It is with great sadness that we mark the too-soon passing away of Angola’s only science documentary filmmaker, Kalunga Lima, who died December 19, 2011, in Lubango, of a heart attack. Our heartfelt condolences go out to Kalunga’s wife, Nela (Maria Manuela) and his three children, Carlos 16, Rafael 9, and Luena 7.

Kalunga aired his first feature length documentary Saving the Giant Sable Antelope on May 13, 2010 to members of the Angola Field Group. His next project was inspired by a presentation he attended of the Angola Field Group at the Viking Club in July of 2009, Uncovering the Hidden Remains of Angola’s Ancient Giants. He was deeply impressed by Dr. Jacobs and the Paleoangola team’s work with discovering dinosaur fossils along the coast of Angola and he wanted to spread the news of these hidden treasures to the rest of Angola. Kalunga was the force behind bringing to Angola the replica of the Angolatitan presently on display at the Geology Museum and became involved in other aspects of the Paleoangola project. He was working on a documentary about the coastal waters of Angola for Expo 2012 in Korea up till his untimely death. He wanted to make Angola a better place by bringing an awareness of nature and wildlfe to Angolans by combining scientific research with documentary film making.

We will all miss Kalunga and we hope the vision he had will be taken up and carried forward by others.

Kalunga, second from left, after putting up the Angolatitan when it first arrived in Angola.