The Benguela Railway, built between 1903 and 1931, was one of the most significant mobility infrastructures developed during European colonialism in Africa, bringing together Portuguese, British, and Belgian interests. A substantial body of research has been made on the railway’s political, economic, social, and territorial impacts. The project resulted in new settlements along the route, and the creation of a transportation corridor that would serve a large area extending over 1,800 kilometers. However, the role and building skills of the thousands of workers who participated in the line’s construction and associated buildings remain to be evaluated. This paper examines workers’ influence on the construction of the Benguela Railway. The diversity of political, economic, social, and technological factors in this case study will be employed to examine the nature and evolution of the concept of “skill”. In particular, the paper focuses on the types of skills used by the workers and the changes in discourse surrounding those skills over time. What insights can be gained from a more nuanced perspective that extends beyond the dichotomy between “skilled” and “unskilled”? The research is based on different sources, including reports produced by the company and colonial inspectors, drawings, and photographs.

--

Angola,Benguela Railway,Skill,Colonial Labor,Construction Sites

This publication is an output of the following project(s):

• Architecture, Colonialism and Labour. The role and legacy of mass labour in the design, planning and construction of Public Works in former African territories under Portuguese colonial rule