Well, Caboverdianidade, pretty much refers to Cape Verdean-ness, the cultural idiosyncrasies of Cape Verde, that is.
As for who's Cape Verdean, that's a no brainer, anyone who's born in Cabo Verde is a Cape Verdean. If you were born in mainland Africa, United States or Europe, but you have CV parents or grandparents or great-grandparents, et cetera, you're still Cape Verdean. And if you're not of Cape Verdean descent but you've been to Cabo Verde and speak Kriolu, then that makes you a friend of Cabo Verde(amigo de Cabo Verde) or an honorary CV.
In any case, the most important characteristic of Cabo Verdianidade is the langauge, Kriolu. History of Cabo Verde comes at distant second.

Without trying to exhaust the debate about what it means to be a capeverdean, I think there is little bit of mixed concepts in the explanation of Kakau, with all the respects.

It is necessary to distance yourself from how the different concepts are assumed in one place (US for example) and look at it from the others' perspective to be in a better position to understand your own stake in defining who you are.

As far ascapeverdianity, I think that what makes you capeverdian is not only because you were born in Capeverde if you're taking ethnic perspactive.

If you're taking nationality perspective, yes. But let's understand that what brings us to all this questions about whether we are capeverdian, African American, white, balck or else is not nationality as most of the people who asks this questions are American born citizens.

Yet, it is confusing to distinguish between being a capeverdian (ethinic group) and being capeverdian (natinonality), or even being capeverdian because you share cultural traits like language, music, beliefs, food(catxupa) grogo, etc.

The problem you face is not so much your nationality because that is easily determined by your documents and that again depends on the laws of the different countries where you live. For example, in Portugal if a child of a Capeverdian is born in the country, the child doesn't acquire the Portuguese nationality automaticaly. The child needs to wait untill he/she is 18 years of age to decide which citizenship he/she will pick. Therefore the child is Capeverdian untill he/she is 18.

In the US the child is an American Citizen as long he/she is born in the country. Well, the laws can change according to political decisions of the time, and the way things are going I will not be surprised if it indeed changes anytime in the future.

So let's not take the "being born in the country" perspective.

What is the problem that most of racial or ethnic category face in US is not so much whether you are born in the country or not but which ethnic category you belong to. Even if you deny it, people in the system are still going to see you that way and you are still going to face the problems or issues related to that group.

As for Capeverdians, our escape is to stick with what makes us come close together. What we share in common, make it tight together and pursue our dream, recognition, and respect as a defined community.

CAPEVERDIANITY = HAVING THE SAME CULTURE =SPEAKING SAME LANGUAGE = SHARING THE SAME VALUE = HAVING THE SAME SET OF PROBLEMS = COMING ORIGINALLY FROM THE SAME LAND = HAVING COMMON INTERESTS, etc.

That is the definition of ethnic group and not the nationality. Therefore being a Capeverdian is not only being from the same nation, but sharing so much more that will only make sense to present ourselves as such:

CAPEVERDIAN ETHNIC GROUP - in the US.

In a focus group discussion in Dudley street, in Dorchester last weekend, I presented this notion as part of the policies to be considered by the next SUPERINTENDENT of BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS. Our kids in school needs to be seen as Capeverdians to help minimize the problems of identity crisis that we are facing today.

By the way, more meetings is going to take place. I will share with you in the future the schedule for other focus group meeting so that more capeverdian community leaders participate because it is time to impose our presence in this community.

Don't be ashamed of it. We came long way.

Cabrala

Cabrala, no matter how much a non-Cape Verdean visits Cabo Verde, learns Kriolu, eats catchupa, and learns the History of Cabo Verde, he or she, would never be considered to be a bona fide Cabo Verdiano (a). Such a person would be (1) amigo(a) de Cabo Verde or (2) an honorary Cape Verdean, but never a bonafide(real) one. The following is a case in point: The white guy in the picture

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speaks perfect Kriolu, loves catchupa, has been to Cabo Verde many times, and is even married to a creola, yet he's still not a bonafide Cabo Verdiano in the eyes of the Cape Verdeans by blood. He'll never ascend to a capeverdianity level other than honorary CV status. Why not? Because he's not Cape Verdean by blood and/or birth. See, Cabrala, blood to a greater extent and birth to a lower extent are really the issues here. In most countries of the world, what you are is primarely determined by your blood and to a much lesser extent by your birthplace. This is the main reason why Cape Verdeans in France, Holland, Portugal, Germany, et cetera, are born in these countries but they're not automatically citizens of these nations.
America is arguably the only country in the free world where you can come and learn her language, history and customs and subsequently be considered a bona fide member, a real American. This being said, for those us who speak proficient english and are intimately acquainted with the history and culture of this country, it becomes very hard to not incorporate an American identity, especially considering the very small size of the Cape Verdean community. The problem, however, is that our incorporation of an American identity, more precisely, an African American identity, comes at the expense of our Cabo Verdiano identity. Manu Salah, was facing this identity dilemma in the 40's and 50's. Here I am more than 50 years later facing the same dillema, do I identify as Cabo Verdiano at all times and thus constantly explain and defend my birthcountry, or do I adopt the African American identity in certain contexts and have it easier? What a dillema!

Kabuverdadi is keeping the good values you were taught back in the islands instead of acting like wanna be gangers.

I did not understand clearly why a a person with capeverdean ancestry, speaking creole, eating catchupa and probably defending some capeverdian cultural values would have dificulties to assume as a Capeverdean.

Did you see what the Mexican American are doing with the number they presented to US against the immigration law? Because of them all immigrant will be paid more attention in the Senate debates.

It all come down to issues of political matters. In reality everybody knows what their best personal interest lie, but it is not beneficial to you as a member of your community to assume you belong to one community while in other instances you're part of another community.

Do you think because your parents came from Cape Verde, they are capeverdian, but you are an African American because you were born in the States and therefore it makes perfect sense for each one in the same family belong to different ethnic groups?

If that is not it, do you think there should be a time limit to determine whether somebody who speaks creole and likes catchupa to stop claiming they belong to a Capervdean community?

Or, do you think as soon you get proficient in the African American culture it is then time to give up your former ethnicity?

Or you think that is just optional and it doesn't have to be one way or the other?

Do you think that Spanish community, because they assume Spanish ethnic group, they make this type of discrimination?

Be more precise!

I still believe we should belong to one ethnic group only, even though we can be black, white, yellow etc.

Cabrala

Cabrala, being a Cape Verdean in one context and African American in another is merely a strategy of adjusting to the American race and/or ethnic politics. See, Cape Verdeans are considered to be Black in America. It doesn't matter if your last name is Barbosa, Dacosta or Monteiro, or if you are three quarters Portuguese and only one quarter African, the second after you tell anybody that you're from the Cape Verde islands, s/he will automatically put you under the Black umbrela, along sides of Jamaicans, Haitians, Nigerians, Trinidadians, et cetera, et cetera. That's just the way it is. Your culture and native language matter less to Americans than the negroid blood that flows through you.

The "Hispanic" exception

Now, regarding your remarks about the Hispanics, the reason why a Dominican, a Cuban or a Puerto Rican or any other "hispanic", who often can be just as negroid(black) as Cape Verdeans, are not pressured to identify along racial lines is because they have managed to gain a great political nomenclature clout under the term "Hispanic" and/or Latino. In other words, whenever someone claims to be hispanic or latino, this person can be as Black as Wesley Slipes, alas Samy Soza, and he'd never be pressured to identify as Black. He's hispanic, period. That's just to show you the powerful clout of this term, "hispanic".


Enter the agony of Cape Verdean identity


We, the Cape Verdeans, being that we're a very small and unfortunately an apathetic community (we don't vote) will probably never have the privilege of saying "I'm Cape Verdean" and not be pressured and/or be told to identify otherwise, that is, Black.

I was born and raised in Cabo Verde. The more my English improved and the more my accent "faded" and subsequently the more "Americanized" I became, the less resolved I became about staying Cape Verdean and Cape Verdean only in all different contexts. So I guess the less American influence a Cape Verde is exposed to, the more resolved he or she would be about his CV identity. See, the pressure for the "Americanized" CV to identify as Black is so great and sometimes you can't help but acquiesce to this pressure. Having to constantly explain and defend your Cape Verdeanity is super tiresome sometimes.
But you need not worry, Cabrala. I'll never give up on my beloved Cabo Verde. The worst that can happen is what I am now - I'm wishy washy. That is, in one instance I'm a Cape Verdean, in the other I'm an African American, and still in some other informal instances, I'm some kinda of funny Dominican. I actually told someone this the other day. Eh fika ta ri pakabibu.

DEAR FRIENDS DO NOT CONFORM ANY LONGER TO THE PATTERN OF THIS WORLD,BUT BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND.

Perhaps I can help to make things more clear. Many of the problems
that many Caboverdianos have is among Caboverdianos themselves.

First let me say this. 50 or more years ago most people in the USA did not know about Cabo Verde with exception of the few Caboverdianos that lived in New England. Massachusetts and Rhode Island then later Connecticut. Some of the first CV'S that came to the USA were men who
came as men of the sea. They came on whaling ships as whalers. For most part these ships found port in New Bedford or Providence.

The jobs they had was around the docks and on the sea. Later there was a need for cheap labor on the Cranberry Boggs.Some of the men from Cabo Verde mostly from Djha Brava and Djha Fogo.

What you need to know that in those early years that all the ships that came to the USA left from Djha Brava. At that time even if you were from another Island in Cabo Verde (Azijah) you were listed as being from Djha Brava on the manifesto on the ships log.

CV men that came too New Bedford found themselves in towns of
Carver,Marion,Wareham,Plymouth and in the Cape Cod regions.
Many found work in Cranberry Boggs as laborers. As time went on they would send for the woman and children. Men,women and children worked
on these boggs. They lived in shanties some time with animals in the same barn. That immigrant community grew up around the boggs.
The only people who knew about Caboverdianos was the people; they in fact worked for as contract workers. Outside of those areas people did not know about Cabo Verde or the people from Cabo Verde. For many they were Portuguese since they were under the flag of Portugal.

There is something else that i would like to bring to your attention for your edification and enlightenment.
Many of you who are making comments about America,you think in narrow terms about America some of you think that this country the
United States is the only country that is America. United States is only one of the many countries in this Western Hemisphere called America.

Canada,Mexico,Cuba,Alaska,all of South America and all the Islands of the Caribbean are also America.

We must also see history in terms of what was back then and what is today. 50 and more years ago the greater population in the US did not know about Cabo Verde. Today thanks to Dr.AmilcarCabral;PAIGC,
PAICV and the struggle for liberation and the independence movement,
there is much more information about Cabo Verde. For the very first time after 5 July 1975 with Embassies and Consulate offices representing
the people of Cabo Verde has now giving recognition all over the world.

Therefore it was much more difficult 50 or more years ago,we had no back up if i can use that term loosely.
For all the Caboverdianos back then it was a matter of survival under some harsh conditions to say the least.

What many fail to see in the overall equation is that many people who first came from Azijah Djha Brava were light skin people under the banner of Portugal therefore by the standards of classification they were from Europe in which was the archipelago of Cabo Verde a colony or a province of Portugal and the capital was Lisboa.

We should not find fault with those Caboverdianos back then who for the sake of advancement in a racist society would claim to be Portuguses ie
white. Around the 1940's when many CV's went into the second world war or even before then in the 1st world war many in the same family;
Brothers one light and the other dark were put into different units in the military. Colorerd outfit and the White outfit. Some times they would be station in the same base(Fort) and could not talk to each other out of fear of being caught. They would meet in secluded places in the bushes.
To here about the family back home and to embrace each other.

When Africans were brought to this country as slaves in the 1500's they knew who they were and spoke their own tribal language. They knew the name of the particular country they came from and they knew their identity. 400 years of slavery changed all of that for the many who were forced from places like Guinea,Sierra Leone, Gambia, Senegal,Liberia,Mauritania and other places from the continent.

What history does not tell us,is that 150 years before people from Africa were captured and brought on a westly course and buried in this shallow grave, they were slaves in Cabo Verde (PRAIA) St.Tiago;as well as some other Islands. There is much more to this history that needs to be told but i can't give it all to you in this form of the forum.

To many of you are caught up into the fallacy of the United States system of racsim and color code based on apartheid.
This is slowly changing but there is a lot of pain.

The people who were transported here against their will 400 years ago
have suffered much in the past and still suffer from yesterdays anguish.
Much damage has been done in the last 400 years.

For all the pain and grief both mentally and physically that they had to endure for 400 years should make any one in their right mind understand
the dilemma of the crisis at hand.
There is a sensitivity here we should think about before we strike out against our brother's and sisters of the African American community.

It is our responsiblilty and our duty not to clash or fight against each other but to understand the fullness of what has caused these problems;
another words the cause and affect of what we call identity.
Let it be known that the African American is the most advanced society in todays world. Please don't mix apples and oranges you know what I mean. There is a criminal element in all societies the down trodden because of extreme poverty;some people who go to bed hungry in a land of plenty. That is another subject matter.

Caboverdianos also have this problem all one has to do is read what some folk say on this forum.

Those of you who are recent immigrants must understand there is a paradox to all of this.

Let us not be so quick to pull the beam out of our Brothers eyes but let us look into our own eyes.

Let me repeat what I have said in other essays.

Today since July 5,1975 Cabo Verde is an Independent Republic a sovereign state recognized by the United Nations.

The people of this Republic are known as people from Cabo Verde
(Caboverdiano) born there or by parenthood in any country in which they
reside unless they choose to identify with the country in which they are citizens. Some folk who are of Caboverdean parents born in Portugal are citizens of that country,some are born in Brasil they say they are citizens of that country,some are born in Senegal they are citizens of that country
and so on and so on.This does not mean you are not a Caboverdiano.

For example a person who is Chinese is always Chinese regardless of what country he or she is born in.
Culture is the key word here without going into all the particulars.

I was born in the United States my parents came from Cabo Verde I choose to be a Caboverdiano. Some will say you are a Caboverdiano Americano. I ask you the real facts about Americano (American) from whence they come to make America?Therefore it would seem to me that I should be more specific the name of this country; is it not the United States.
Then it would seem to me we should call ourselves United Statesian.
I was not born in Canada or Mexico or Cuba or Argentina,Bolivia or Chile
all of that is America is it not? Do you get my point?

What is an American who is American? What is Hispanic who is Hispanic?
What is Africa who is African? What is France who is French?
What is Ireland who is Irish? What is Jamaica who is Jamaican?
What is Cabo Verde who is Caboverdiano? What is England who is English?

For all Cabo Verde people be a Caboverdiano/Caboveriana

"RETRURN TO THE SOURCE" AMILCAR CABRAL.

I refuse to be called by a color and so should all of you regardless who you are.
This is what we call a PARADIGM (PARADIGMATICALLY)

I will be glad to speak at any University or College honorarium required.

DEAR FRIENDS DEUS LOVES US,SO LET US LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
DEUS LIVES IN US.WHOEVER LOVES DEUS MUST LOVE HIS BROTHER.
MORABEZA PA TUDOR.

Manu Salah
Email (azijah@comcast.net)

Thanks Manu salah,

Thanks for all your comments. You have really been enlightning many of us on so many things and I really appreciate all your comments.

Continue to write and pass on your legacy to younger generations of capeverdan. We see in you the inspirational wisdom to help us carry on with the struggles. You connect us with our ancestry in the Uncle Sam's land and the struggle for the Independence of our nation throguh Amilcar Cabral.

Cabrala

Kabuverdianidadi" is having in your blood the passion for eating catchupa, papa ku leti and for dancing funana and coladera.

"Kabuverdianidadi" is to respect our elders and love thy neighbors.

What defines it? The positive aspects of the culture? What about the negatives?
For some, is merely the fact that they were born there. Others, it’s a stronger connection to the land (some cases without ever setting foot in CV). For others it’s a negative weight that they carry. Some would exaggerate in defining it, other will simplified to the extreme… my verdict is that it is your prerogative; all you want it to be.