Cape Verde
Cape Verde celebrates its 25th anniversary

afrol.com, 5 July - On July 5 1975, Cape Verde officially became an independent republic after more than 500 years of Portuguese rule. The week-long celebrations started already last Thursday and reach their climax today, on Independence Day. They include cultural events in all towns and cities, inaugurations of infrastructure projects, military parades, speeches, international visits and a lot of partying. Also the big Cape Verdean exile community celebrates today.

Cape Verde has a truly Afro-European history. Until Portuguese discovery, the archipelago was uninhabited. In 1457, the Portuguese navigator Antonio da Nola reached the island of Boa Vista and thus discovered five of the southern islands. The remaining islands were discovered by Diego Afonso on his1461-62 expedition.

Afro-European history
Diego Afonso's expedition marked the creation of the people of Cape Verde. The archipelago was populated by some Portuguese families (mainly from the Algarve), together with slaves from the Guinean Coast and captive Muslims from the Moroccan Wars. Thus, already the first population on the islands was Afro-European, marking the archipelago's history as a Creole society for ever. Catholicism also has plaid a significant part in the island's history, illustrated by the arrival of the first Catholic priests already in 1466, only five years after the first population.

Portuguese presence in Cape Verde was not too glorious the following centuries, as they made the islands an important centre in the trans-Atlantic slave trade. They mainly served as a transshipment point for slaves captured on the continent, to be sent to the Americas. Some slaves were also used in Cape Verde plantations and households. 

Struggles for independence were marked by one great personality, Amílcar Lopes Cabral, pretty much the National Hero of the young republic. Cabral was born on September 12, 1924 in Bafatá (Guinea-Bissau) of a Cape Verdean father and a Guinean mother. He studied agriculture in Portugal and was to publish various political books. His mayor achievement, however, was the founding of  the party PAIGC (African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde) in Bissau on September 19, 1956, together with Luís Cabral, Aristides Pereira and other compatriots. The PAIGC was to lead the armed struggle for independence in Guinea Bissau and Cape Verde from 1963. On January 20 1973, Amílcar Cabral was assassinated in Conakry, and thus didn't live to see Cape Verdean independence in 1975. However, he died as a martyr and will forever be the symbol of independence in Cape Verde and Guinea Bissau. His memory is alive, and visitors are introduced to him as soon as they land on the Amílcar Cabral International Airport on Sal Island.

The flag was introduced in 1992, It has 10 stars representing the 10 main islands, set in a deep, blue sea.

International respect
Modern Cape Verde has gained some international respect in its 25 years of independent history. The African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV, Cape Verdean branch of the PAIGC), held power in a one-party state from independence until 1991. Transition to a democratic multi-party system was peaceful and quiet, and was considered a model. Since 1991, Cape Verde has been ruled by the Movement for Democracy (MPD). The elected Head of State, President Antonio Mascarenhas Monteiro (an independent) and the Head of Government, Prime Minister Carlos Wahnon Veiga (MPD) won their posts in free and fair elections in 1996 and 1995. The MDC obtained 61% of the votes when reelcted in 1995. Stability and peace has had good conditions in Cape Verde.

Also economically, Cape Verde has achieved some successes lately. Cape Verde's real GDP grew by 8 percent in both 1998 and 1999, and its inflation rate was halved to some 4 percent between 1997 and 1999. "The country has made progress in macroeconomic stabilization and structural reform," the IMF concluded in its review of the country's performance in March. Cape Verde has a market-based economy but little industry and few exploitable natural resources. Based on 1998 data, the per capita income is $1,312 (11,312 escudos). The country has a long history of economically driven emigration, primarily to Western Europe and the United States, and receipts from Cape Verdeans abroad remain an important source of income. Even in years of optimum rainfall, the country can produce food for only 25 percent of the population of approximately 400,000 persons, resulting in reliance on importation and aid from its numerous emigrants. Still, economic trends in general are very positive for Cape Verde.

All more reason to celebrate for Cape Verdeans at home and abroad.

Celebrations
The commemorative activities of the 25 years of the Independence of Cape Verde go on in all parts of the country. Yesterday, two new hospitals were inaugurated, Hospital Augustin Neto and the Hospital da Trintade, both in the Concelho da Praia. The National Library in Praia opened an exhibition of products "Made in Cape Verde", which was opened by the prime minister. 

Today, there will be further inaugurations, the president will address the nation in a TV speech and there will be military parades. And of course - a big, big party for all Cape Verdeans.

The large colonies of Cape Verdeans abroad also have had a week of celebrations, be it big public arrangements or private parties by Cape Verdean students and families. In the US, celebrations can be a match for celebrations on Cape Verde. Today, The Cape Verdean Ultramarine Band Club holds a big concert in New Badford (Massachusetts). On Sunday (9 July), there will be a gala celebration and festival in India Point Park (Providence, Rhode Island). The festival will showcase the Cape Verde Islands' cultural heritage. There will be traditional Cape Verdean food, music, and dance, and the Cape Verde Artist League exhibit will be returning. 

Afrol.com congratulates this great little nation with its Golden Anniversary and wishes peace and prosperity in the years to come! 

© afrol.com. Texts and graphics may be reproduced freely, under the condition that their origin is clearly referred to, see Conditions.    You can contact us at mail@afrol.com