Colonial enterprises and urban design: Transnational knowledge, local agency, and the Diamond Company of Angola (1917–1975)

Abstract

Dundo was established in 1919 as the main town of the Companhia de Diamantes de Angola (Diamang). After its foundations in the Lunda district, a few kilometers from the north-eastern border of Angola with the Belgian Congo, the Diamang mining company put its best efforts into building a so-called “model” town. Throughout Diamang’s lifespan, from the early 1920s to the late 1980s—overlapping with and outlasting the many decades of Portuguese colonial rule in Africa—, Dundo was considered an “oasis in the desert.” According to the company’s records, this praise was due to the “intelligent, dedicated and enthusiastic work” of Dundo’s Urbanisation and Sanitation Team, whose importance in establishing and strengthening Diamang’s rule was emphasized. The account cited above of the 1936 visit of António Lopes Mateus, the newly appointed Governor of Angola, clarifies the surprise caused by Diamang’s built environment, located in a “corner” of the country. The “plain” houses, the well-kept and “comfortable” gardens, the “hygienic” quarters, and the “well-built” roads all contributed to a much-appreciated setting for the town. Electric light, offered as an “unquestionable sign of civilization,” further accentuated the “colonial style” of the buildings.