For other uses of this term, see Kavango.
The Kavango are an African tribe whose people live in northeastern Namibia; on the southern side of the border with Angola.
The Okavango River is the focal point of this group, around which most of them base their subsistence activities; only an estimated 20% of the Kavango live in arid areas away from the river. Not only the river takes its name from this ethnic group, but also one of the 13 administrative regions of Namibia: the Kavango region.
The kavango are closely related to the ovambo (or owambo), as both tribes descend from the Wambo tribe, which live to the east of Africa in the Kwando River region. The kavango settled in this region about two hundred years ago.
The Kavango are subdivided into 5 smaller groups called gciriku, kwangali, mbukushu, mbunza and shambyu respectively. Each of them is led by its own tribal chief, who is responsible for the distribution of land among tribal members. Even when bosses are traditionally men, the social system is matriarchal. The constitution of Namibia, legitimizes and allows the kavango, the use of its traditional laws.
Until the 1970s there was a considerable group of Kavangos in Angola who are often called nyemba. However, these fled the warlike conflict that devastated the region north of the Okavango and came to join their southern brothers. As a result of this migratory movement, the number of kanvangos in Namibia doubled, becoming the second largest ethnic group in the country, with 10% of the total population.
The language most commonly spoken among the Kavango is RuKwangali. Some groups among the Shambyu, Gciriku and Mbukushu speak their own dialect, but RuKwangali is the only one with writing.
The religion practiced by the Kavango is Christianity, mixed with traditional elements of its culture.
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