Chibia

Chibia is a small plateau town whose market draws people in from the surrounding Mumuhuila and Mwila communities, cattle herders whose women wear their hair in thick ochre-coated dreadlocks set with clay and oil, with heavy beaded neck rings. The market itself is a working one for grain, cattle and household goods rather than a display, which is precisely what makes it worth seeing, and the town is otherwise an ordinary provincial centre.

What to look for

• The market - a working produce and cattle market drawing surrounding communities.
• The Mumuhuila styling - clay-set hair and beaded neck rings worn by women from the area.
• The plateau country - open highland farmland and grazing around the town.
• The cattle trade - herds brought in on market days.

When to go

May to September is the dry season and the easiest for travel. Market days are the reason to come and are worth checking locally. The rains from October to April make some approach roads difficult.

Practical notes

Photographing people requires asking and often paying, and doing it without permission causes real offence. This is not a set up for tourists and there are no facilities for them. A local guide and Portuguese make the difference between a visit and an intrusion.

Nearby

Lubango is north, and Bicuar National Park is southeast.

Key facts