Tag Archive for: Santiago

Living History – Praia

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A Cape Verdean boy

The wooden planks of the caravels groan under the weight of newly loaded cargo. The heavy ropes creak under the pull of the anchor. The skeletons of the ships’ superstructures dance a deathly dance for many of the poor Africans being herded below deck to the sound of cracking whips. Suddenly, the cry rings out: ‘Pirates in sight!’. The orderly scene descends into chaos. Merchants hastily gather their precious belongings; entire families can be seen rushing away, sheer terror etched on their faces. Once again, there will be looting, pillaging, and murder. Read more

At the Sucupira Market in Praia

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Women selling fruit and vegetables at the Sucupira Market in Praia, Santiago, Cape Verde

Although the Cape Verde Islands were dependent on UN food aid in the 90s, some markets still show the great variety and abundance of local fruit, vegetables, fish and meat.

A Cape Verdean boy

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A Cape Verdean boy, Praia, Santiago, Cape Verde

The younger generation is the hope of Cape Verde. With a good education, they’ll build a career abroad or at home, for example in the burgeoning tourism industry.

Two Cape Verdean Girls

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Two Cape Verdean girls laughing and hugging, Praia, Santiago, Cape Verde

On the Cape Verde islands, you’ll find every mix of skin, hair, and eye colour, because throughout the long history of the slave trade and colonial era in Cape Verde, people of the most diverse origins have intermingled.

The Cape Verde Islands

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Colourful wooden boats in the harbour of Ponta do Sol in front of the rocky coast of Santo Antao, Cape Verde

Exploited and forgotten, the Cape Verde Islands lie at the crossroads of South America, Africa, and Europe. Scorched earth and fertile valleys, deserts, mountains, and volcanoes, all exposed to the ever-present trade winds, form a harsh environment in which to live. A young generation is coming to terms with the legacy of Portuguese colonial rule, the slave trade, and socialist ideology while forging a new identity of its own. These are just some of the elements that give the Cape Verde Islands their distinctive appeal, situated some 500 kilometers west of Africa and surrounded by the vast expanse of the Atlantic Ocean. Read more