Art & Culture

The Creole culture is characterized by regular change and rash changes. It is rooted in Portuguese, European and African traditions.

Especially distinctive are the African origins in the music, rhythm and dances of the inhabitants.

The handicrafts, especially ceramics and weavings, clearly indicate an African origin whereas the crochet and embroidery are oriented towards Portuguese patterns.

Especially worth mentioning are the artistic co-operations that have been developed on just about every island and which currently cover the entire artistic range of Cape Verde. The manufacturing of ceramics, pottery, tapestry, wool blankets and baskets continue to belong to a strong tradition that was hard-earned by the rural population and serve as an expression of their very own identity.

Mindelo on São Vicente is not only the cradle of Cape Verdean painting, but rather also the hub of the carnival, which in respect to the colourful costumes and cheerful friskiness hardly has anything to hide in comparison to Rio de Janeiro or Bahià, even if on a much smaller scale. The music is a regular component and an unmistakeable expression of Cape Verdean customs. Music is a remedy for the soul. It belongs to this country like the wind, the sea and the brusque mountains. With Cesaria Evora, the voice of Cape Verde, the musical form of the Morna has found a dignified representative. In the course of the years, she has made her homeland known all around the world. In addition to the "Morna", which is regularly compared to the melancholic sad sounds of the Portuguese Fado, the musical direction of "Coladeira" has taken the forefront with its cheerfully inspired dance songs that are accompanied by guitars, mandolins and violins.