Malangatana was born in Matalana, a village near Marracuene, and spent his childhood as a herdboy and attending local mission schools before finding work as an empregado (houseboy) in colonial Maputo. He took art lessons at night school and his work was first exhibited in 1959. In 1964, during the colonial period, Malangatana was accused of involvement with the revolutionary movement FRELIMO (the Front for Liberation of Mozambique) and was arrested by Portuguese military police and imprisoned for two years. This time was to have a profound effect on the artworks he later produced. Post-independence, he served as a FRELIMO deputy for four years and later was a member of the Maputo Municipal Assembly.