Africa-Press – Cape verde. The Ministry of Culture and Creative Industries, through the Institute of Cultural Heritage (IPC) signed today, in Assomada, Santa Catarina, financing contracts with the 11 groups from the tabanca on the island of Santiago.
There are three groups of tabancas from the city of Praia, one from Salineiro, in the municipality of Ribeira Grande de Santiago, and seven from Santa Catarina, which, like one from the island of Maio, will receive 200 contos each.
This funding falls within the scope of the program for the valorization and safeguarding of the tabanca, which has been a National Cultural and Intangible Heritage since 2017, aimed at all formally constituted tabanca groups.
On the occasion, the Minister of Culture and Creative Industries, Augusto Veiga, recalled that over the years, the Government, through the ministry under his supervision, has implemented programs to enhance the tabanca based on improving spaces for memory, interpretation and representation.
He added that the ministry has been committed to promoting research and the transmission of knowledge to new generations, as well as providing financial support to all official groups for the organization of their festivities and other activities inherent to the social and mutualist vocation of this organization.
“The Government intends for this appreciation to reach higher levels, especially through the preparation of the candidacy dossier for its inscription on the list of Intangible Heritage of Humanity, the technical process for which is under the responsibility of the Cultural Heritage Institute,” he indicated.
“The objective is also to envision the valorization of this heritage as a vector for local development, tourism and the promotion of social cohesion within communities,” continued the officer.
At this ceremony, which was also attended by the president of the IPC, Ana Samira Baessa, the Minister of Culture indicated that this funding has been granted since 2018, in an amount that already reaches 15 thousand contos.
According to him, this funding shows the institutional commitment to supporting the 12 tabanca groups of Santiago and Maio, formally constituted, providing a certain predictability in the organization of the festivities and so that each year the tabanca has more vitality and strength.
On the other hand, Augusto Veiga committed to working to increase this amount from the Tourism Fund next year, to make this financing available by February at the latest and to create a training and transmission program “so as not to let the tabanca die” and so that the groups can overcome the loss of some elements due to emigration.
Speaking to Inforpress, the person in charge of the Tabanca de Ribeira em Cima Group, Maria Olívia de Pina, recalled that this funding, which began in 2018, has helped the groups in acquiring instruments, clothing, remodeling chapels and the pilgrimage festival, in the case of her group celebrated in January.
Therefore, he asked that this amount be made available before the groups begin their activities; in the case of his group, the festival is celebrated in January.
Regarding the amount made available for this year, Maria Olívia de Pina said that it will be used to renovate the chapel and cover its surroundings, as well as build seats.
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