The Kavango – Southwest Bantu languages 

The Kavango – Southwest Bantu languages form a distinct group within the Bantu language family, primarily spoken in Angola and western Zambia. These languages, as classified by Anita Pfouts in 2003, are grouped under Guthrie’s Zone R, a part of the larger Bantu linguistic classification. This group is notable for its diversity and the wide distribution of its languages across the southern part of Africa, particularly in regions where the Kavango and Ovambo peoples reside.

The Kavango subgroup includes languages such as Kwangali and Gciriku (also called Manyo), with additional languages like Mashi, Simaa, Mbowe, Shanjo, and Kwangwa sometimes included in this category, though their classification is still debated. These languages are mainly spoken in the Kavango region, which spans parts of Angola, Namibia, and Botswana. The Southwest Bantu subgroup is even more extensive and encompasses several important languages spoken in the southern African region.

Within Southwest Bantu, the Ovambo languages dominate, including Kwanyama, Ndonga, Kwambi, Ngandyera, and Mbalanhu, which are spoken primarily in northern Namibia and southern Angola. Other languages like Khumbi, Nyaneka, and Ngambwe are also part of this group, with some being dialects or regional variants of each other. Notably, the Herero language (R30), spoken in Namibia and parts of Botswana, is a major language of this subgroup, with its dialects like Zemba and Hakaona.

The Kavango – Southwest Bantu languages are an important part of the larger Bantu family, contributing to the cultural and linguistic diversity of southern Africa. Despite their shared classification, these languages exhibit significant regional variation, both in terms of dialects and the number of speakers. As such, they provide valuable insight into the historical and social development of the people in these regions.