Cape Verde: The Achievements and Challenges After 46 Years of Independence By Brunno Braga
J
uly 5th is recognized as Independence Day for Cape Verde. After being colonized by Portugal from 1460 to 1975, the African archipelago has made several strides, but it also has challenges ahead. Cape Verde is made up of a group of 10 islands in the Atlantic Ocean. Given its strategic position— linking Europe, Africa and South America— the islands served as a trading and supply post, with particular emphasis on the slave trade. Soon, the archipelago became a center of concentration and dispersion of men, plants and animals. Eventually, free Europeans and enslaved Africans merged into a single people, Cape Verdean. Creole emerged as the language of the local people, and the mixed ethnicities helped to create a unique culture. Food and music are two things that gained a special flavor and show off the best representation of the country. The most popular artist from the country is Cesara Évora, who is said to be the most respected African singer in the world.
Cape Verde Fighting Against Colonialism After World War II, Africa colonies began to fight for their independence. In Cape Verde, this was no different. In 1956, Amílcar Cabral created the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC), fighting colonialism and starting a march towards independence. Aware of the fact that fighting against colonialism was also a fight against white European racism, Cabral once said during one of his speeches: “The colonists usually say that it was they who brought us into history: today we show that this is not so. They made us leave history, our history, to follow them, right at the back, to follow the progress of their history. In combating racism, we do not
make progress if we combat the people themselves. We have to combat the causes of racism. If a bandit comes to my house and I have a gun, I cannot shoot the shadow Nossa Senhora do Rosário church of the bandit; I have to shoot the bandit. Many people lose energy and effort, and make sacrifices fighting shadows. We have to combat the reality of the material that produces the shadow.” On December 19, 1974, an agreement was
64 | ABA Publications | Africa TRAVEL | July 2021
