The Lunda were eventually overthrown by Chokwe, who live directly to the north of the Songo, and who also attempted to control them. Chokwe power did not last long however, and was soon replaced by European colonialism. They raise staple crops of manioc, cassava, yams, and peanuts. Tobacco and hemp are also grown for snuff, and maize is grown for beer. Domesticated livestock is also kept, including sheep, pigs, chickens, and goats, which provide meat, but no milk.
Meat is obtained through hunting.
The farming and processing of agricultural products is done almost exclusively by women among the Songo. Slash and burn techniques and crop rotation are practiced to conserve the land. Regular trade is maintained with neighbors to obtain products from other villages. The Songo recognize a chief whose position is inherited along matrilineal lines. When male children reach the age of 5 or 6, they are often sent to the house of their mother's brother where they are raised as his sons.