Presentations

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September 2, 2019

Thursday September 5, 2019 Presentation: Kayaking the Kwanza with Oscar Scafidi

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Hippo attacks, wrestling rapids and being arrested by Angolan security forces! Hear all about it at the Viking Club, Thursday 5 September, 2019, beginning at 19:30. Oscar Scafidi, author of the latest Bradt Travel Guide to Angola, will present images and video clips and share his experiences kayaking, hiking and wading 1300 km along Angola’s longest river, the Kwanza River, along with his friend Aly. Oscar worked as a History teacher at the Luanda International School from 2009 to 2014 and currently resides in Madagascar. Buy an autographed copy of his book, Kayaking the Kwanza, which will be on sale Thursday evening.

Oscar Scafidi and his friend Aly on the Kwanza River.

Everybody is welcome to attend. For your information the Viking Club in Luanda is a non-profit sociocultural association with Nordic origin with an aim to promote a more knowledge of Angolan society and culture. The Viking Club has its premises on the main floor of the Maianga building, Rua Marien N’Gouabi No.118 in Maianga, across the street from Ambassador/Agencia de Viagens/Turismo. Visit our Join Us page to see a map.

On sale at the Viking Club on Thursday September 5, 2019.

May 20, 2018

Thursday 24 May Presentation: Urbanization in Angola – Challenges and the Roads Forward

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Luanda, Angola (photo courtesy R. Koning)

The Viking Club will be visited on Thursday 24 May, 2018 at 19.45 by two Angolan architects: the Secretary of State of the Ministry of Land Management and Housing Ângela Mingas, and Regional and Urban Planning Architect Cristina Cãmara, who will talk about “Urbanization in Angola – Challenges and the Roads Forward”.

Presently Angola is more than ever up for very deep challenges in its political and macroeconomic system, which is strongly influencing all segments of the Angolan society. Where and how people will live and work are fundamental questions and constantly of existential importance for each individual, private and public companies and governmental institutions. The two architects Ãngela Mingas and Cristina Cãmara will give us their thoughts about the present and future of Urbanization in Angola and discuss these urgent questions with the Viking Club audience.

Everybody is welcome. Beverages and snacks are sold at the Viking Bar, which opens at 19.15. Coupons must be purchased. The Viking Club has its premises on the main floor of the Maianga building, Rua Marien N’Gouabi No.118 in Maianga, across the street from Ambassador/Agencia de Viagens/Turismo. Visit our Join Us page to see a map.

September 24, 2017

Thursday September 28 Presentation: IMF Country Director Max Alier

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On Thursday 28 September 2017 at 19.45 the Viking Club will be visited by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Country Director Max Alier, who will talk about Angola’s Economy – Challenges and Outlook.

Angola’s main economic challenge is to create conditions for a diverse economy to develop and flourish. Achieving this goal has become more difficult after the economy was hit by a sharp decline in oil prices since 2014.

The government has made important efforts to adapt to this new reality,but much remains to be done. During the presentation we will discuss about the reasons,that hinder economic diversification in Angola and the policies to tackle this challenge. We will also discuss the policies needed to address the macroeconomic imbalances,that resulted from the lower oil prices.

Dr. Max Alier became IMF’s Representative in Angola in May 2015. He is also the IMF mission chief for Cabo Verde since March 2017. Dr. Max Alier has over 20 years of experience at IMF following several years of academia.

Everybody is welcome. Beverages and snacks are sold at the Viking Bar, which opens at 19.15. Coupons must be purchased. Also, the Famous Moxico Honey and Peanut Butter, fresh from the farm, will once again be for sale.

The Viking Club has its premises on the main floor of the Edificio Maianga building, Rua Marien N’Gouabi No. 118 in Maianga, across the street from Ambassador/Agencia de Viagens/Turismo. Visit our Join Us page to see a map.

July 30, 2015

Thursday August 6 Presentation: Ten Years of Exploring Angola’s Paleontological Heritage

Posted by angolafieldgroup under Presentations | Tags: dinosaur, environment, geology |
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Paleontologists at work north of Caxito. Photo courtesy Projecto PaleoAngola.

Dinosaur footprints in diamond mines… the oldest marine turtle in Africa … a 90 million year old new species of sauropod… These are just some of the discoveries unearthed in Angola in the last decade. The Angola Field Group invites you to Ten Years of Exploring Angola’s Paleontological Heritage at the Viking Club, Thursday, August 6, at 7:45 PM, with palaeontologists Dr. Louis Jacobs of Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas and Dr. Octavio Mateus, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal. Their paleontological fieldwork, which started in May 2005, is carried out annually as part of Projecto PaleoAngola: www.paleoangola.org

Angolatitan, first dinosaur discovered in Angola, 2005. Photo courtesy Projecto PaleoAngola.

The results of the fieldwork in Cretaceous sites in Angola has been extraordinarily spectacular with the discovery of the first dinosaurs of Angola dating from the Early Cretaceous and also the discovery of various reptiles including monosaurs, pleiosaurs, ammonites, and fossilized turtles and whales. Dr. Louis Jacobs is internationally recognized as a dinosaur expert and six fossil species have been named after him. He calls Angola a fossil museum in the ground. Dr. Octavio Mateus, also well known in his field, heads up the Museu da Lourinha in West Portugal which houses an extensive collection of paleontological specimen.

Angola field group guest presenter Dr. Louis Jacobs. Photo courtesy Projecto PaleoAngola.

Everybody is welcome to attend. In close cooperation with the Viking Club, this event is offered free of charge. The talk will be in English. Beverages and snacks are sold at the Viking Bar which opens at 7:15 PM. Coupons must be purchased. You can download a map showing the location of the Viking Club on our Join Us page. The Viking Club is on the main floor of Edificio Maianga, Rua Marien Nguabi, No 118 in Maianga, across the street from the Panela de Barra restaurant.

For Sale: Photo books, Natural Medicine books and other books about Angola and Huambo Dolls.

July 16, 2015

Thursday July 23 Presentation: What’s Happening to Angola’s Rural Land?

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Less than 3% of small farms have land deeds (photo courtesy Tobias)

Rural land ownership in Angola has always been complex, from the time that the Bantu forced out traditional hunter gatherers, to when the Portuguese moved thousands of Angolans from their traditional lands, to present day questionable land acquisitions by various vested interests. Today, less than 3% of small scale Angolan farmers have deeds for their land. The Angola Field Group invites you to hear What’s Happening to Angola’s Rural Land? at the Viking Club, Thursday July 23 at 7:45 PM.

Most land is held communally with the soba in charge or is owned by the state (photo courtesy S. Borges)

Our presenter, Paulo Filipe, born in Luanda, published his book Nós e a Nossa Terra, in March this year. He graduated from the Africa University in Zimbabwe in 1994 with a major in Agriculture and Natural Resources. He has also studied in the USA and in South Africa but his main interest remains researching the pursuit of ensuring that all Angolans are able to access sufficient, affordable and nutritious food.

Food security is a looming issue in southern Africa (photo credit S. Borges)

Do all Angolans have access to affordable and nutritious food?

July 16, 2015

Snakes and Snake Safety Awareness in Angola

Posted by angolafieldgroup under Other, Presentations | Tags: environment |
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Basic First Aid Treatment of African Snake Bite and Snake Safety Awareness – click here to download Word document.

The Most Common Venom / Dangerous Snakes of Angola:
All photos are courtesy of Wildlife Advisor and reptile expert, Warren Klein.
Scroll down for more details of presentation he gave to the Angola Field Group in April 2015.

African Rock Python (Python sebae)

Burrowing asp (Atractaspis sp.)

Black necked spitting cobra (Naja nigricollis)

Boomslang Dispholidus (Typus punctatus)

Black tree snake (Thrasops jacksoni)

Forest cobra (Naja melanoleuca)

Forest vine snake (Thelotornis kirtlandi)

Jamesons mamba (Dendroaspis jamesoni)

Puff adder (Bitis arietans)

April 16, 2015

Thursday April 23 Presentation: Snakes in Angola and Africa

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The most dangerous snake in Africa, Puff adder (Bitis arietans) here in defensive posture, can be found around the outskirts of Luanda in suitable habitat

Snakes in Angola. The diversity of Angolan reptiles is poorly known. Due to the war and difficulty traveling in the country, very little research has been conducted here. There are no field guide books on reptiles specific to Angola; the count of Angolan species diversity remains unknown. But venomous snakes do exist. The Angola Field Group invites you to a presentation, Snakes in Angola and Africa, at the Viking Club, Thursday April 23rd at 7:45 PM with reptiles specialist Warren Klein who will talk about reptiles in general, venomous snakes of Angola and explain basic First Aid treatment of a snake bite.

Presenter Warren Klein handling a large female python for data collection. The African python, (Python sebae) is the biggest/longest snake in Africa.

Warren has been the head curator of herpetology at various reptiles parks in South Africa and since 2006 he has been working as the Wildlife Advisor and Reptile Specialist for the Angola LNG project in Soyo, focusing on the identification, safe capture and relocation of snakes and other wildlife. Warren maintains a large captive breeding group of snakes and other reptiles from all around the world at his breeding facility in South Africa.

Venomous Black necked spitting cobra (Naja nigricollis) in Zaire province.

Venomous Black necked spitting cobra (Naja nigricollis) in Angola’s Zaire province.

Everybody is welcome to attend. In close cooperation with the Viking Club, this event is offered free of charge. The talk will be in English. Beverages and snacks are sold at the Viking Bar which opens at 7:15 PM. Coupons must be purchased. You can download a map showing the location of the Viking Club on our Join Us page. The Viking Club is on the main floor of Edificio Maianga, Rua Marien Nguabi, No 118 in Maianga, across the street from the Panela de Barra restaurant.

For Sale: Pure raw honey from the Zambezi Valley in Moxico. Photo books, Natural Medicine books and other books about Angola also for sale.

A Forest cobra (Naja melanoleuca) found in residential area in Angola.

Warren Klein relocating a beautiful forest cobra specimen in Soyo, capital city of Zaire province.

March 6, 2015

Thursday March 12 Presentation: Women in Conflict in Angola

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Women and girls are targets for kidnapping and sexual abuse during war.

March is Women’s Month in Angola. The Angola Field Group invites you to a presentation “Women in Conflict Angola“, Thursday, March 12th, 7:45 PM at the Viking Club. More than two thirds of Angolan families living in certain parts of the country had their home destroyed, and they lost at least one member of their immediate family during the civil war which devastated the country between 1992 and 2002. Learn more about how the conflict affected women, as well as children, from research conducted during and immediately after the war. Our presenter, Dr. Mary Daly, former Country Director of Christian Children’s Fund, is an Irish medical doctor who has worked in Angola since 1981, specializing in global health and child protection.

Even young children are haunted by the memories they carry after war has ended. Photos: H. Koning

Everybody is welcome to attend. In close cooperation with the Viking Club, this event is offered free of charge. Beverages and snacks are sold at the Viking Bar which opens at 7:15 PM. Coupons must be purchased. You can download a map showing the location of the Viking Club on our Join Us page. The Viking Club is on the main floor of Edificio Maianga, Rua Marien Nguabi, No 118 in Maianga, across the street from the Panela de Barra restaurant.

For Sale: Pure raw honey from the Zambezi Valley in Moxico. Photo books, Natural Medicine books and other books about Angola also for sale.

February 11, 2015

Download PDFs from “Fracking for Oil in the USA and its Impact on Angola’s Economy” Presentation

Posted by angolafieldgroup under Presentations | Tags: economy, geology |
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Taken from Upstream/Rytus Daukantas.

Some of estimated 200 attendees, Angola Field Group presentation at the Viking Club.

Thursday’s Angola Field Group presentation had a record setting attendance as participants, some fearing loss of jobs, heard Geologist Tako Koning say that the new technology of fracking for oil is a huge game changer in the oil industry and predicted that low oil prices could continue for the next half a decade or so. IMF Country Representative Nicholas Staines talked about the impact of the new technology on Angola’s economy and stated that Angola needs to raise taxes and eliminate fuel subsidies in the wake of the oil shock. He reiterated that Angola has to get away from the boom-bust cycle, spending when oil prices are high and cutting back when prices are low.

Click here to download Nicholas Staines’ presentation PDF or visit his website www.imf.org/luanda.

Click here to download Tako Koning’s presentation PDF.

Taken from Upstream/Rytus Daukantas.

January 29, 2015

Thursday February 5 Presentation: Fracking for Oil in the USA and its Impact on Angola’s Economy

Posted by angolafieldgroup under Presentations | Tags: economy, geology |
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$Fracking operations are typified by tight arrangement of pressure pumping trucks. Shown is fracking of the Eagle Ford shale of South Texas, USA. Photo courtesy of Halliburton$

Fracking operations are typified by tight arrangement of pressure pumping trucks. Shown is fracking of the Eagle Ford shale of South Texas, USA. Photo courtesy of Halliburton

Fracking, the new oil field technology of fracturing shale rock to produce oil, has suddenly propelled the USA into becoming one of the world’s largest producers of oil (and natural gas) and has led to a 60% drop in world oil prices in the last 6 months. The Angola Field Group invites you to a presentation that takes a look at Fracking in the USA and its Impact on Angola’s Economy, at the Viking Club, Thursday February 5th at 7:45 PM. The IMF (International Monetary Fund) Country Director Nicholas Staines will talk about the impact of the low oil prices on Angola’s economy. Senior petroleum geologist Tako Koning will explain the technology behind the new oil boom.

Canadian Nicholas Staines, became the IMF’s Representative in Angola in early 2011. He has been with the IMF for over 15 years, much of it working in Sub-Saharan Africa. He joined the Fund from the private sector as a macroeconomic forecaster following several years in academia. Canadian Tako Koning has over 40 years experience in the oil industry, including 19 years in Angola. He worked with Texaco for 30 years in Canada, Indonesia, Nigeria and Angola. He now works in Angola as an oil consultant.

Fracking spread in the desert of Oman, capable of delivering 50 to 80 barrels of fluid per minute into the well. Photo courtesy BP.

$More fracking takes place in the USA than any other country in the world.$

More fracking takes place in the USA than any other country in the world. Click map to enlarge.

For Sale: Pure raw honey from the Zambezi Valley in Moxico. Launching a new photo book, “Sonhos Angolanos” as well as other books.

Angola Field Group