THE CRADLE OF FORMAL EDUCATION IN ANGOLA: THE CITY OF MBANZA KONGO, A WORLD HERITAGE SITE. REFLECTIONS OF THE COOPERATION BETWEEN THE FORMER KINGDOM OF KONGO AND PORTUGAL. EXPLORING INTANGIBLE HERITAGE

Abstract

The city of Mbanza Kongo, located in the province of Zaire, Angola, is the former capital of the ancient Kongo Kingdom. Founded by Nimi-a-Lukeni in the 14th century, it was one of the most powerful kingdoms in Africa, with a social, religious, economic, and military organization recognized worldwide. It boasts a tangible historical heritage that was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site on July 12, 2017. This article, based on a bibliographic review, demonstrates that Mbanza Kongo is not only rich in tangible historical remains but also possesses a valuable intangible legacy. It explains that the history of the beginning of formal education in Mbanza Kongo in the 15th century is an intangible historical heritage of considerable value, alongside the tangible heritage, as Mbanza Kongo was the first region (kingdom) of those comprising Angola to have a modern formal education system, the result of cooperation with Europeans.