaging the inhabitants of the territories they traversed.
Military Organization and Tactics in their African Context
The military prowess of the Imbangala was highly organized and effective. Their fighting men, known as ngunza (singular: gonzo), were divided into multiple squadrons, each commanded by a captain called a musungo. These squadrons formed a kilombo, which was a temporarily fortified town surrounded by a wooden palisade, featuring twelve gates corresponding to the twelve squadrons. In open field engagements, the Imbangala army employed a three-prong formation, reminiscent of the later Zulu "bull horn" formation, with a right horn (mutanda), left horn (muya), and a vanguard (muta ita) in the center. Their weaponry included bows, knives, swords, and their primary weapons: war clubs and hatchets.The military capacity and perceived ruthlessness of the Imbangala made them attractive as mercenary forces for the Portuguese colonists in Angola, who frequently hired them for campaigns, particularly against the Ndongo kingdom.
With respect to our coverage on quilombos, we’ll stop here as I think it covers well these groups of people for that explanation. In the next post, we’ll dive more into the connections between these Imbangala “kilombos” and the Brasilian quilombos we associate with capoeira.