In a statement sent to VerAngola, the CCL reported that "tales and riddles in the Kimbundu, Cokwe, Kikongo, and Umbundu languages returned" last weekend to the old soap factory to "teach more about Angolan traditions and ancestral thought."
Thus, last Saturday, "the CCL space was filled with families who reaffirmed, together, around the old baobab tree, the importance of values such as solidarity and resilience."
Pulquéria Van-Dúnem, who provided the voice for the traditional fables and riddles, highlighted the "positive results of these events," especially the "interest and participation of the children, who return time and time again with great enthusiasm."
"The stories we share always have a moral foundation. I believe that this contact with oral tradition is shaping children and reinforcing the pillars of a more conscious and structured society," she said, quoted in the statement.
Writer José Luís Mendonça, who coordinates the Estórias no Imbondeiro project, considered each story to be a "teaching."
"As Father Chatelain said, language and orature represent the soul of a people," said José Luís Mendonça, adding: "Each language carries a philosophy, a way of seeing the world. And oral literature, now translated into Portuguese, allows us to disseminate this ancestral thought, preserving the wisdom of our ancestors and passing it on to new generations. Each narrative is a teaching, an invitation to reflection, and a path to a more harmonious life."
This 14th edition of Estórias no Imbondeiro brought a new element: music.
"In the 14th edition, music was present for the first time at Estórias no Imbondeiro, through percussionist Samuel Curti," the statement read.
"The way the stories are told, the feeling of hearing them—it was all magical. Listening is learning, and that's the message I carry: listening to your elders, your parents, your peers. That's how we grow," said the musician, dancer, and director of the Biemba Juvenil group.
Swedish Ambassador to Angola Lennart Killander Larsson, who also attended the CCL, considered that "stories are fundamental," given that "you need to understand the past to understand the future."
"Angola is a country incredibly rich in history and linguistic diversity, and this has everything to do with identity and culture. The way the event is conducted, with everyone sitting outdoors listening, makes it all the more special," he added.
The Estórias no Imbondeiro initiative takes place on the last Saturday of each month at the CCL. "With this initiative, the CCL aims to raise awareness among the population, especially young people, about the importance of knowing and valuing Angola's culture and traditional customs," the statement added.
