Examining the relationship between Colonialism and Architecture: By ways of the Portuguese

Written by Elisha Kiala 

Photo by Eric Lafforgue

Some time ago I was at Tia’s house, visiting her and my younger cousins. Growing up, to ensure me and all my siblings were patriotic. My parents would play us videos of Angolan and Bakongo history. This would make sure that we knew both our family and ethnic history. Being at my Tia’s it was no different. She had put on this video clip of a vlogger exploring Mbanza Kongo, where me and my family are from. I was so fascinated by the architecture. To me at that point it was so beautiful, the clay, the pastel colours. I hadn’t seen anything like it. I commented ‘wow this is so beautiful’. Quikly my Tio responded, ‘These were built by the Portuguese’. Which also means, it was built by the enslaved Angolans. My opinion changed, and I began to feel unsettled. The Portuguese landed in Angola around the 13th Centuary, and up until 1975 (Angola’s Independence year), they ruled Angola. Mbanza Kongo is a place in North Angola, home to Bakongo people. Many Bakongo Angolan’s had to flee due to slavery, and the violence that commenced during the Civil War (1975-2002). So to watch videos of a place that I have not physically visited because of the Portuguese empire still be stained by it all these years later. I felt ashamed I even found it beautiful. 

Within these videos I saw these huge Catholic churches. Through the Portuguese Christianity was brought to Angolans. This indoctrination was exercised through Portuguese Missionaries that taught in schools, controlled workplaces making it almost impossible for Angolan people to live life without being Christian. These missionaries also brought evangelicalism, Pentocostalism and Protestantism. All colonising different parts of Angola. These churches were huge and took up so much of the land in the area. A lot of the

Portuguese architecture was inspired by diverse traditions of India. A large attention to railings and clay as a material to build on. The people who were building these churches were enslaved Angolan’s. Not only were they being colonised through their mind, by demonising traditional Angolan religions like Bakongoism. Their bodies were being used to activly erase their cultural history. The Portuguese exercised Colonial Power through Architecture. Buildings do not only represent a means of shelter for individuals within a society. They also are symbolic to the powers that be within a community. For example, if you walk into any neighbourhood in London you are able to recongnise which group of people dominate from the buildings. From the religious instiutions that exist there to the restaurants that people are eating from. Architecture is indicative of the people who are existing and sharing space. 

Afnan Ashraf states, ‘Colonial Architecutre played a pivotal role as an apparatus in enforcing Colonialism, extending beyond its aestetic appeal. It served as a tangible representation of power and control with grand structures..’. For the Portuguese this was a way of establishing dominance over the Angolan people. By destroying land previously inhabited by Angolan people and exerting control over them. Architecture extends far beyond aestetism or to simply ‘beautify’ a place. It is something that can represent a destruction of one place, in substitute of extreme power and control. Architecture is used to create segregation, reinforcing social and racial heirachies which can prevent assimilation and resistence. It’s a way of subordinating individuals in society. For Angolan people, this was done. 

Churches were not the only buildings built. There were also homes, schools and hospitals ‘re-made’ by the Portuguese. Using churches as an example of how this dominance is excerisied is to add another layer to how Colonialism erases so much of a person's cultural identity. The Christian influence within Angola created a social hierarchy that if a person did not subscribe to this religion they would be ostricised by their community. Construction was one of the main jobs Angolan men could participate in after the emancipation act in 1878. But if you did not hold a Christian Portuguese name you could not work causing you to be deprived economically. I draw this parallel to show the ways Architecture has been used against African people. That these infrastructures and institutions like Western Religons and churches both have been used to diminish black thought and black bodies. Land that should be used to create and sustain life to those native to the land have now been taken and re-built to exercise dominance through aestetism. 

References: https://www.re-thinkingthefuture.com/architectural-community/a10679-the-impact-of-colonialism-on-architecture-in-former-colonies/