LivingLore Collectives

December is a vibrant and significant month for the Humbi community in Angola’s Cunene region. During this time, families organize “EFIKO,” a traditional wedding ceremony. The celebrations include the slaughtering of cows, brewing of traditional drinks, and the playing of beautiful traditional music. It is also the period when teenage girls are given in marriage. The Humbi community has organized the “EFIKO” for ten teenage girls from various homesteads, including Nehova Yanhenge. Typically, the girls are not informed about the “EFIKO” in advance; they are secretly summoned, and a white special powder is thrown in their faces to weaken them and prevent escape, as some girls feel apprehensive and resistant to the idea of being given in marriage particularly to older men. Nehova Yanhenge had heard whispers about the “EFIKO” but didn’t expect it to be her turn yet, as her breasts hadn’t fully developed, which is one of the physical signs the village elders consider, despite her having sta...

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