By Dulcina Mendes,
Africa-Press – Cape verde. Another year is coming to an end. This year was marked by the classification of Funaná as National Intangible Cultural Heritage. The Cultural Heritage Institute (IPC) registered “Fongo” as Intangible Heritage of Fontainhas, in the municipality of Ribeira Grande, Santo Antão. The village of Fontainhas, on the island of Santo Antão, was classified as National Cultural and Natural Heritage. The year ended with an increase in the State Budget for 2025 for the Culture sector.
The year was also marked by the return of the Great Book Fair. The “Great Book Fair of Cape Verde”, which started in the city of Praia and traveled to several points in the country. In fashion, Cape Verdean Akysanna da Veiga was crowned Miss International Africa, in the “Miss International” contest, held in November, at the Tokyo Dome City Hall, in Japan.
Also in the Culture sector, Augusto Veiga took office as Minister of Culture and Creative Industries. Augusto Veiga was the General Director of the Atlantic Music Expo (AME), which celebrated its 10th edition this year under the motto “Sustainability and Formality” and had 26 performances and several tributes. Long after the event, Benito da Luz Lopes was announced as the new director of the Atlantic Music Expo.
The city of Praia hosted the 13th edition of the Kriol Jazz Festival, an event that brings together national and international jazz artists.
The Cape Verde Chefs Association participated for the second time in the Lanzarote International Gastronomy Festival, in the Canary Islands, with two chefs representing it.
As for Carnival, this year the Monte Sossego group is the three-time champion in São Vicente and, in Praia, the carnival group Samba Jó is the two-time champion.
In May, the Chão Bom Work Camp, on the island of Santiago, hosted activities commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 25th of April and the Closure of the Tarrafal Work Camp, under the motto “Freedom in Memory”.
The year was also marked by the return of the Great Book Fair. The “Great” Cape Verde Book Fair began in Praia and travelled around the country. In fashion, Cape Verdean Akysanna da Veiga was crowned Miss International Africa in the “Miss International” competition held in November at the Tokyo Dome City Hall in Japan.
Also in the Culture sector, Augusto Veiga took office as Minister of Culture and Creative Industries. Augusto Veiga was the general director of the Atlantic Music Expo (AME), which celebrated its 10th edition this year under the motto “Sustainability and Formality” and featured 26 performances and several tributes. Long after the event, Benito da Luz Lopes was announced as the new director of the Atlantic Music Expo.
The city of Praia hosted the 13th edition of the Kriol Jazz Festival. An event that brings together national and international jazz artists.
The Cabo Verde Chefs Association participated for the second time in the Lanzarote International Gastronomy Festival, in the Canary Islands, with two chefs representing it.
In terms of Carnival, this year the Monte Sossego group is the three-time champion in São Vicente and the Samba Jó carnival group in Praia is the two-time champion.
In May, the Tarrafal Concentration Camp, on the island of Santiago, hosted activities commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 25th of April and the Closure of the Tarrafal Concentration Camp under the motto “Freedom in Memory”.
Music
In terms of music, the São Vicente City Council celebrated the 40th edition of the Baía das Gatas Festival with four days of music. Brazilian singer Ivete Sangalo performed at the festival for the first time.
The Ministry of Culture held Morna Week, with a series of cultural activities dedicated to this musical style that is Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The event took place during the week of National Morna Day, to celebrate the five years since Morna was classified.
The Cape Verdean artist, born in the municipality of Santa Cruz, in the interior of the island of Santiago, Elida Almeida, celebrated her 10th anniversary in November with a concert in Lisbon, which included the participation of several guests.
In January, Cape Verde will host the 60th anniversary tour of musician and composer Mário Lúcio. The municipality of Tarrafal de Santiago hosted the first edition of the Festival Pela Paz, performed by musician Mário Lúcio Sousa.
The Baía das Gatas Festival celebrated its 40th anniversary. And the Municipality of São Vicente presented the people of São Vicente with four days of music. In this edition, Brazilian singer Ivete Sangalo performed at the festival for the first time.
Maio Island hosted a mini Batuco festival, organized by the Tabanka Djarmai Association, as part of the Santa Cruz festivities, which are celebrated on May 3rd.
The 3rd edition of “Pilon de Xou” organized by singer and composer Princezito took place in Praia, in honor of the batucadeira, Nha Marina Vaz.
The Cabo Verde Music Awards (CVMA) gala took place on June 1st, International Children’s Day, and took place for the first time at Porto da Praia, in Praia.
The Grito Rock Festival returned toPraia city, for its 8th edition. The event paid tribute to the musician Tó Tavares.
The municipality of Santa Cruz hosts the 3rd edition of the SCM Award Gala, held by the Cape Verdean Music Society (SCM).
Literature
The Sal World Literature Festival took place on the island of Sal, in tribute to Amílcar Cabral.
The National Library of Cape Verde celebrated 25 years of existence with activities such as a formal session, book fair and exhibition.
The city of Praia hosted the 12th Meeting of Portuguese Language Writers under the motto “Literature, Freedom and Inclusion”, in tribute to the centenary of the birth of Amílcar Cabral and the 5th centenary of Luís Vaz de Camões.
The book “Músicas de Speransa pa Cabo Verde” with 48 of the 50 unpublished compositions by the late Santa Catarina artist Norberto Tavares was presented in Assomada, Praia and Tarrafal.
The Sankofa publishing house launched the Vera Duarte Poetry-literary competition, with the aim of increasing interest in writing among the residents of Praia.
Manuel Brito-Semedo presented his newest book “Porto Memória”, in Praia. The work contains 25 chronicles that talk about writers, suggest books and reading tips.
Daniel Medina is one of the nine winners of the Guerra Junqueiro Lusofonia Literary Prize 2023.
The final of the 2nd edition of the National Reading Competition, which took place on the island of Sal, was attended by 168 students from 21 municipalities.
The Morabeza Literary Festival – Book Festival returns for its 4th edition. There were four days of events focused on books and reading.
The Cape Verdean Society of Authors (SOCA) launched a compilation of 14 editions of the SOCA Magazine.
Writer Evel Rocha was the winner of the 6th edition of the Arnaldo França Literary Prize, awarded by the Imprensa Nacional-Casa da Moeda in partnership with the Imprensa Nacional de Cabo Verde.
Art
Photojournalist João Paulo Tavares presented his photography exhibition “Os 100tenários de Cabo Verde” (The 100 Years of Cabo Verde) in the country and abroad.
Twelve artists represented Cabo Verde at the 37th International Craft Fair (Surajkund International Craft Mela), which took place in the Surajkund district of Faridabad, Haryana, Delhi, India.
Visual artist Nelson Neves and photographer Sérgio Pires, both from Santo Antão, exhibited together at the Chambre des Salariés, in Luxembourg City, between October 1 and 31.
Dance
The choreography “Canine Jaunâtre 3”, by Marlene Monteiro Freitas, entered the repertoire of the Lyon Opera Ballet this year.
The dancers from the Dance & Art School won 1st and 3rd place in the 25th edition of the Norte Dança Festival, which took place in the city of Porto, Portugal.
Five Cape Verdean dancers (Mano Preto, Rosy Timas, Elisabete Fernandes, Djamilson Barreto and Djam Neguin) participated in the Angolan arts exhibition.
Theatre
The Fladu Fla theatre company held the 3rd edition of the Atlantic Theatre Festival (TEARTI), which included the participation of groups from Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Cape Verde and Nigeria.
The theatre company Juventude em Marcha, from Porto Novo, Santo Antão, celebrated 40 years since its foundation, with shows in Cape Verde and abroad.
The Mindelact theatre festival celebrated its 30th anniversary, with a programme packed with activities.
The play “Cabral, A Última Lua de Homem Grande”, a co-production between Sikinada – Theatre Company (Cape Verde) and Teatro Art’Imagem (Portugal), was performed in the country and abroad.
Tikai, whose real name is João Pereira, celebrated 30 years of his career as an actor.
Cinema
Kuletivu Nhanha is the name of a group created by Cape Verdean women to support female initiatives in the development of national cinema and audiovisual media.
The city of Praia hosted the first edition of the Atlantic International Film Festival for Climate Action (FIAC), with a focus on the school community. The festival was organised by the Cape Verde Film and Audiovisual Association.
The 4th edition of the Djârfogo International Film Festival (DIFF), which took place in November, paid tribute to the centenary of Amílcar Cabral and African Cinema. This edition, which had the motto “Liberation through Culture”, screened 55 films from 40 countries.
Portuguese-Cape Verdean director Denise Fernandes won the award for Best Emerging Filmmaker at the 77th edition of the Locarno Festival, in Switzerland, with her first feature film “Hanami”.
The film “Pirinha”, by director Natacha Craveiro, premiered this year in Cape Verde.
Deaths
This year, several cultural figures passed away, such as writer Oswaldo Osório, aged 85; saxophonist António Inácio da Silveira, popularly known as Nónó, aged 75; the saxophonist Totinho, who made his career accompanying Cesária Évora; Alcindo Barbosa, better known as Xindu Morandi; the singer from Mindelo Eugénio Costa Santos “Natch”; the composer from Boa Vista António Serapião Oliveira, better known as Nha Vão, who died at the age of 100; João Batista Guerreiro Velhinho Rodrigues, better known by his stage name (comedian) Nhu Puxin and Nastaci Lopi, aged 82; the theatre actor from the Ladu Fla Theatre Company, Álvaro Cardoso; and the former Mindelo carnival artist Dulce Lima, one of the leading figures of the Mindelo Carnival.
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