Cape Verdean Musical Traditions

MARGARIDA BARNABE BRITO MARTINS

ver its history, Cape Verde has devel­ dency on it for survival. oped a musical tradition of surprising Lullabies once sung by grandparents to vitality. It has received, combined, their grandchildren are almost forgotten transformed, and re-created elements from today. Many Cape Verdean infants have been other latitudes, producing original forms, rocked to this tune: strongly distinctive and firmly rooted in Cape Verdean experience. The melodies and styles ~~if)J lfjJ lfjJ IDJ :II we adopted became ours, as did the instru­ ments we use to play our music: the guitar, Other forms of Cape Verdean children's lore the kavakinhu (cavaquinho) (ukelele), violin, that seem to be falling from use are ring-play and others. Cape Verdean music has come to songs, or play-parties, and counting songs. represent the particularity of our people: our Many Cape Verdeans remember "Una, duna, attachment to the land, the problems of our trina katarina, harimhau, siio dez," or "Doll in Musicians serenade environment, and our ways of living and dol fatatitina," ring-songs that would delight Cape Verdean expressing joy, nostalgia, hope, and love. children during moonlit nights before televi­ immigrants from the Music has accompanied and shaped many sion became part of everyday life in the classic marna activities in Cape Verde, from work and chil­ islands. [Editor's note: Neither of the sets of repertoire, in the city dren's play to weddings, funerals, and saint's­ words has an obvious meaning in Kriolu.] of Mindelo, S. Vicente. day processions. Repertoires of religious songs are found They include Work songs on S. Antao and Brava include especially on S. Antao, Fogo, and S. Nicolau. Malachias, violin; the the sorrowful yet serene kola hoi (cola hoi) that Such songs, always sung outside the church late Tchufe, middle a person sings as he drives the oxen that are and on particular days of the liturgical calen­ guitar; and the yoked to a trapixe (trapiche) (sugar mill) dar, are performed a cappella by women and composer Manuel around and around to provide its power. On men, either in three separate voices, in uni- d'Novas, to his left. Brava, Osvaldo Osorio writes in his book Cantigas de Trahalho, songs called homhana are sung "during the planting of the sweet potato ... and are generally nostalgic, their themes being longing, love, and farewell to those in faraway lands." Agricultural songs on S. Nicolau, S. Antao, Santiago, and Fogo are usually related to sowing or weeding. Some are meant to drive away sparrows, others to protect crops from crows and wild chickens. These songs may have a complex melodic structure, or they may be chanted recitatives, formulaic phrases performed in various styles. Maritime work songs are fewer in num­ ber but portray Cape Verdeans' occupational and emotional ties to the sea and their depen- VERDEAN CONNECTION

Traditional Cape Verdean folktales some­ Morna de Despedida The Hour of Parting times include recurring, pentatonic melodies, EUGENIO TAVARES (translated from the Kriolu of Brava) such as those in Pastorinho de Kabra ( Cabra) (1867-1930) Hour of parting (Th e little goat shepherd), Bulimundo (World Hora di bai, Hour of pain! shaker), and Kava Figueira (Cava Figueira). Hora di dar! The dawn would never come! Ja'n q're Every time On S. Vicente and elsewh ere funeral Pa el ca manche! That I remember, music is played with a m artial rhythm. Wind De cada bez I could wish instruments predominate. There is only one Que n' ta lembra, To stay and die! Ma'n q're song traditionally associated with funerals Fica'n morre! Hour of parting, (popularly known as "Djosa why did you Hora di bai, Hour of grief! die?"), but today the saddest of mornas, Hora di d6r! My love, "Morna de Despedida," known widely as "Hora Let me weep! Amor, di Bai" (The hour of parting), is often heard. Dixa'n chord! Captive body, Corpo catibo, You who are a slave, go! Wedding songs ( saude) to the bride and Bci bo que e scrabo' 0 living soul, groom are played on rural islands like S. 6 alma bibo, Who can carry you away? Nicolau and S. Antao. On Boa Vista wedding Quem que al lebabo? If coming home is sweet, music includes drumming and chanted phras­ Se bern e dace, Departing is bitter; es to the bride ("Young lady,/ Today is your Bai e maguado; Yet, if one does not leave, day./ Show this way,/ Show that way"). A Mas, se ca bado, Ca ta birado! One can never return. dance of African origin known variously as Se no morre If we are close to dying landu, land, or lundun is performed with While saying farewell, Na despedida, strong and spinning movements in wedding Nhor Des, na volta, God, when we return, Ta dana bida. Will give us life! ... celebrations around midnight. Annual saint's-day pilgrimages are musi­ cal occasions common to all the islands. To son, or as solo voice with a responding choir. the accompaniment of drums, celebrants Among these songs are the divines on S. parade through streets and other public Nicolau, sung with three voices in a very places. The very popular Feast of Saint John archaic style, the ladainha and the Salve the Baptist is celebrated on every island on the Rainha on S. Antao, and the resas on Santiago. summer solstice. On S. Vicente the drum Songs of the Christmas and New Year sea­ rhythm associated with the midsummer event son are sung on all the islands, especially on is called kola San Jon, and its dance is a bal­ December 31st (St. Silvester's Day). On anced movement that brings each pair of January 6th, called Twelfth Night or Day of dancers together to touch in the navel region. the Kings, children go from house to house at On S. Nicolau the rhythm is slightly slower, sunset, singing and playing a rattle made of and the dance, especially in the area of Praia metal bottle caps flattened and nailed to a Branca, consists of two lines of women facing piece of wood (an instrument called rekordai each other and making sensual movements [recordai] or pandier on S. Antao, chokalho and erotic insinuations directed to men. [chocalho] in some parts of Santiago, and pan­ Batuku (batuque) music and dance of der on Boa Vista). Adults sing the songs later at African origin apparently exist in Cape Verde night, accompanied by the guitar, the kavakin­ only on Santiago. According to Dulce Almada, hu, and the same rattle. Today, though, these the batuku is a variation of the rhythm of kola Twelfth Night songs are disappearing. Many San Jon . Recited in the same batuku beat, the children don't know them, and many adults finayon is a chain of proverbs or allegorical don't seem to have the patience to listen to poetic images, sometimes improvised at the them and teach the children. They just open moment of performance. These improvisa­ the door, give the children money, and let tions can go on for hours. them go. The tabanka of Santiago and Maio Island CAPE VERDEAN CONNECTIO

Left: Cape Verdean­ American batuku dancers celebrate the annual Cape Verdean Independence Festival at India Point Park in Providence, Rhode Island.

Right: A kala drummer celebrates the Feast of Santa Ana in the village of Nossa Photo by Ron Barboza Photo by Ron Barboza Senhora do Monte on is a dance procession accompanied by a suite and especially on S. Antao. Brava. of instruments composed of drums, horns, The kontradansa, according to Te6filo and conches, the latter usually of three differ­ Delgado of Fontainhas on S. Antao, probably ent pitches. As Cape Verdean ethnographer originated from the English country-dance Eutr6pio Lima da Cruz has observed, the danc­ taken to Holland and France in the middle of ing of the tabanka is an important group the 17th century. Adapted by the French, it expression; it obliges individuals to act in soli­ spread among the middle classes. The kon­ darity with each other to create a procession tradansa instrumental was introduced to Cape with good organization, size, and rhythm. The Verde by the French. community effort is also fine entertainment. The mazurka, a popular dance from [Editor's note: See Gabriel Moacyr Rodrigues's Poland, is still present in most of the islands of article for more on batuku, kola, the Feast of Cape Verde. Its Fogo variation is called rabolo. Saint John, and tabanka.] The waltz is also played at rural dances. Years ago in Cape Verde a reel-like dance Of all Brazilian forms of music, the samba of Irish origin was played on Boa Vista. Also is the most prevalent and has became part of gone is the maxixe from Brazil, a dance with the Cape Verdean traditional repertoire. African rhythms and a warm and sensual Funana is an indigenous Cape Verdean style. Some researchers say the maxixe is a form. Once played only with the button accor­ variation of the lundun. dion (gaita) and the iron bar Cferrinho) in the The tango, a dance from Argentina, also interior of Santiago, funana became electrified existed in Cape Verde, as did the xotis (schot­ after it was brought to the city, around the tische) and the gallop, a fast dance in two-four time of Cape Verdean independence. From time. The latter is still danced at wedding cel­ Santiago the funana traveled to other islands ebrations in some islands and is part of the and became very popular. It is danced in pairs kontradansa (contradan9a) instrumental tradi­ with rhythmic, sensual, and lively movements tion still preserved on S. Nicolau, Boa Vista, of the hips. VERDEAN CONNEC TI ON

Kode di Dona is one of the originators of the The Famine of '59 funana form of music in KODE DI DO' JA Cape Verde. In this com­ Translated by Richard Zenith position, he speaks as one It was in '59 I saw the ship Ana Mafalda of the thousands of Cape when there was no rain I saw its lights fill the bay Verdeans who were com­ despairing of my life they said the Ana Mafalda pelled by famine and colo­ I went to sign up for Sao Tome would take people to Sao Tome nial neglect to become and Principe contract laborers perform­ MARGARIDA BARNABE I went in Praia by Santa Maria I lowered my head and sat down ing backbreaking work in BRITO MARTINS to the office of Fernandi Sosa to think about my life the tropical plantations of I put my name on the list is a music educator Sao Tome and Principe my number was 37 I got together my things who has written a book Islands, off the west-cen­ put them in a burlap sack on children's songs and tral coast of Africa. The I headed for the square and took a skiff out to the ship lyric dwells on the time of will soon publish a I arrived at Bibi di Riqueta's Packed in like sardines parting to express impor­ history of Cape and explained my problem eating nothing for many days tant themes about social she gave me something to eat fasting for many days Verdean musical life, as do many Cape 4 days and 4 days going hungry for many days instruments. Verdean poems. it was 4 in the morning in the ship's hold we sailed...

Kaladera (caladeira) was born in Cape Gonc;alves, Jorge Monteiro, Manuel Ferreira, Verde in the 1950s, and its rhythms continue Jose Lopes, and myself. to be influenced by those of Latin American The artistic style of the marna has changed music. It is played and danced at parties and over the decades, even though its themes of get-togethers, and, like funana, kaladera has the sea, love, the moon, and attachment to the become a creative vehicle for many popular native land have not. Mamas acquired greater electric bands. Kaladera especially seems to musical richness, according to Lopes, because lend itself to social commentary. of the compositions of B. Leza and Luis The mamo. is regarded as the national Rendall. Cape Verdean musicologist and com­ form of song, the most authentic and charac­ poser Vasco Martins confirms this, pointing to teristically Cape Verdean. About a century and B. Leza's decisive influence on the develop­ a half old, the mama emerged in urban set­ ment of the marna's harmonic setting. If some­ tings out of human feelings associated with one had directed B. Leza not to change the emigration: nostalgia for home and longing for marna lest he spoil it, and if he had listened, absent lovers and family. It is distinguished then today we would not enjoy beautiful mar­ not only by the caliber of the poets who nas like "Eclipse," "Naite de Mindela," "Lua nha penned its verses and of the composers who testemunha," and many others. I hope this created its music, but also by the number and observation moderates the strong criticism lev­ dedication of the scholars and critics who have eled against composers of today's mamas and wrestled with its significance. Among them are encourages all who would caringly engage Baltazar Lopes, Felix Monteiro, Aurelio Cape Verde's rich musical heritage.