The Voice of Cape Verdeans | Vos di Kabu-Verdianus

Kakau · Joined: 23 Feb 2006 Posts: 348

If you haven't read it yet I would strongly recomment that you do so - that is, read Basil Davidson's book The fortunate Isles: A study in African Transformation.

Mr. Davidson is an excellent historian who writes with a poetic vibe. I just finished reading it today, and I must tell you that I'm surprised I hadn't read it sooner. This book is really a captivating historical, psychological and cultural analysis of our beautiful and fortunate Cabo Verde archipelago.

Guest · Guest

It is a wonderful book,I have been asking people to read it for years.
Again i will ask everyone to read the Book.

BREAKING THE CHAINS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SLAVERY.
BY NA'IM AKBAR,Phd.

Manu Salah

Jorge Luiz · Guest

Mr. Manu Salah, the author of the book stated that he was in the same plane with Abilio Duarte et al, when they triumphantly arrived in Cabo Verde in 1974. Now, I understand you too once said that you were in that place. So, do you remember the author having been in that plane? Do you know him personally?

Guest · Guest

Yes it is true I was on the same air plane but I can tell you I did not know at the time who he was (Basil Davidson) and when I did meet him at a out door resturant,and I spoke with him, I really did not understand who he was or his importance.

For me it was a fast moving time and every thing was new and I was just carried along,every thing happen so fast. It was not until later when I returned back to the states and read about him and saw his picture that I said wow thats the man I was with at the table with in Cabo Verde and to be honest I can't really say what Island I was on at the time. This was all new to me.

I think they were interested why would a CV from the United States be involved in the struggle, they may have even thought that I was working for the US government,(C.I.A.)I understood that. What I can tell you I grew up in a very strong CV family from Brava & Fogo,as a youth I was always told stories about what took place on those Islands that my grand parents called (Azijah) and my grandfather (Aurelio Da Rosa) who was a great violinst and teacher in Djha-Brava who had quarto class spoke Portuguese and our mother tongue criolu; well known as Nho Lin he also knew english,could read and write. He was a son born of a woman who was what we call (criada) she was a woman who was a maid from Guinea.His father was Manuel Jouan Da Rosa. I have never been to Brava. But I know he had a brother who was a singer named Alberto Da Rosa in a village called Lam.

I was very nationalistic about Cabo Verde.
TODAY I AM INTERNATIONAL AND FOR GLOBALIZATION.

When I heard about Amilcar Cabral and I returned to my source after reading the book Revolution In Guinea By Cabral I went into a whirl wind of being caught up into the rapture of our struggle and the rest is history.
That is the God's honest truth. Graca de Deus.

Some people still question my motives but that is there problem not mine.
It is strange is it not, all for the love of our people and country.
I was always a working class person,construction worker,cranberry Bog,truck driver and Transportatation person,never made much money,high school drop out.self taught and traveled a lot as a poor man with guts and determination. You can read on the web (Salah Mateus).

At 74 I wish I had a magic wand that would take away all the pain our people had to suffer for the last 500 years and that I could some how make every thing right and righteous in unity,love and kindness for what it means to have the ultimate in what we call morabeza.
I have been to Cabo Verde several times since 1973 and every time I have seen progress and changes being made. For that I am very grateful.

I HOPE THAT ONE DAY BEFORE I PASS AWAY THAT i WILL GET TO BRAVA BUT AS YOU KNOW IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE,I CAN'T AFFORD THE TRIP. I WILL TRY TO SAVE SOME MONEY AND MAYBE NEXT YERA I CAN GO KU FIE NAH DEUS.

LAST WORD I WAS TAUGHT BY MANY OF THE MILITANTS OF PAIGC BUT THE ONE WHO GAVE ME THE MOST WAS THE LATE ABILO DUARTE WHO SPENT TIME WITH ME BOTH IN GUINEA AND AT MY HOUSE HERE IN THE STATES. THATS ALL MY FRIEND.

I WISH FOR ALL OF YOU WHO READ THIS WHAT I CALLED THE 3 H.
HEALTH-HAPPINESS-HOLINESS.

BOM ANNO NOBU.

I KNOW WE WILL BE VICTORIOUS.
Manu Salah

Jorge Luiz · Guest

Mr. Manu Salah, can you describe to us the atmosphere in that plane? How many non-CVs would you say were present in the plane?

Guest · Guest

Jorge Luiz wrote:

Mr. Manu Salah, can you describe to us the atmosphere in that plane? How many non-CVs would you say were present in the plane?

Let me say this the plane was full with men. How many non CV's I would not know because who is to say what a CV looks like. smile Cool

I can tell you this there were other CV militants that went as an advance guard. How many planes or people might have been I can not say.

Something that we ought to know is that PAIGC had many compatriots and militants on every Island who were clandistine right under the nose of Pide. For as quiet as it was kept they had moblized & organized.

I also remember Portuguese soldiers marching and demostrating against Portugal Colonialism, and shouting Cabo Verde for Caboverdians. Those men who were members and officers of Portugal wanted to go home and they were supporting PAIGC.

That was my experience that I found while i was there,inSantiago,Santo Antao,Sao Vicente and Fogo & Sal My time was limited so there is much I do not know,and as I said I was caught up into the RAPTURE of REVOLUTION for INDEPENDENCE LIBERTY.

Manu Salah

salah Mateus · Joined: 17 Oct 2006 Posts: 614

PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO GET THE BOOK BY HOWARD ZINN
"A PEOPLE'S HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES FROM 1492 TO THE PRESENT".

PROFESSOR ZINN TELLS A STORY ABOUT U.S. HISTORY THAT YOU DON'T GET AT SCHOOL HE TELL THE HISTORY THE WAY IT WAS VERY RAW AND VERY CLEAR.

IT SHOULD BE A REQUIRED READING. ISBN-10:0-06-083865-5
OR ISBN-13:978-0-06-08365-2

Manu Salah

salah Mateus · Joined: 17 Oct 2006 Posts: 614

a must read book.

CHRISTIANITY ISLAM AND THE NEGRO RACE

EDWARD W. BLYDEN 1887

EDINBURGH AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS M. CM. LXV11

FOREWORD GEORGE SHEPPERSON

INTRODUCTION BT CHRISTOPHER FYFE
'A GREAT ARABIC SCHOLAR AND AN EDUCATED MAN OF THE FIRST CLASS,PERFECTLY TYPICAL TRUE NEGRO'.
MARY KINGSLEY ON EDWARD BLYDEN

CHRISTIANITY,ISLAM AND THE NEGRO RACE
DR.EDWARD W.BLYDEN,LL.D
LATE MINISTER PLENIPOTENTIARY OF THE REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA AT THE COURT OF ST JAMES.

WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY THE HON.SAMUEL LEWIS,BARRISTER-AT LAW,AND MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF SIERRA LEONE

LONDON
W.B. WHITTINGHAM & CO;91 GRACECHURCH STREET

AFRICAN HERITAGE BOOKS

Manu Salah

salah Mateus · Joined: 17 Oct 2006 Posts: 614

FROM THE BOOK CHRISTIANITY AND THE NEGRO RACE.
CHAPTER 2 FROM FRASER'S MAGAZINE,MAY 1872

THIS IS VERY INTERESTING BECAUSE WHAT MANY CABOVERDIANOS FAIL TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT MANY AFRICANS THAT WERE BROUGHT TO THE WEST THAT FIRST LANDED IN THE CARIBBEAN ISLANDS THEN UNTO THE WHAT IS NOW CALLED UNITED STATES DURING THE ATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE WERE AFRICANS THAT WERE BROUGHT FROM CABO VERDE ISLANDS. AT THIS TIME IN HISTORY THEY WERE NOT CALLED CABOVERDIANOS BECAUSE THEY WERE INTRANSIT,THEY WERE
CALLED BY THE DIFFERENT AFRICAN TRIBAL NAMES. BUT FOR SURE CABO VERDE WAS THE LARGEST POINT OF DEBARKATION OF AFRICAN SLAVES TO THE WEST; ACROSS THE ATLANTIC.

HISTORY WILL SHOW THAT AFRICANS WERE SLAVES IN WHAT THE COLONIALIST CALLED CABO VERDE 150 YEARS BEFORE SLAVES WERE IN THE U.S.

CABO VERDE WAS THE BREAKING IN POINT TO DOMESTICATE THE AFRICANS. GOREE ISLANDS JUST OUT SIDE OF SENEGAL WAS A SMALL
WAREHOUSE IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF AFRICANS.

HERE IS WHAT IS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK CHRISTIANITY ISLAM AND THE NEGRO RACE. (NEGRO) AT THAT TIME MEANT BLACK PEOPLE OR PEOPLE
FROM THE MAIN LAND OF AFRICA.

JUST A SAMPLE OF OF WHAT WAS SAID IN THE BOOK ON PAGE32 & 33.

"SUCH WERE THE CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH THE NEGRO THROUGHTOUT THE UNITED STATES RECEIVED CHRISTIANITY. THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST WAS TRAVESTIED AND DILUTED BEFORE IT CAME TO HIM TO SUIT THE 'PERCULIAR INSTITUTION' BY WHICH MILLIONS OF HUMANS BEINGS WERE CONVERTED INTO'CHATTELS'. THE HIGHEST MEN IN THE SOUTH,MAGISTRATES,LEGISLATORS,PROFESSORS OF RELIGION,PREACHERS OF THE GOSPEL,GOVERNORS OF STATES,GENTLEMEN OF PROPERTY AND STANDINGS,ALL UNITED IN UPHOLDING A SYSTEM WHICH EVERY NEGRO FELT WAS WRONG. YET THESE WERE THE MEN FROM WHOM HE GOT HIS RELIGION,AND WHOM HE WAS OBLIGED TO REGARD AS GUIDES. UNDERS SUCH TEACHINGS AND DISCIPLINE,IS IT TO BE WONDERED AT THAT HIS MORALITY IS AWRY-THAT HIS SENSE OF THE'DIGNITY OF HUMAN NATURE' IS SUPERFICIAL-THAT HIS STANDARD OF FAMILY AND SOCIAL LIFE IS LOW AND DEFECTIVE?

NOT SO MUCH BY BY WHAT CHRISTIANITY SAID AS BY THE WAY IN WHICH,THROUGH THEIR TEACHERS, IT SAID IT,WERE THE NEGROES INFLUENCED. THE TEACHINGS THEY RECEIVED CONVEYED FOR THEM NO CLEAR IDEA OR DEFINITE IMPRESSION OF THE RELIGION OF CHRIST.
AS REGARDS THEIR RELIGION,THET WERE LEFT LESS TO THEIR INTELLECTUAL APPREHENSION OF THE TRUTH THAN TO THEIR EMOTIONAL IMPULSES. THE EMOTIONS WERE THEIR GUIDE ON SUNDAY AND ON MONDAY,IN THE CONVENTICLE AND IN THE CORNFIELD. NO CHANGE WAS WROUGHT UPON THEIR MORAL NATURE,FOR THERE WAS NOTHING TO ACT UPON IT. NOTHING WAS IMPARYED FROM WITHOUT,AND NOTHING WAS CHECKED AND STIFLED WITHIN. THE INFLUENCE OF THE CHURCH WAS EXERTED CONTINUALLY TO REPRESS-TO PRODUCE ABSOLUTE OUTWARD SUBMISSION.

SUCH INFLUENCE,EVEN IF IT HAD BEEN WHOLESOME,COULD NOT PENETRATE DEEP OR MOULD WITH MUCH FORCE THE INNER WORKING OF THE SOUL. IT PRODUCED AN OUTWARD CONFORMITY TO THE VIEWS
AND WILL OF THEIR MASTERS,WHILE IT LEFT THE HEART UNTOUCHED.
OR,PERHAPS,IT MIGHT BE MORE ACCURATE TO SAY THAT THEIR WHOLE NATURE WAS TAKEN POSSESSION OF,AND ALL ITS CAPACITIES FOR THOUGHT AND FEELING,FOR LOVE AND HOPE,FOR JOY AND GRIEF,WERE COMPLETELY UNDER THE CONTROL OF THEIR TASKMASTERS."

IN ORDER TO GET THE COMPLETE STORY YOU MUST GET BOTH VOLUME 1 AND VOLUME 2 FROM AFRICAN HERITAGE BOOKS.

THERE IS MUCH TO OUR HISTORY THAT HAS BEEN KEPT HIDDEN THAT IS WHY AMILCAR CABRAL SAID WE (CABOVERDIANOS) WERE TAKEN OUT OF HISTORY. CABO VERDE OR AZIJAH IS THE MISSING LINK.

CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT WAS DONE IN CABO VERDE 500 YEARS AGO?

HOW LONG DID IT TAKE BEFORE THE MANY AFRICANS FROM MANY DIFFERENT TRIBES BEFORE ASSIMLATION BY FOREIGN CAPTORS, BEFORE WE WERE CALLED CABOVERDIANOS?

Manu Salah