afrol News / A Semana, 24 February - The streets of Mindelo began to gain colour and human traffic at 9:00 am today with the beginning of Carnival parades by kindergartens and elementary schools on the Cape Verdean island of São Vicente. Mindelo, the island's main city, is known to have the most colourful carnival of Cape Verde and of the region.

Kings, queens, ballerinas, witches, punks and other characters took over the streets of São Vicente this morning to mark the beginning of Carnival festivities, which will run until Ash Wednesday morning.

Pupils at the island's kindergartens and elementary schools left the classroom and invaded the main thoroughfares of Mindelo, with children and onlookers dancing and singing to the rhythm of the drums and sambas.

Tomorrow, the festivities will be under the charge of organised groups from a number of São Vicente's neighbourhoods, as well as spontaneous revellers, all of them promising a carnival worthy of Mindelo residents' expectations. These, however, are but appetisers for the main festivities, scheduled for Monday and Tuesday nights.

The Mindelo Carnival is famous far beyond São Vicente island. Even in the Cape Verdean capital Praia, which is always competing with Mindelo, it is recognised that the country's second city has the best and most famous carnival. In the February days, São Vicente for once is the centre of attention, with most national and international tourists.

Also internationally, the São Vicente Carnival is beginning to attract more attention. By now, it has become Africa's most known carnival, beating Bissau, Luanda and Maputo. In size, the Mindelo Carnival yet not can compete with the tourism event carnivals of Tenerife and Gran Canaria on the neighbouring Canary Islands, but it certainly can compete on authenticity, colour and livelihood.

Although planning is fierce, there is still space for spontaneity. José António Lopes confessed to 'A Semana Online': "We are now only waiting what surprises and qualities this Carnival will bring us." The President of the Carnival Commission of São Vicente explains that his team already had started preparatory works in December.

By staff writers

© afrol News / A Semana

Tweet

Printable version

On the Afrol News front page now

UN will not monitor human rights in Western Sahara afrol News - The US has backed down on its demand that UN peacekeepers in Moroccan-occupied Western Sahara also shall monitor the human rights situation after Moroccan sources threatened to scale down relations with Washington. Read more

Central African Republic

Central African Republic falling apart afrol News - One month after the rebel movement Séléka took over power in the Central African Republic, unrest is spreading in the country. The new leader lacks control of his forces, which continue looting and abusing civilians. Read more

Kenya

Kenyatta secures tight victory in Kenya afrol News - The official election results in Kenya have finally been announced, and Uhuru Kenyatta managed to win the first poll round outright with a narrow 50.7 percent. But the main opponent, PM Raila Odinga, is filing a vote rigging complaint to the courts. Read more

Cape Verde Cape Verde to produce dragon fruit afrol News - Cape Verde authorities have invested large sums to diversify the arid country's agricultural sector. Now, the dragon fruit, originating in tropical America, is being introduced for the first commercial production in Africa. Read more

Egypt Even governors in Pharaonic Egypt died in their 20s afrol News - Researchers have analysed more than 200 mummies from ancient Egypt, finding that even high dignitaries were poorly nourished and had infectious diseases. The typical governor in Pharaonic Egypt died before he was 30 years old. Read more