Cape Verdean Culture

Cintia Gonçalves, N-20129035

Cape Verde is an archipelago formed by 10 islands where 1 is inhabited. Cultures differ
between them and the language is the one that stands out the most. Each island has a
different dialect or Criolo (mother tongue) but the official language is Portuguese, which
is used in schools, public administration, the press and publications.
Cape Verdean culture is very rich. With different modalities and areas, language, music,
handicrafts, literature, and religion are just a few elements that are part, not only of the
culture but also of the traditions existing in this small country in the middle of the
Atlantic Ocean.
Cape Verdean culture resulted from the exchange between two worlds, the European
and the African. From these two cultures, a unique and distinct identity was born, a
mixed culture, neither European nor African, but rather a new cultural individuality:
the Criolo.
Because of this mixture of people, in Cape Verde you can find people of varying skin
tones.
From the darkest to the lightest, brown and blue and green eyes, curly and straight
hair, there is no pattern.
 Music
Like the Criolo language, music is an essential feature of Cape Verdean cultural identity
and a factor of national unity and cohesion. Cape Verdean is naturally musical. All the
pretexts are good enough to gather friends and family and improvise a toccatina (musical
meeting), which often lasts a whole day or goes on into the night. Music festivals, such as
Baía das Gatas and Gamboa, are the most important events on the country's cultural
calendar, attracting thousands of people and some of the best national artists.
Cape Verde has numerous musical genres of its own, especially batuque (percussion of
African origin, very rhythmic and frantic), morna and coladera (poetic musical
expressions that drink influences from fado and Brazilian music, and play with guitar and
cavaquinho) and funaná (harmonica and ferrinhos). Tabanka is another important popular
and traditional event, particularly on the island of Santiago.
 Literature
We can only speak of truly Cape Verdean literature from the middle of the 19th century. Initially,
the writers, from Eugénio Tavares to Pedro Cardoso, were deeply influenced by the models of
Portuguese culture and literature, in turn, inspired by romanticism and symbolism.
The Cape Verdean literary expression starts, in fact, with a new literary period, marked by the
publication, in 1935, of “Arquipélago”, by Jorge Barbosa, and by the foundation, in 1936, of the
magazine Claridade by Manuel Lopes, Baltazar Lopes da Silva and Jorge Barbosa. It is from the
“Claridade” movement that Creole literature focuses on the Cape Verdean universe, analyzing it
critically and objectively. Some essential works from this period are “Chiquinho” by Baltazar
Lopes, “Flagelados do Vento Leste” by Manuel Lopes and “Xaguate”, by Teixeira de Souza and
still countless articles published in the magazine “Certeza”, founded in 1944, shortly after the
extinction of “Clarity”.

In the early 1950s, a new generation of writers broke with the theme of the Claridosos, freeing the
discourse from its colonial condition. Of this group of authors, Oswaldo Osório, Mário Fonseca,
Germano de Almeida and the poet Arménio Vieira, winner of the Camões Prize in 2009, and,
perhaps, the most universal of Cape Verdean authors, stand out.
Some of very popular books in Caboverdian culture
 Visual arts
Cape Verdean painting is, in general, symbolic, although it has some influence from
African art, evidenced, above all, by its liveliness and bright colors. Mindelo and the
Diaspora (French and Portuguese) are the main nurseries for Cape Verdean artists.
Tchalé Figueira, Manuel Figueira, Luísa Queirós, Misá and the Rabelados, and Mito
Elias are some of the most recognized authors inside and outside doors.
 Theater and dance

In Mindelo, which is one of the Cape Verde islands, one of the most important African and
Portuguese-speaking theater festivals is held annually, the Mindelact.

In dance, the highlights of traditional character: batucadeiras, tabanka, mazurka. Raiz di

Polon, a contemporary group, created in 1991, reinvented these traditional expressions.
His pieces have been performed, frequently, all over Europe and Africa. In Cape Verde,
the dancers of this group regularly organize dance workshops, developing a pioneering
work to promote contemporary dance.
 Handicraft
Cape Verdean ethnographic art is an ingenious response from the men and women of the
archipelago in the face of the difficulties imposed by nature (sparse vegetation, lack of drinking
water, little rain). In rural and agricultural areas, basketry and pottery artifacts are still widely
used for the transport and storage of agricultural and water goods. The pilão (used to grind corn
and coffe) has survived over time and is still a vital tool for crushing corn and coffee.

In weaving, the object with the greatest symbolic value is the panu di terra (narrow strip of fabric
joined by six bands and decorated with traditional patterns), used today as a decoration and
clothing piece and in traditional dances, such as Batuque.
 GASTRONOMY

It is rich, due to the particularity in its preparation. Involving everything a syncretic ritual
that particularizes it, makes it recognized as a of the most visible marks of national identity.
Cape Verdean cuisine is based on typical dishes, made mainly from corn and beans,
sweet potato and cassava, which resulted from an adaptation, along the weather, climate.
Due to the poverty of the soil, Cape Verdeans have performed transforming scarce food
resources into a particularly rich gastronomy, which prides national culture.

In this perspective, traditional dishes such as “Katxupa” have been preserved which is made
from corn, the main food product of Cape Verde-verdians, since colonization. The cachupa is
an element of identification of the people of any of the islands. It is also a structuring
element of the Cape Verdean identity. “Xeren” is also made with corn, adding coconut milk,
to give it a more attractive flavor. Corn is still made known “Djagasida” (cornmeal porridge
cooked with fava beans or others) and “Kuskus”, cornmeal pastry, much appreciated. These
dishes are culturally recognized by Cape Verdeans inside and outside the country, and yet
by some looking for Cape Verde as a tourist or residence destination.
It is in this sense that the culture and gastronomy of any nation or community, are closely
linked.
The gastronomy has its own characteristics, made of original flavors, which specify Cape
Verde in the world, and enable its recognition as one of the cultural heritage. In this way, the
Cape Verdean gastronomy is, in essence, one of its cultural riches, and Cape Verdean knew,
from what he had, to create and invent what, after a few centuries, remained intact in the
memory of the Cape Verdean nation, despite being adapted to the new times, without losing
the traditional and
emblematic (CHANTRE, 1993).
 RELIGIOUS

In addition to language, music and gastronomy, religious syncretism in Cape Verde is

also, in essence, one of the factors of national unity. It is considered that, in this
archipelago, because of colonization and settlement, the majority of the population is
Christian, and professes their religion through the Catholic Church, in harmony with
traditional beliefs and values, which allow establishing a relationship between certain
rituals and the application of acquired religious values, In a context where the Catholic
Church assumes itself as one of the most dominant in the transmission of social values.

The Catholic Church assumes itself as the first institution of relevance in the
Cape Verde archipelago, with a moral base, under which Cape Verdean society is
structured.
Most are already baptized before completing a year in the Catholic Church.
Then we spent years in catechism and going to misa every Sunday more because of the
pressure of the parents since the Church represents a certain importance in society.

During these years we spent in catechesis, we went through many rituals disigunadas
until we can also be teachers of catechesis
The religious practices of baptism and marriage, the feasts of saints and pilgrimages,
religious rituals around death, among others, are the most important. In fact, religion
plays, due to the peculiar context of its origin and affirmation in the Cape Verde
archipelago, a role of with Cape Verdeans to recognize themselves in a unique social and
cultural fabric.

FUNERAL RITUALS
As a last element, we can point out the funeral rituals that are had as phenomena that
contain principles of unity and solidarity.
In Cape Verde, death is seen with all respect and solidarity, making that this
phenomenon unites the Nation and eternalizes the feeling of solidarity and of deep
approximation experienced with the similar.
In Cape Verde, death involves a set of rituals from the preparation of the deceased until
the final ceremony that coincides with the mourning and appeasement of souls.
When someone dies in my country, the house of the person is open 7 days and nights with
people accompanying the family of the deceased and praying for his soul.

We believe that the ward has 7 days to cross the plan from the living to the dead.

During those days we cry, but stories are also told about the deceased, families sometimes
meet for a long time not talking.
On the seventh day a missa is held and the altar made for the dead is undone.
Every 3 months a missa is performed until 1 year after his death.
 What stands out from the Cape Verdean people

The climate in Cape Verde is always hot so you will often find men without a shirt and
women in short clothes.
We have beautiful beaches, that can be used throughout the year.
The Cape Verdean people are known for their musicality, well expressed by popular
events such as Carnival.
The Cape Verdean people are known for their warm welcome with foreigners from other
countries, we are a country of tourism.
We like music parties and we make a lot of noise.
We often invade people's personal space and always greet people with kisses or
handshakes, even strangers. We are a very happy people.
 Conclusion

Cape Verde is a unique nation that, through the process of miscegenation,

gave meaning to its people, the result of the chance encounter between civilizations
completely different: African and European.