The white community in Benguela in 1890 was an explosive mixture of ex-convicts, political exiles, republicans, anarchists and colonial officials. Most were united only in their fear of uprisings and a desire to get rich quick. Through the saga of the Semedo family, Yaka gives a panoramic view of events that shaped Angola over the following century. From the nineteenth century penal colony, through slavery, African uprisings and land expropriation, Yaka charts the formation of a nation.

The enigmatic Yaka statue owned by the Semedo family provides an unexpected commentary.