Catumbela

Catumbela

Catumbela

The picturesque and important commercial and agricultural village of Catumbela, seat of the Council of the same name is located on the right bank of the Catumbela River from which it got the name that it still preserves, being located at 12º 24 'south latitude and 13º 35' east longitude. It is 12 kilometers away from Lobito Bay. The village in the past was at the bottom of the Catumbela basin, in the place where the river comes off the gorge in which it comes running tight, wedged between the river that flows to one side, and the hills where the "gentio" and the marshes go down that are at the base of the hills, on the other side.

The village of Catumbela, was founded in 1836, by decree of D. Maria II, queen of Portugal.

The original name with which it was founded was Asseicieira, in celebration of the battle won in Portugal. The name Catumbela was given later and remains today the same name.

With the name of Asseicieira, it was founded on the left bank of the river. Before this foundation, indigenous people already existed on the right bank of the river.

These indigenous populations were engaged in agriculture, cultivating corn, beans, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, sugar cane, and other agricultural products and also livestock.

On the left bank, the primitive population was Mundombes, who were dedicated to raising cattle and also agriculture.

During the dry season, they used the Negrão lagoon and the swamps of the hills on the right bank, to plant sweet potatoes. When these marshes were filled with water, as a result of the abundant rains, they took the opportunity to fish in the abundant fish there.

 The indigenous tradition says that the first soba and founder of the old indigenous Catumbela on the right bank was a woman. During this period, the indigenous population corresponded to a high number of inhabitants, which were gradually decimated by terrible diseases such as: sleeping sickness, coming from Hanha, by tuberculosis and smallpox epidemics, which in 1864 caused many deaths.

The period from 1836 to 1846, was the 1st phase of the growing population, the number of inhabitants was small, and they dedicated themselves to trade with the people of the land, which extended on both banks of the river. There was still the business of the so-called "gentile" of the interior.

 

Only under the protection of a simple chief, the merchants were subject to attacks and insults from the "gentile" of Seles, Cunhula and Quissange.

In order to help the populations that were victims of these attacks, the Governor General of the Province, Pedro Alexandrino da Cunha, ordered that the "gentile" be subjected by arms, which took place around 1846.

An expedition was organized consisting of the crews of the Brigues Mondego and Tâmega, and of the Corvette Lightning, commanded by the chief Gonçalves Cardoso, who submitted the "gentile".

Towards the end of that same year (1846) the present fortress of Catumbela (Reducto de S. Pedro) was built, at the expense of the inhabitants of Benguela and today is a historical document.

A gradual increase in the population was felt between 1846 and 1856.

 During this period, the first and intrepid sertanejos appeared: Silva Porto, Guilherme Gonçalves, Rosquete and others. However, Silva Porto was the 1st European countryman who settled in Bié, coming from the interior of Luanda, the latter who opened the way from Bailundo and Bié to Catumbela, passing through Quissange.

 

 

Before opening with a path, Bailundo and Bié's "gentile" did not come to Catumbela, there were only the entourages with business for Benguela who ventured down the Chiaca path. But the road from Chiaca and Ganda was bad, as these entourages were constantly assaulted, stolen and were often the target of atrocities by the assailants in the region.

Before these traders from Bailundo and Bié, traders from the Quizela, Seles, Cacula and Hanha regions arrived, bringing palm oil (palm oil), heather, gum, coconut, leather, etc.

But there was a certain insecurity, due to the assaults of the Seles and Quissangistas.

 

In the period between 1856 and 1864, under the influence of the Bienos and Bailundos, there was a change of population from the left bank to the right bank. These peoples brought their products, where a part was in Catumbela and another part went to Benguela. The right bank had only 6 houses, all covered with grass.

 

 

During this period, the first farms began to appear: S. Pedro, Fazenda Maravilha do Cassequel, Fazenda do Lembeti, all having started their activity with the cultivation of cotton and then sugar cane for the manufacture of brandy.

From 1864 to 1874, it started (around 1865), with high development, prosperity and wealth. The houses that had been razed by the floods of 1964, were rebuilt, although they are still covered with grass. In this period the construction of houses is increased.
Until the end of this period, shipments of goods were carried out by means of transport on the backs of porters, the wax trays being transported by 4 people, the ... and the rope from Catumbela to the beach, where the products were then loaded on sailing vessels. who went to Benguela and made the transfer to the packers.

The industry only consisted of kilns for the manufacture of tiles and bricks. Agriculture reached its peak during this period.

Also, the cotton producing farms in this phase started to cultivate sugar cane for the manufacture of brandy.

From 1874 to 1886, while the tendency was for the rural population to decrease, it is in this period that the urban population increases.

From 1874 onwards, the gradual decay of the coconote, bears, gum and dried hides began. At that time, other products, such as ivory, wax and top quality rubber, dominated, with rubber being the most sought after product among exchanges and exports.

Rubber opens up new horizons, enlivens greed, calls for competition and rivalries and games are established.

The transportation of Catumbela products to the beach, from that time on, was done by car.

The industry remained the same, adding only the lime factory. They also tried to make gunpowder and soap, but that area was abandoned for lack of results.

With the rubber trade, Catumbela started to be a worthy rival to Benguela and the floating population increased, represented by the "gentile" who brought the business. There were also cars to take the products to Benguela.

On January 3, 1884, telegraph communication between Benguela and Catumbela was opened to the public service and the telephone service between the same councils was established.

From 1886 to 1900 it was a phase that represented an economic, political and social development for Catumbela.

The economic, is due to the appearance of rubber in 1886. The political and social is due to numerous construction of houses, public improvements, establishment of royal schools, roads, bridges, sanitation in the region, establishment of pharmacies, etc., etc.

 

 

In this period the prices of rubber, ivory and wax, go up.

The industry is limited to stonework and lime kilns. They start to manufacture tiles from Marseille and by the tile mosaic, which imports from Europe.

Only lime remains standing, from which everything else begins to import.

Some improvements were made: the construction of the road connecting Benguela to Catumbela, which had started in 1883 and completed in 1889, was completed.

In 1889, the current cemetery was built by José Lourenço Ferreira and from 1890 to 1892 he built the town hall building where the royal schools and the church were installed. Between 1894 and 1895 the Catumbela magazine was built.

From 1900 to 1908 there was a period that was known as the period of economic decay.

Between 1900 and 1901, there was a great pressure on the rubber trade.

The "gentile", as he was used to being so well paid, did not understand that rubber, such a rich product, could lose its value and suffer price fluctuations. So the rubber stopped reaching Catumbela and Benguela, being diverted to the Belgian Congo.

 

 

Ivory in this period disappeared. Wax and dry hides were of little value, so they were in little demand.

In addition to these problems, Catumbela has undergone some improvements: the establishment of two important hotels, the Oriental and the International.

THE FIRST BRIDGE OVER THE CATUMBELA RIVER WAS THE BRIDGE WITH THE NAME OF “GOMES COELHO” (CAPTAIN - Lieutenant GUILHERME GOMES COELHO, GOVERNOR GENERAL AND BROTHER OF WRITER JÚLIO DINIZ), OPENED ON OCTOBER 16, 1887 AND IN YEAR OF 1903 RUI DUE TO CORROSION OF ITS PILLARS. WHEN THE BENGUELA RAILWAY (CFB) BEGINS TO WORK IN 1903 THE CATUMBELA STATION WAS ON THE LEFT EDGE OF THE CATUMBELA RIVER NEXT TO THIS BRIDGE AND WHERE THE S.A.C. (AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF CASSEQUEL CASSEQUEL) AND THAT GIVEN ACCESS TO THE HEALTH THAT SUPPLYED THE IRRIGATION DUTIES FOR THE CANAVIALS.

 

NOTE: The pillars of that bridge were made in the José Lourenço Ferreira stonework workshop (the “Cambambe”), the greatest builder of his time. The construction work on the bridge was directed by the City Councilor, Álvaro de Sousa e Castro.

 

ON MARCH 21, 1905 IT IS INAUGURATED BY THE GOVERNOR - GENERAL, ADVISOR ANTÓNIO RAMADA SHORT AND NEXT TO THE FORT OR “REDUCTO DE S. PEDRO”, THE SECOND BRIDGE IN METALLIC STRUCTURE, WITH THE NAME OF “D. LUIS FILIPE ”, BUILT BY THE FIRM“ Bridge & Roof Coy Ltd ”, BY GLASGOW. THIS BRIDGE HAS THE PURPOSE OF DOING THE CROSSING OF THE CATUMBELA RIVER, DRIVING THE RAIL AND ROAD TRAFFIC BETWEEN LOBITO AND BENGUELA.
According to information at the time, they said it was the first bridge in Africa and the first work of art on the Railroad.

The construction of the Benguela Railway in 1904 was one of the most important improvements of this period, bringing rapid communication between Lobito, Catumbela and Benguela.

In 1904, the Governor General of Angola, Counselor Eduardo da Costa, granted full autonomy to the Catumbela chamber, which until then has always operated in connection with Benguela.

By decree of 5 June 1905, the village of Catumbela was elevated to a village.

The alcohol and spirits tax inspection service is organized through a commission.

The Board of Public Instruction Council is also organized.

In 1905 the Beneficent Association of Employees of Commerce was founded, which was the first association that existed in the description that later, due to internal problems, suffered a dissidence among the partners, having led to the abandonment by some who later founded the "Grémio Pro Fatherland ".

In 1903, a Masonic lodge was founded in Catumbela.

The construction of a church, made of stone and lime, was also started in front of the Ferreira do Amaral road.

In order to avoid the lack of hygiene in the village (which causes most of the diseases), the council ordered the construction of a neighborhood in "Bitula Nova" to accommodate the "gentile" and the porters sent by the traders from the interior, who came to do their business to Catumbela.

To conclude, we can say that, during the period from 1896 to 1908, the then village of Catumbela was an essentially commercial area.

Part of the information described here was collected from a Monograph of Catumbela, from May 1, 1909.

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