Ovimbundu

A Bantu-speaking agricultural people of the Benguela Highlands of Angola, comprising some 20 indigenous chiefdoms. They formerly traded over much of C Africa, and supplied slaves to the Portuguese.

The Ovimbundu are a large ethnic group of traders, farmers and herders who live on the Bié Plateau of central Angola, Africa. As the largest people group in Angola, they presently make up around 40 percent of the country's population. Many Ovimbundu claim Christianity as their religion however many still retain practices from African Traditional Religions. The Ovimbundu were a main force behind the UNITA rebel army. Huambo and Kuito, the two main cities of Ovimbundu territory were completely destroyed in the bloody civil war during the years of 1992-1994.