Cape Verdean Cities Now and Then – a Structural Analysis of Assomada, Island of Santiago

Cadernos de Geografia nºnº 28/2928/29 -- 2009/102009/10 Coimbra, FLUC - pp. 173-179

Cape Verdean Cities now and then – A Structural Analysis of Assomada, Island of Santiago

Friedrich Barnikel Educational Coordinator for Geography, City of Munich

Mark Vetter Department of Geography, LMU Munich, Luisenstr. 37, 80333 Munich, Germany

Resumo:

Santiago (ou São Tiago) é a maior ilha do arquipélago de Cabo Verde, um grupo de ilhas da África Ocidental ao largo da costa do Senegal (Figura 1). Tem quatro cidades importantes: Praia, a capital moderna, Cidade Velha, a capital dos primeiros tempos coloniais, Tarrafal, um refúgio litoral e local de um antigo campo de concentração no norte da cidade, e Assomada, uma cidade que serve a população rural de Santiago no centro da ilha. O desenvolvimento do país, a partir de uma colónia portuguesa para um país independente, lutando com as necessidades de uma sociedade pós- moderna do século XXI, pode ser bem ilustrado através do desenvolvimento da cidade de Assomada. Três diferentes fases de desenvolvimento são claramente visíveis no esquema atual do centro da cidade: o núcleo colonial, a expansão do centro nos tempos coloniais tardios e o desenvolvimento pós-colonial ocorrido há pouco tempo neste centro. Palavras-chave: Análise da estrutura. Cabo Verde. Desenvolvimento da cidade.

Résumé:

Santiago (ou S. Tiago) est la plus grande île de l’archipel du Cap-Vert, un groupe d’îles ouest-africain à la hauteur de la côte sénégalaise (Figure 1). Il y a quatre villes importantes: Praia, la capitale, Cidade Velha, l’ancienne capitale de l’époque coloniale, Tarrafal, ville côtière et site d’un ancien camp de concentration dans le nord, et Assomada, une ville au centre de l’île alimentant la population rurale de la région. Le développement du pays partant d’une colonie vers un pays indépendant qui est obligé de se préoccuper des besoins d’une société moderne du 21ème siècle, non-alignée à aucun bloc, peut être mis en évidence à l’aide du développement urbain de la ville d’Assomada: Les structures du centre-ville laissent reconnaître clairement trois stades de développement: Le cœur colonial de la ville, l’expansion du centre vers la fin de l’époque coloniale et le développement postcolonial tout au milieu de ce nouveau centre. Mots-clés: Analyse de la structure. Cap-Vert. Développement de la Ville.

Abstract:

Santiago (or São Tiago) is the largest island among the archipelago of Cape Verde, a West African group of islands off the coast of Senegal (Figure 1). It has four important cities: Praia, the modern capital, Cidade Velha, the capital from early colonial times, Tarrafal, a seaside resort and site of a former concentration camp in the north, and Assomada, a city serving Santiago’s rural population in the centre of the island. The development of the country from a colony to an independent country struggling with the needs of a modern post-bloc society of the 21st century can be illustrated by the development of the city of Assomada. Three different stages of development are clearly visible in the current outline of the city centre: the colonial core, the late colonial spreading of the centre and the post-colonial development within this newly formed centre. Key-words: Structural analysis. Cape Verde. Urban development.

173 Cadernos de Geografia Friedrich Barnikel e Mark Vetter

Cape Verde – A Short Introduction ers only hindered Cape Verde’s ability to feed its people (cf. Me i n t e l , 1983). As a result, droughts killed a large The West African archipelago of Cape Verde is a percentage of the population between 1773 and 1959 group of 10 islands (nine of which are inhabited) and and led to high emigration rates. Today, an estimated some small islands, all of volcanic origin. While the 430.000 people live on the islands, two fifths of which easterly part, notably the islands of Sal, Boavista and live on the island of Santiago. Most Cape Verdeans are Maio, have been flattened by erosion, the western is- of Creole origin, a very small minority is European or lands of Santiago (or São Tiago), São Vicente, São Nico- Asian (Al b u q u e r q u e e Ma d e i r a Sa n t o s , 2001; Ba r b e , 2003; lau and Santo Antão are younger and therefore in parts Ca rr e i r a , 1983; Le s o u r d , 2006). very hilly and prone to fluvial erosion during the short Since gaining independence from Portugal, Cape spells of rain. The southwestern islands of Fogo and Verde has reforested almost 80,000 hectares and built Brava still experience recent volcanic activity, most no- 3,000km of walls to protect slopes from erosion. The tably during the 1995 eruption of the Pico do Fogo (Fo n - country thus tries to return to a more efficient and sus- s e c a et al., 2003). tainable land use. But even though 70% of the population The islands of Cape Verde belong, together with live in rural areas the contribution of the primary sector the Azores, the Canary Islands and Madeira, to Macaro- to the country’s income is only 12%. La n g w o r t h y e Fi n a n nesia, a group of islands which came into existence due (1997) state that, from the perspective of a local rural to submarine eruptions along mid-oceanic faultlines household, mere survival is the central issue which drives during the late Jurassic and early Cretaceous with Maio, a short-run decisionmaking. They also point out that Boavista and Sal most probably being the oldest Cape yields on the island of Santiago may vary from 80 per- Verdean islands. Subsidence then followed the cooling cent below average in years with a poor harvest to 30 of the oceanic crust. Volcanic activity was beginning to percent above average in good years, with the produc- shape the islands in the late Cretaceous but strongest tion dropping to zero in very bad years, as is characte­ during the Tertiary. In the Oligocene to lower Miocene ristic for the meteorological conditions in this type of followed deformation and erosion of the surfaces (cf. climate (La n g w o r t h y e Fi n a n , 1997). That underlines the Mi t c h e l l -Th o m é , 1976 and Pa t r i a t e La b a i l s , 2006; see also dependency of Cape Verde on food imports from other Sc h e i d e gg e r , 2002 and Du pr a t et al., 2007, for further in- countries. One solution for roughly a quarter of the agri- formation). culturally used land on Santiago is irrigation from mostly The islands belong to the semiarid climatic zone natural springs or simple wells. The secondary sector, of the Sahel. The differentiation between the northern slightly more than 20% of the GDP, mostly produces tex- Barlavento-islands (“islands above the wind”) and the tiles, shoes and canned tuna. Goods produced for the southern Sotavento-islands (“islands below the wind”) domestic market include flour, bread, beer, lemonade, refers to the north-easterly trade winds of the region. cigarettes, tobacco, tarnish and soaps (Al b u q u e r q u e e Ma- The average amount of precipitation on Santiago is d e i r a Sa n t o s , 2001, Le s o u r d , 1995, Le s o u r d , 2006). around 450mm with a high variability (see Mi t c h e l l - Therefore, it is not surprising that tourism has be- Th o m é , 1976 or La n g w o r t h y e Fi n a n , 1997). Santiago is the come the largest sector on the islands (cf. Ro c h a Br i t o , second coolest of the nine major islands of Cape Verde 2010). The infrastructure, especially the road network, with an annual temperature average of 21.6°C (Mi t c h - is still rudimentary, with a total of only 1,400km, 400km e l l -Th o m é , 1976). The combination of little rainfall in a of which are dirt roads. The most visited island is Sal, it short period of time and rather dry soils leads to a very also features the most advanced touristic infrastructure limited natural vegetation on the islands (Ba r b o s a , 1968, of all islands. In 2004 Sal had almost 700,000 overnight Le s o u r d , 1995). stays. Second was the island of Santiago with 80,000 The islands were explored around 1450 by Portu- overnight stays. On Santiago, the capital Praia draws guese seafarers and thus remained a Portuguese colony most visitors from abroad (Instituto Nacional de Estatís- until 1975 (cf. Si l v a An d r a d e , 1996). The import of ani- tica Cabo Verde 2009). Cidade Velha, as a UNESCO World mals to support an ever growing number of inhabitants Heritage Site, is the major tourist attraction, followed added to the degradation of large parts of the islands, by the town of Tarrafal (Figure 2). which triggered erosion and led to a decrease in agri- Assomada, the old capital of the province of San- culturally used areas. As Bigman notes (1993), the rela- tiago, is the most important city in the centre of the tion of slavery and sharecropping plus the cultivation of island. With approximately 14.000 inhabitants it is the inappropriate crops for the benefit of the few landown- second largest settlement of the island (Praia, the cap-

174 Cape Verdean Cities now and then – A Structural Analysis of Assomada, Island of Santiago nº 28/29 - 2009/10

ital of the whole archipelago, has approximately hotel, Chinese shop, administrative building, school, 125.000 habitants - Instituto Nacional Estatística Cabo church and other. In addition to that, buildings from Verde 2009). It serves as the district capital for the dis- Portuguese times were specially designated on the map trict of Santa Catarina. Assomada is situated roughly to show the old city centre from colonial times in com- 540m above sea level. Because of its central position parison to the current one. The city centre was divided Assomada is of special importance for traffic and trade. into four quarters which were defined by means of aer- Tourism only plays a minor role in this area. ial photographs. The meeting point of all quarters was the Praça Gustavo Monteiro. The excursion group was Aim of investigation then divided into four smaller groups which had to ana- It can be assumed, therefore, that tourism does lyse one quarter of the city centre each. If a building not affect the original and typical African market struc- had more than one storey only the ground floor was ture of Assomada, which has been developed in this city analysed. due to endogenous processes over a long time, at least over the past 150 years. Especially the functions trade and commerce have led to a specific structure of the city centre. Assomada, thus, is very appropriate for an investigation of how trade relations and processes with- out special touristic influence in more recent times have led to a specific market structure in a typical Afri- can city in a rural area. This was the reason why Asso- mada was selected for the investigation presented in this paper, where the analysis of the city structure will be examined and interpreted for the first time.

Figure 2 Figure 2 Island of Santiago/Cape IslandVerde of with Santiago/Cape major settlement Verde withs and major the settlements study area and Assomada the study (Cartography area M.Vetter) Assomada (Cartography M.Vetter) Analysis Analysis The Praça Gustavo Monteiro is the old city centre of Assomada. It is located in the The Praça Gustavo Monteiro is the old city centre middle of the main NW-SE axis of the inner city. It also lies right in the centre of the of Assomada. It is located in the middle of the main NW- assemblage of old colonial-SE axis ofbuildings the inner and city. is Ita naturalalso lies meeting right in thepoint centre for the locals due to its

many seating opportunitiesof the assemblage and the shading of old colonialtrees. Small buildings food and stalls is a offer na­ refreshments. The Figure 1 tural meeting point for the locals due to its many seat- Orientation and AdministrativeFigure 1 Map of Cape Verde (Cartography: M. Vetter) square is also at the centre of the administrative buildings in Assomada. Orientation and Administrative Map of Cape Verde (Cartography: M. Vetter) ing opportunities and the shading trees. Small food Methods The northernstalls quarter offer shows refreshments. the most distinct The square contrast is also to atthe the old cen Portug- uese city centre. During an excursionMethods in the spring of 2007, studentsSince from the the historical Department trecentre ofof the of administrativeAssomada has buildingsalways been in Assomada. in European hands and because of Geography at the Ludwig-Maximilians-UniversityDuring an excursion in the of Munich,spring ofthe Ge 2007,rmany, fact that stu performed- this is astill GIS- theThe administrative northern quarter core of shows the tow then, mostthe African distinct community, with the analysis of the dentscity centre from of theAssomada. Department Every streetof Geography was surveyed, at theand theLud function- ofcontrast each to the old Portuguese city centre. Since the largest birth rates on the island, needed to go elsewhere to establish their way of life. This led house was filedwig-Maximilians-University in a data sheet and eventually of a Munich, map was Germany, produced to per show- the internalhistorical centre of Assomada has always been in Euro- formed a GIS-analysis of the city centre ofto Assomada.the transformation pean of the hands northern and because quarter of into the an fact African-dominated that this is still the quarter with a bigger structure of the city. The different categories were: market (square), services, crafts, retail Every street was surveyed, and the function of each administrative core of the town, the African communi- with and without food, restaurant, hotel, Chinese shop, administrativemarket building, square, school, where church on Wednesdays and Saturdays an African market is being held. The house was filed in a data sheet and eventually a map ty, with the largest birth rates on the island, needed to and other. In addition to that, buildings from Portuguese times were specially designated on was produced to show the internal structurehouses of the around city. the squarego elsewhere are formed to establish like a U their with way its openingof life. This towards led to the NE. Only few of the map to showThe the differentold city centre categories from colonial were: times market in compari (square),theseson to houses the ser current­ have one. the flatsThe transformation or apartments, of the most northern of themquarter are into occupied an Afri- with food stores, city centre was divided into four quarters which were defined by means of aerial photographs. vices, crafts, retail with and without food,handicrafts, restaurant, services can-dominated and Chinese stores. quarter The with Chinese a bigger stores market have everyt square,hing on offer but food The meeting point of all quarters was the Praça Gustavo Monteiro. The excursion group was and hardly differ from each other in terms of the variety of products. The buildings in which then divided into four smaller groups which had to analyse one quarter of the city centre each. 175 If a building had more than one storey only the ground floor was theseanalysed. Chinese stores can be found are clearly distinguishable as post-colonial. The fact that these stores are situated close to each other hints at a sort of Arab outline of a city with the basar divided into different sections where the goods on offer can be immediately compared Cadernos de Geografia Friedrich Barnikel e Mark Vetter

where on Wednesdays and Saturdays an African market distinct colonial buildings. Only at the fringe of the is being held. The houses around the square are formed quarter, by the side of the major thoroughfare, some like a U with its opening towards the NE. Only few of restaurants and bars can be found. these houses have flats or apartments, most of them The third group surveyed the southern quarter. In are occupied with food stores, handicrafts, services and this part of town the old Catholic Church and the new Chinese stores. The Chinese stores have everything on town hall can be found. Most of the administrative offer but food and hardly differ from each other in buildings in t own can be found here (Offices of the terms of the variety of products. The buildings in which Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Social Issues, these Chinese stores can be found are clearly distin- and the library). There are only very few shops in this guishable as post-colonial. The fact that these stores area, some office supplies can be found around the ho- are situated close to each other hints at a sort of Arab tel at the southern border of the quarter. There are also outline of a city with the basar divided into different just a few apartment blocks. The quarter is dominated sections where the goods on offer can be immediately by former army facilities transformed into an agricul- compared with each other. On top of that, the vicinity tural cooperative. of all sorts of services and stores offers the customer a South of the cooperative the houses get smaller kind of shopping mall feeling. and poorer with some artisans and a small hotel. In this The African market itself can be found inside the area the typical local way of building new houses is U. The structure of the goods on offer is mixed here. clearly visible. First the ground floor is built (see Figure One can find food, kitchenware, clothes, and furniture 3 for comparison). People may already live in the ground (Figures 3 and 4). The southern part keeps more clothes floor even if the other storeys have not been finished. It stalls, whereas in the northern part, towards the local can take several years to finish the house, step by step, market in the west, there are more food stalls. In the owing to financial and fiscal reasons. Several buildings southern part many clothes stalls can be found, in the in the southern part of the southern quarter were being Northeast more furniture stalls, due to the vicinity to reconstructed or demolished at the time of the exami- the major road. Right at the corner of the quarter at nation and new buildings are being built up there. the historic town square, Assomadas only museum, the Group four surveyed the western quarter which is Museu Tabanca, with some historic exhibits and handi- dominated by the local food market within an old colo- crafts, can be found. nial structure. South of the market there are many The second group dealt with the area east of the small restaurants, bars, retail stores, small supermar- town square. Most buildings there are used as living kets and artisan shops. Again the different services are quarters with flats. The greater the distance from the grouped together, Basar-style (like haircutters, bars old town square, the less colonial buildings can be etc.). To the southwest a SOS-Childrens village can be found. This also shows that Assomada used to be only a found and several poorer apartment buildings. very small country town during Portuguese rule. The Despite the size of Assomada, the city has very two administrative buildings of the city are located in few hotels. There is no airport, no beach and only few

Figure 3 Figure 4 Typical food retail point at the market At the corner of the African Market in Assomada

176 Cape Verdean Cities now and then – A Structural Analysis of Assomada, Island of Santiago nº 28/29 - 2009/10

hiking trails, which makes Assomada less attractive for from the surrounding area beyond the needs that can tourists than other regions on the island of Santiago or be covered at a local village market alone. Santiago is other islands of Cape Verde. There is also hardly any considered the most “African” of the Cape Verde is- industry to be found. The reason for the rapid growth of lands, Assomada in turn the most “African” of the cities Assomada is consequently to be found in the central on the island of Santiago. position right in the middle of the biggest island with its The African market offers the rural communities relatively good conditions for agriculture. The main at- a wide range of products beyond their everyday needs. traction is the African market which caters for people Food can be found especially in the classical market

Figure 5 Functional Structure of Assomada

177 Cadernos de Geografia Friedrich Barnikel e Mark Vetter

nearby and on the streets between the two market­ • Modern city (Chinese shops): The modern city is places. A very distinct feature of Assomada’s retail store bypassed by the major roads between Tarrafal situation is the clustering of the Chinese shops in the and Praia on the eastern side of the old town quarter of market and African market. The Chinese centre, and to the western coast on the sou- shops also offer a wide variety of goods, concentrating thern side. The administrative offices were on clothes and household products. The clothes are of taken over by the new independent administra- “western” style and of cheap quality (otherwise they tion after 1975, but the colonial city centre would not be affordable for large parts of the popula- gradually lost its dominant position. Since the tion, considering the very low income of most Cape Ver- distance between the capital Praia and all deans). Household items include kitchenware, china, other towns on the island can nowadays easily and cheap decoration items. The Chinese shops by and be bridged in less than three hours with mo- large have the same products in stock. They are grouped dern transportation, the central function of together around the area of the African market and, Assomada as a hub for the whole island has di- especially on days without the market, offer items si­ minished. It still is, though, a central hub for milar to those at the market. They are the youngest agricultural goods and food, and for other needs addition to the importance of Assomada as the shopping catered for by the African market. The newly centre of the island. opened Chinese shops came after the collapse of the Soviet bloc with the recent Chinese at- Results tempts to get a hold on African countries. The structural analysis of Assomada clearly The city of Assomada therefore serves as an ideal shows three different stages of the city’s development example of a slow and gradual transformation of a (Figure 5): former colonial town into a modern bustling city in • Colonial times: Assomada was a small adminis- Western Africa. trative centre for the rural communities on the island of Santiago. Its situation right in the centre of the island between the mountain References ridges offered a convenient spot for establish-

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