Culture

The culture of the Cape Verdean people reflects a symbiosis of five centuries of both European and African influences; this interlink is to be found in the various expressions of popular culture. Most people in Cape Verde are Mestiços; about a quarter are of African descent. Portuguese is the official language. The national language is Kriolu, a mix of African and Portuguese. For its tiny size, Cape Verde has produced a wealth of literature.

The most important literary movement was begun in 1936 by intellectuals and writers, former students of the seminary at Sao Nicolau, in conjunction with the literary journal Claridade, known for its opposition to the colonial dictatorship and for an aesthetic revolution that represented a break with the old European models. The works written prior to independence focused on liberation and were mainly in Kriolu. Among the representatives of the movement are Baltasar Lopes da Silva, author of Chiquinho, one of the greatest novel of Cape Verde; Manuel Lopes, author of the novels Chuva Brava and Flagelos ` do Vento Leste; authors such as Jorge Barbosa, Felis Monteiro, Antonio Goncalves, Gabriel Mariano, and Jaime Figueiredo, poet and essayist; Henrique Texeira de Sousa, novelist and storyteller; Arnaldo Franca, poet; and Germane Almeida, author of O meu Poeta and Testamento do Senhor Napumoceno.

Portuguese Creole literature has been developed by Ana P., an improvisational poet in the popular festivals in the island of Fogo; Eugenie Tavares, from the island of Brava; Maio Barbosa, from Fogo; B. Leza and Manuel de Novas, the celebrated 0authors of mornas and coladeiras, from Sao Vicente; and Sergio Frusoni, who translated the New Testament into Portuguese Creole for the Nazarenes.

Post independence, the themes expanded to include the mass emigration from the islands by the American immigrants and racial discrimination. Some writers continue to write in Kriolu, while others, write in Portuguese.

Cape Verde is home to a variety of musical styles. One of the most popular is the foot-stomping funana, a dance beat popular in Praia and other cities and towns; morna, the national song form, typically slow, moody and in a minor key; and coladeira, a fast-moving, fluffy style of dance music. The country's best-known musician is Cesaria Evora, the 'barefoot diva', who sings in the traditional Cabo styles. Cape Verdean food is basically Portuguese, but some dishes are unique to the islands. One of the most unusual and delicious is pastel (pastry with content inside) - a mix of fresh tuna, onions and tomatoes, wrapped in a pastry blended from boiled potatoes and corn flour, deep fried and served hot. Soups are also popular. One of the most common is caldo de peixe (fish stew), which is loaded with vegetables and spices and thickened with manioc flour. Other specialties include bananas enroladas (bananas wrapped in pastry and deep fried) and manga de conserva (an unsweetened chutney-like concoction).
About 80% of the people are Roman Catholic. At the time of independence in 1975, the Church was the single largest landowner in the country. Subsequent land reform has reduced these holdings, but the Church remains powerful in the country.

Other Cultural traits of much interest are present in the everyday life of the population, in the manufacture of items of everyday use, and in customs associated with survival and leisure activities. The traditional objects, produced for common use, reflect an experience made difficult by the drought, which is an omnipresent fact of life in Cape Verde .

Basket making using cane is highly diversified, with a variety of baskets for common and decorative use. Crafts of coconut shells also include decorative and utilitarian objects of great interest. Weaving, this won great honors in the 18th century, and cotton goods, in the traditional white and indigo blue. Also prized is the tapestry work produced on the island of Sao Vicente .

The population benefits from a diet marked by diverse combinations of the traditional popular food products, corn, beans, sweet potato, cassava, fish, and various meats enriched by the flavors of traditional liqueurs and sweets. The main traditional plate is the catchupa, widely consumed by the entire population, with various ingredients depending on the time of day and the customer's purchasing power.

Cape Verde 's preeminent painters include Manuel Figueira, Tchal Figueira, Barbeio Barros Gizzi, Lemo Lopes, Maria Luisa Q., Maria Alice Fernandes, Kiki Lima, David Levy Lima, and A. Lima.

Traditional ceramic pieces are made of red clay, with no decoration or glaze. Some major contemporary Cape Verdean artists, such as Maria de Lurdes Vieira, have done research in this area, introducing colors and new techniques, while recreating objects and forms. These works may be seen in specialty shops or at the National Crafts Center , in Sao Vicente , and in international shows and fairs.

Some of Cape Verde 's artists and intellectuals live in Cape Verdean communities in different parts of the world such as The United States, Holland , Portugal , Angola , and Brazil

There has been a tradition of filmmaking by amateurs, and the first steps are being taken to produce feature films, at the hand of L. Lopes, former minister of culture and communication, with the filming of O Ilheu de Contenda, based on the work of the same name by Texeira de Sousa. Another feature film is now being produced, based on G. Almeida's Testamento do Senhor Napumoceno.