By Alberto Pina , forcv.com President and webmaster

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Boston 09/28/06- This week The Standard-Times, a newspaper that serves the South Coast Community in Massachusetts and its website, SouthCoastToday.com, officially debut its documentary and book, A Nossa Vida: The Portuguese Experience in America , a month long series of stories that details the life and culture of “one the South Coast’s biggest and most influential population, Portuguese-Americans.” (http://www.southcoasttoday.com/anossavida) The study is a great piece of work that will surely reconnect any Portuguese American looking to learn about its history with its people and culture. On the other hand, the book has left many members the Cape Verdean community especially in Fall River and New Bedford in flames because the whole piece subtly and erroneously attempts to describe Cape Verdeans as Portuguese or Portuguese "black islanders"- copy and paste this link:http://www.southcoasttoday.com/anossavida/video/faces.wmv into your web browser to watch how the video The Faces of Portugal by reporter Joe LaPlante refers to Cape Verdeans. Additionally, the work is offensive to the Cape Verdean community because intentionally or not it attempts to shadow the rich and extensive story and contribution this African people has give to Massachusetts and New England by trying to label them as Portuguese and forget its legacy as an independent nation and people.

Indeed, the entire documentary made several references of Cape Verdeans but always in a perspective that leads one to believe they are Portuguese or belong to the Portuguese immigrant community.

First, one of the article, Making the perilous journey to America By João Ferreira, in which a reader expect to learn about the Portuguese experience in coming to America, concentrated mostly on the arrival of the first Cape Verdeans to America as if they are Portuguese. In fact, the article starts with the photo below "from 1914, [which] shows immigrants from Brava, Cape Verde, looking ashore from the Savoia as they await the disembarkation process to be finished":



Then it goes on reporting: "Ellis Island may be synonymous with American immigration, but it was far from the only place the "huddled masses" entered the country. At the turn of the century, news accounts describe the arrival in New Bedford of barkentines filled with immigrants from Cape Verde, then part of Portugal. One such account in The Standard-Times chronicles the arrival of the Barkentine Savoia with 127 immigrants from Fogo, Cape Verde, in October of 1914 after a 45-day voyage delayed by calm weather." And almost at the end, João Ferreira stated: " The Savoia news account describes a common scene in the New Bedford waterfront for many years as boat loads of Cape Verdean immigrants arrived during a good part of the 20th century.
Besides the Savoia, the city's schooner Ernestina is also part of that legacy. Mr. Mendes bought the Ernestina, then named Morrissey, in 1948 and renamed the schooner. After 1948 the Ernestina carried Cape Verdean immigrants and conducted trade between New Bedford and the islands for about 30 years."

On its turn, the article A study in diversity that focus on how "roots of Portuguese immigrants spread from the four corners of the world" made the following remark: "Portuguese from Cape Verde and from southern Portugal, despite the growing support network, carried a badge of color, according to sociologists, which not only set them apart in their new country but alienated them and stereotyped them among other Portuguese immigrants."

Finally, A Feast of Festas, by Joseph R. LaPlante, Standard-Times staff writer, talks how "festas or feasts, are a public celebration for Portuguese-Americans of their faith, their family and their origins." However the author followed the line of the documentary by portraying Cape Verdeans as Portuguese people. For instance, at one point he said,”… the feasts are an opportunity for Portuguese-Americans to remember the generations who preceded them, to express their religious devotion, and to reaffirm their social identity. As well, the local feasts are the expression of saudades — longing — for the villages of their families in the Azores, the mainland, Madeira and Cape Verde, where the original feasts have been observed for centuries..." But the heaviest misconception about Cape Verdeans on the documentary A Nossa Vida... came out when LaPlante talked about the Cape Verdean Onset Festival as being one of the popular Portuguese feats celebrated in Massachusetts: "...a number of secular celebrations are held each summer as well. The Day of Portugal, celebrated each year in Portugal on June 10, is the country's national holiday. It celebrates the nation, its greatest poet, Luís Vaz de Camões, and its communities abroad. Celebrations in New Bedford traditionally occur the weekend before the date and are secular and oriented toward the promotion of business. Cape Verdeans from Southeastern Massachusetts, California, Hawaii and Texas attend the Cape Verdean Festival in Onset annually, which draws a crowd of thousands... Many families plan reunions around this festival. The free festival aims to keep Cape Verdeans connected to their heritage and educate others about the culture of the archipelago of nine islands that lie off the coast of West Africa..."

In reality, Cape Verdeans, the people of or from the origin of the former Portuguese colony in West Africa, Cape Verde, have a lot of common in terms of identity and culture with the Portuguese people. In fact, from the food they eat to the way they dress up, there is a strong resemblance to the people of Portugal, which is due to the fact that the Portuguese Empire enslaved and dominated the people of these 10 African islands for 500 years until its independence in 1975. Additionally, nowadays there is a strong bond not only between the two countries in the political, social, cultural,and economic fields- Cape Verde, for example, is the African country that gets most support and money from Portugal - but also between the two people wherever they meet outside their motherland. You just need to go to Fall River or New Bedford on a Sunday afternoon when Benfica, Porto or Sporting - Portuguese premier league soccer teams - are playing to see how these two people come together. So, one cannot deny the strong bond, relationship and resemblance between Cape Verdean and Portuguese People especially here in New England. Actually, many Cape Verdeans are proud of this and the great relationship they have with the Portuguese community.

Nevertheless, the authors and writers of the documentary and book A Nossa Vida: The Portuguese Experience in America made a serious mistake and dangerous attempt against the identity of the Cape Verdean people when they portrayed them as Portuguese or more inappropriately as Portuguese "black islanders." This misconception can have severe negative impact on the Cape Verdean community in the US: it shadows and undermines the whole history of Cape Verdeans in US and diminish the importance and contribution they have offered to these United States of America. Besides that, it diverts the attention from American authorities including federal, state and local government and its agencies, which are not much instructed on the history of Cape Verdean-Americans and the dynamics of its communities, especially when these institutions want to approach Cape Verdeans and determine which agencies and organization should receive resources designated for such community. On the other hand, it is unfair journalism for Standard- Times to in many occasions identify this people as Cape Verdeans solely especifically when unfortunate incidents such as crime or violence happen in its community and now portray them as Portuguese People when it wants to use the brilliant story of the same people to talk about greatness of “one the South Coast’s biggest and most influential population, Portuguese- Americans."

Therefore, at the request of many members of the Cape Verdean Community in South Coast, specifically New Bedford and Fall River, The Standard-Times and SouthCoastToday.com should immediately take the following actions to fix this mess they created: publicly apologize to the Cape Verdean community for this tremendous mistake - whether intentionally or not - and make the correction both on the Book A Nossa Vida: The Portuguese Experience in America and the daily editions of its newspaper and website about the way Cape Verdeans were reported on the documentary that is going on all month long and highlight how they should be addressed in terms of their identity; publish several articles about the Cape Verdean people and with many Cape Verdean sources where it honestly address its identity- a diverse West African people from the Cape Verde Islands, an independent nation from Portugal, with its own identity, culture, values and traditions; last, it would be a sincere demonstration of its honest apology and regret for feeding this misconception to South Coast residents, especially the young generation of Cape Verdean-Americans who may no know much about its history, to donate part of the profits from the selling of the book and yesterday’s newspapers to the schools with significant number of Cape Verdean children, Cape Verdean organizations, and non-profits in New Bedford and Fall River that aim to teach the heritage of their ancestors to the new generation.


Related Topics:

- “The issue of Cape Verdean identity is still a taboo”
Link:http://forcv.forumup.org/viewtopic.php?p=7193&mforum=forcv#7193

[b]- An analysis of the racial look of Cape Verdeans
Link:http://forcv.forumup.org/viewtopic.php?t=253&mforum=forcv

[b]- Should Cape Verdeans Be Considered or Called Blacks?
Link:http://forcv.forumup.org/about8-forcv.html

- Cape Verdeans and Colonialization: the Root of our Issues
Link:http://forcv.forumup.org/about55-forcv.html

- Race and Society: "I Know Who I Am"
Link:http://forcv.forumup.org/about510-forcv.html

- Impacto do racismo sobre a identidade Caboverdiana nos Estados Unidos
Link:http://forcv.forumup.org/about537-forcv.html

I am outraged by this project. Yet, it is not a suprise to me that the Portuguese once again are taking credit from others' hard work. In my community it was the Cape verdeans that built the first Portuguese social club as well as began the sunday portuguese sermons. When the Portuguese arrived, it was them who said that these "black islanders" are not portuguese and they slowly but surely got rid of all of the cape verdeans.

I do recognize that i have portuguese blood as well as african, but i was born a Cape Verdean, rich with culture and heritage. If they are so interested in tracing their path in history, instead of aknowledging OUR accomplishments, why can't they research their great accomplishements in Tarrafal and Cidade Velha where to this day people have given their lifes to rebuilt and tell our story which the portuguese have destroyed for so many years.

Being in the diaspora, our children depend on books as a resource to learn about our culture our IDENDITY. How would you as a Cape Verdean like to be remembered many years from now when the next generation of Cape Verdeans depend on literature to learn about OUR accomplishments.

I demand that we take a stand and leaders in our community should not allow such....

I would encourage the leaders of the CV community to respond by presenting their own documentation of their culture and history. Begin by making sure that the young people are taught their background by their elders. For many years the Cape Verdean Creole was not officially recognized as a written language but know much has been done to standardize a uniform alphabet. Educators in the CV community should organize education sessions for both the old and young to learn ALUPEC alphabet. The scholars in the community should be writing the stories, developing projects such as film documetaries to present Cape Verdeans in their true light. For far too long the CV community has been presented as a criminal element in news stories as if it were the only community committing crimes. Leaders should be protesting when the positive stories are not written in the papers.
Also, their is a project sponsored by the city of Boston that is collecting the written and oral histories of elderly in Roxbury. Most of this is being done by the English-speaking elderly. I would encourage the community to involve the elderly Cape Verdeans so they can contribute their stories orally in Creole. This would leave rich legacy for the youth for many years to come. It would also be a source for presentations and projects on CV. Don't let others tell your story.

I think what the author was trying to explain is what is called "lusofonia" in portuguese - that is, the global portuguese influenced cultures, which needless to say, include the former five African colonies, Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Angola, Mozambique, and Sao Tome&Principe.
Moreover, the reason the author focused on Cabo Verde and not the other aforementioned African Lusophone countries, I think, may have to do with one simple fact: We, Cape Verdeans, have historically identified with the Portuguese, in spike of our being of African descent. The kinky-ness of our hair, broadness of our noses, thickness of our lips, the protruding behinds of our women, etc, are merely genetic elements of one part of us, the African(negroid) part. Nonetheless, the portuguse influence in our culture and phenotype are obvious. Case in point: the green eyes and the long pointy noses that are in the face of many brown skinned Cape Verdeans. It's this part, the portuguese part, that the author probably was refering to when he included the Cape Verdeans in his analysis of portuguese immigration to the U.S.A. This being said, I would say that the points raised by the book/documentary weren't totally invalid.

MY MOST WORTHY BROTHER IN THE STRUGGLE FOR CABOVERDIANOS AROUND THE WORLD.

YOUR REPLY ON THE STORY WHICH APPEARED IN THE NEW BEDFORD SUNDAY STANDARD TIMES,SEPTEMBER 24, 2006 CALLED A NOSSA VIDA
(THE PORTUGUESE-AMERICAN CULTURE COME TO LIFE IN SERIES)
THE PORTUGUESE EXPERIENCE IN AMERICA. EIGHT PAGES.

THE WRITERS TRY TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE CABOVERDIANOS SHOULD FALL UNDER THE PORTUGUESE UMBRELLA AND THAT WE CABOVERDIANOS SHOULD BE IN THEIR NUMBERS IN THE CENSUS UNDER PORTUGUESE AND NOT AS CABOVERDIANOS. THIS TO ME IS A TRICK TO TAKE US OUT OF HISTORY AGAIN AS THEY HAVE DONE IN THE PAST. IT IS A FORM OF COLONIZATION. THE POINT OF INTEREST HERE IS THAT THE PORTUGUESE COMMUNITY WILL INCREASE THERE NUMBERS AT OUT EXPENSE WHEN IT COME TO GOVERNMENT GRANTS.

A VERY DEAR CABOVERDIANO PROFESSOR IN PORTUGAL HAD THIS TO SAY WHEN HE READ THE LONG SERIES ON THE INTERNET:

"I RESPECT THE PORTUGUESE-AMERICAN CULTURE AND I AM AWARE OF ALL THE LEGACY THAT WE HAVE IN COMMON, IT IS ALSO A FACT THAT CAPE VERDEANS, IN FIVE CENTURIES OF HISTORY AS A PEOPLE,
HAVE CREATED THEIR (OUR) OWN CULTURE AND IDENTITY. WE ARE A NATION, LIVING ON THE ISLANDS AS A STATE AND IN THE DIASPORA AS A NATION. WE ARE CABO VERDEANS WHEREVER WE ARE. LETS NOT LOSE THAT. THE LAST THING WE NEED IS TO BE DELUTED IN THE PORTUGUESE-AMERICAN CULTURE, OR ANY OTHER SUCH-AND SUCH-AMERICAN CULTURE. WE ARE BOTH AFRICAN AND PORTUGUESE IN OUR ORIGINS, AMONG OTHER. NOBODY IS DENYING THAT. BUT IT IS ALSO A FACT OF HISTORY THAT FIVE CENTURIES OF STRUGGLE FOR SURVIVAL, TOGETHER, AFRICANS AND EUROPEANS AND MIXED, AGAINST THOUSAND HARDSHIPS, MADE A NATION OF US. ONE NATION WHEREVER WE GO. THAT IS OUR GORCE, THAT'S OUR STRENGTH. WE CAN'T LET OURSELVES BE "DESOLVED" AS A PEOPLE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE CEASED TO BE CALLED CABOVERDEANOS TO ADOPT ANY OF THE SUGGESTED "ARRANGEMENTS". " DR.VIRITO BARROS (EMERITUS)

WE HOPE THAT MORE CABOVERDIANOS WILL TAKE THE STANDARD TIMES TO TASK AND THOSE WHO WOULD WRONGFULLY TRY TO STEAL AWAY OUR IDENTITY AS A PEOPLE OF CABO VERDE.

THANK YOU MR WEBMASTER FOR BRINGING IT TO OUR ATTENTION.

MANU SALAH

MY DEAR FRIENDS PORTUGAL'S ROLE IN AFRICA IS A STUDY IN CONTRADICTION. WHAT IS NOT SAID. THE PORTUGUESE PROPAGANDA
PROCLAIMS A POLICY OF NON-RACIALISM,AND EVEN EXALTS MISCENEGENATION. BUT THE OPPRESSION SUFFERED BY AFRICANS IN WHAT IS SO-CALLED PORTUGUESE AFRICA WAS COMPARABLE TO THAT UNDER SOUTH AFRICA'S RIGID AND EXPLICITLY RACIST (APARTHEID).
PERRY ANDERSON SUMS UP PORTUGAL'S RULE WITH THE TERM 'ULTRACOLONIALISM'.

WHAT WE DON'T GET IN PORTUGAL'S HISTORY IS THEIR BEGINNING.
WHAT PEOPLE IT WAS THAT GAVE BIRTH TO SPAIN AND PORTUGAL?
WHAT BECAME KNOWN AS THE 'IBERIAN ATLANTIC'. THE PEOPLE OF AFRICANS OF THE MALI EMPIRE AND THE SONGAHY EMPIRE AND THE CUSHITES AND THE AND THECARTHAGIANS OR THE PHOENICIANS AND THE MOORS THAT GAVE BITH TO WHAT IS TODAY KNOWN AS PORTUGAL & SPAIN. NOT TO FORGET THE BERBERS AND THE AFRICAN NOMADS WHO MIXED WITH THE FOLK OF EUROPE AND GAVE THE ALGEBRA AND OTHER SCIENCE, IT WAS AFRICANS THAT GAVE THEM
A CIVILIZATION WHILE THEY WERE STILL IN THE STONE AGE.THAT ANCESTRY IS NEVER TALK ABOUT. THOUSANDS YEARS AGO IT WAS THE GENIUS OF AFRICANS SOMETIMES CALLED NUBIANS.

IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT WE DON'T GET TO MUCH OF THE HISTORY OF AFRICA IN THE MAKING OF PORTUGAL AND SPAIN.

MANU SALAH

I dont see how this is a surprise for a lot of us. They've been doing this since the first Cape Verdeans got into this country. CV's built the city of New Bedford, and surrounded areas and then some Portuguese folks took the credit for it. Do you know who should be blamed for this? Us (capeverdeans) cuz we let them do this over and over again, and still there are some cv's that call thenselves Portuguese.
We need to write our own history.

May I suggest that the Web master send all these letters to the editor of the Sub-Standard times. each person has to sign their letters and address and phone number if they want them published
for the next four weeks they will have a series every sunday. I hope that CV'S will not sleep this one. Where are the CV intelectual when you need them, that is those who know they are Caboverdianos and not ashamed to say so. trying to claim Luso Iberian Portuguese does not give them the right to obscure history. But there is nothing new about this it has happen for hundreads of years. What I don't understand is why did they not have some Caboverdeans historian on this project.
I see that they did not claim Angola and Guinea Bissau; to African (Black) for the story tellers I guess. FOLK YOU CAN WRITE DIRECTLY TO THE NEWS PAPER IN NEW BEDFORD LETTERS TO THE EDITOR NEW BEDFORD STANDARD TIMES,NEW BEDFORD MASS.

I sent the first article above to the all the authors of the different article that make up this documentary and the editors of Standard Times. I also sent it to to many Cape Verdean Community leaders and advocates and to countless American, Cape Verdean, Brazilian and Portuguese and US media entities from newspapers to TV and radio stations.

But it's good to not only post your reaction here but also send them to the editors of Standard times and journalists who wrote those articles. They will only pay attention to this issues and the Cape Verdean community reaction when they receive many letters from different people and know that the community is really offended with the documentary.
Indeed, we have to start making media entities accountable for what they publish and say about us because they can really shape the public opinion about you and seriously hurt it with bias and misconceptions.


Below is all the email contacts of the editors of Standard Times and the journalists who wrote those articles and partecipated on that project; just select them all, copy and paste them into the To section of your email message, type your message and click on send:

letters@s-t.com,feedback@s-t.com,newsroom@s-t.com,yourview@s-t.com,tellit@s-t.com,homenews@s-t.com,jbarnes@s-t.com,jferreira@s-t.com,jlaplante@s-t.com,ppereira@s-t.com,ccosta@s-t.com,dcuddy@s-t.com,dhumphrey@s-t.com

First of all, I want to express my disappointment with the so called Cape Verdean leaders or "PH. Ds" out there that you only see on TV to glorify and promote their image instead of stepping up for the community in vital moments. When it's time to stand for the real issues we face, you never see their faces. Alberto shouldn't be the one taking cares of this issue. This is one of the things that the community has to come out as a whole and in a organized fashion and have its leaders - both from the grassroot organization to the political entities such as General Consul Maria de Jesus, imigration deputy Maria Conceicao or Embassor Jose Brito - release an official statement to the responsible people for this act of lauching confusion and distorted ideas about us.

Second, it's important that we know who we are and not let others especially those who colonized and brutally dominated us for 5 centuries define our identity.

When outsiders like Standard Times try to touch important subjects such as our identity, most of times it's motivated by their own self agenda or certain interests, usually hidden or unclear that don't come to our benefit but their own. As Salah Mateus calls it, it's the ruling of the opressor over the opressed.

So, I agree with Alberto that everybody that felt insulted by the book A "Nossa Vida..." published by Standard Times should write to the editor(s) and all the writers involved in that project and let them know their disatisfaction and demand urgent and serious action by this newspaper.

The editor of Standard Times (ST) called me at 9 am this morning and assured me they will publish my response to them at the letters to editor problablyu in tomorrow and Sunday edition. She also, asked me if I think the book didn't provide the right coverage about Cape Verdeans' identity, and then we had a little chat about it.

The Cape Verdean appreciates her concern and fast reaction. While publishing the article in the letters to editor column of ST is a nice gesture of them, it's not enough to clean this mess. ST ought come forward and implement in full all the recommendations isted at the end of the article that the Cape Verdeans from Fall River and New Bedford want them to follow. So, we'll not stop with this until all the requests are met.

Please, keep sending your letters to the editor and journalist involved in this project. These are their email addresses:
letters@s-t.com,feedback@s-t.com,newsroom@s-t.com,yourview@s-t.com,tellit@s-t.com,homenews@s-t.com,jbarnes@s-t.com,jferreira@s-t.com,jlaplante@s-t.com,ppereira@s-t.com,ccosta@s-t.com,dcuddy@s-t.com,dhumphrey@s-t.com

Hi Salah,

I was wondering if you know Americo Araujo from New Bedford.

I read about his book, "LITTLE KNOWN... THE OTHER SIDE OF CAPEVERDIAN PEOPLE" - something like this, in which he tries to demonstrate the European side of Capeverdian, emphasizing the fact that not all
Capeverdians are creole. He gave a new meaning for the word creole( it means only a group of people, not everybody in the country).

He would be offended if somebody treated him or called him creole even though he is from Capeverdian heritage because he had not mixed with African descendent population of Cape Verde.
He talked about and exposed photographies of Eugenio Tavares, Jorge Barbosa etc. and himself claiming to be the elite of Capeverdian at the time.

What an arrogance!!

I mean, I agree that it is possible in the ninteenth century, there were many capeverdian born portuguese descendent. What I do not understand is what is the point he is trying to make?
Is he trying to separate the diverse groups that is possible to find in
Cape Verde?

He must be one the few arrogant Capeverdian in the US to whom we owe the confusion of our youth and the advantages that Portuguese people have today more than Capeverdians.

I know he is a very instructed man from Harvard as he claim, the same way he is arrogant white "wannabe" poor capeverdians we have among us.

I didn't know and when I saw this book I thought: "maybe this book was published a hundred years ago", but no, it was published recently.

Americo Araujo can join the Portuguese club if he wants to, but if he intend to wear the name of Capeverdean, he would have to agree that we are not interested in dividing Capeverdians between white, mulato, and black.

We are not interested in emphasizing the fact that some people were elite and some were not because that was done out of irrational ways to be part of a country, with rapes, violation of human rights, slavery,
brutalization, and nobody is proud to talk about it now. He shouldn't be
proud to talk about it too.

If his family owned slaves to give him the life that he has today, a decent way to go about it is to apologize for every wrong doing that they had caused to so many people; not be proud of it.

The fact that he came to the United States as a legal resident, that he proudly boast about, because somebody from his ancestry had to come as a fugitive to escape famine or because an unfair treatment to our peopple, does not give him the right to say that he is better than anyone who came here (US) as visitor, decided to stay for the same reason he stayed. Only because of an unfair treatment those are labeled as illegal immigrant, and have no access to the oportunities he has.

I have the book. If you don't, you can borrow it, when we meet.

Ha Ha ha ha Ha.

Good morning Friend.

I know of the man. I have spoken to him and know about his book. He teaches at New Bedford High School. What can I tell you? Only that there are many like him but their numbers are small and that is what colonization was all about. He has freedom of the press so he can right what he wants. It is like a puppy dog barking at the moon. He sees history only from the mind of old Portugal. They lost the battle and they want to be remembered as of the Portuguese ruling class.

That day is over that is why we have independence and we have liberated the people and the truth and today they are what is left of the slave masters and they are dying every day. Cabo Verde is Africa and that will never change. All you have to do is go there and see for yourself. So there you go.

Ha ha, don't sweat the small stuff. Bring water and industry to Cabo Verde for food and jobs and good life.

Viva Pova Cabo Verde Azijah.
Manu Salah

Yes, I agree.

Do you imagine how much confusion this teacher can install in the minds of innocent Capeverdian kids by being a teacher?

Now I can understand the animosity you find among kids who take sides when dividing themselves between: I am black, I am white, I am capeverdean, I am not an African, I am African.

See, Spanish people do not have this confusion when they refer to themselves as Spanics, and because of that, they are referred to as
Spanics.

We need to do more work to help our innocent kids to deffend better values and know what to be proud of. "Not the color of your skin but the type of character you have" (something like this) by Martin Luther King.

Talk to you soon.

Americo needs to be recycled and brought around the new us. He can be a dangerous man.

He is not really dangerous just off balance and there is one in every group. He makes himself look stupid. Let it be his problem not ours.
Hispanics are a very large group and there are many nations among those who speak spanish. They don't deal with the color concept. On the other hand, a small numbers of them in New York Harlem might have some complex especially if they are in the strong Harlem community. You have Afro Cuban, Latinos and so on. Some Latinos don't like being called Spanish, they are from what ever country they come from.

Manu Sallah

Thank you Alberto,

This forum shows that there are many Cape-Verdeans and others, beginning to awaken to the reality of what it means to be a Cape-Verdian. I am very pleased with the responses that have been posted on this forum. It makes very clear the range of knowledge as well as the lack of understanding of the Cape-Verdian identity issue. The Standard Times Series has opened the eyes of many Cape-Verdians. I hope this article will serve as a wake up call to all Cape-Verdeans to understand the legacy that our fore bearers left us and do not allow any one to co-op our history again. The Portuguese do have a history. Our role in that history is a separate and unique one in itself. Regardless of what Salazar said.

We have always been Cape-Verdeans since the Islands were named. Since 1975, Citizens of Cape Verde or Cape-Verdians, with a distinct Culture and language. Can we still call Americans British or English subjects? Please read "I Know Who I am" in this forum very carefully. Who can define you other then yourself? I allow no one to define who I am. Thanks again Alberto for providing us with this forum.

Grande Brasu,

Vasco

It's good that we have this forum where we can talk about own perspective on this issue and make our voices heard because the main stream media like Standard Times doesn't give us a chance to explain ourselves. They want to so the job for us but let's tell them no. We can do this for ourselves.

Thanks forcv for this great forum.

IT IS ALL ABOUT THE MONEY AND GRANTS.

SOME PORTUGUESE COMMUNITY WANT TO PUT CV'S UNDER CENSUS AS PORTUGESE TO INCREASE THEIR NUMBERS. MANU SALAH HAS SAID. WE ARE CABOVERDIANOS.
THE DAYS OF COLONIZATION ARE OVER.GIVE TO PORTUGAL WAS IS THEIRS AND WHAT BELONGS TO CABO VERDE. WE HAVE SOME THINGS IN COMMON BUT WE ARE ALSO VERY DIFFERENT. CAN WE ALL GET ALONG?

THE LAST TIME I REMEMBER, PORTUGAL WAS EUROPE. SINCE WHEN DID THEY THINK OF CVs AS PORTUGUESE,OR FOR THAT MATTER ANGOLA,OR GUINEA BISSAU OR MOZAMBIQUE?

WHY WAS THERE NO CVs ON THIS PROJECT, OF NOSSA VIDA?
THE SISTER MARIE LOPES WRITES ARTICLES ABOUT CABO VERDE AND THEIR CULTURE IN THE S-T. I WONDER WHAT SHE HAS TO SAY ABOUT THIS DECEPTION AND TRICKERY.

Although on Friday, the chief editor of Standard Times called and told me she was going to publish the first article of this topic at their letters to editor section, the newspapers haven't published it yet and has not come forward to address the reaction of the Cape Verdean Community about the book. Also, they haven't apologize for the misconception about us they are promoting.

So, I decided to call them on this issue again. This morning I sent the following email to the Standard editor, the authors of the book and many of the department of that newspapers headquaters:



"Dear Editor,

When you called me on Saturday morning I thought you were serious about publishing the article that talks about the reaction of the Cape Verdean Community to the book "A Nossa Vida..."
Should Cape Verdeans be portrayed as Portuguese "black islanders"?

Portuguese book feeds misconception

I've been buying every edition of Sandard Times since Friday but haven't seen anything about the article at all. What happened? Do you think it's fair to hide and ignore what the Cape Verdeans think about the book and so keeping them on the silence?

You may want to read the different posting members of the Cape Verdean community have posted at forcv.com forum about your book and see how serious this issue has become in the community:

Comments from Cape Verdeans about A Nossa Vida...
link: http://forcv.forumup.org/viewtopic.php?p=5314&mforum=forcv#5314

I hope your common sense make up realize the importance of this issue and thus publish the article above.

Thank you."

In fact, the Standard Times need to take all the action requested by the Cape Verdean community if it wants to gain the trust and confidence of the Cape Verdeans in South Coast and New England again and be seen as its partner instead of adversary. Meanwhile, until all the requests are, Cape Verdeans should boycott Standard Times by not buying it's daily newspaper editions, stopping announcing and advertising with that company and not visiting their website as a source of trustful and fair information one can rely on. Also, every single Cape Verdean in the US and abroad should pass the link of this topic (http://forcv.com/index.php?idnoticia=20) at least 10 people in their mailing list and let them know how Standard Times has treated our community. From now on, this is going to be a procedure the community will adopt with every and any newspapers and or media entities that spread bias and misconceptions about us as a people and group: confront them and if they don't meet the community requests, boycott them.

Seriously, Cape Verdean are fed up of being the scapegoat and punching bag of the media here in US and will not tolerate this discriminatory procedure anymore!

P.S. On the other hand, it's important that Cape Verdeans keep sending their reactions on this issue to Standand Times until they decide to show respect for our people and publicly address the concern of the community. So, keep writing emails to the editor and the authors of the book; they contacts are listed below:

letters@s-t.com,feedback@s-t.com,newsroom@s-t.com,yourview@s-t.com,tellit@s-t.com,homenews@s-t.com,jbarnes@s-t.com,jferreira@s-t.com,jlaplante@s-t.com,ppereira@s-t.com,ccosta@s-t.com,dcuddy@s-t.com,dhumphrey@s-t.com

can we sue then? Its clear that they dont give a crap about what we think and if we dont take serious measures about it, it will never stop.
Sue then bastards...

Alberto,

Thanks for your email. As a Portuguese reporter at Standard-Times who understands the historical context between Portugal and Cabo Verde, I'm responding to you personally because I feel there's been some misunderstanding about our intentions.

First, I'm sure the letter you wrote to the newspaper will run and the editor isn't ignoring your concerns.

Now, as far as the book and series are concerned, nobody here had intention of implying that Cape Verdeans are "black Portuguese islanders." The articles you refer to are written to recount the history of Portuguese immigration. The inclusion of Cape Verdeans should be seen only in an historical context.

The cases you mention:

The "Savoia" story refers to an historical episode of Cape Verdean immigration. It's not describing them as if they were Portuguese. Now that the story is in a book about Portuguese immigration is correct, but the book tries to include CapeVerdeans from an historical and cultural perspective, since Cape Verdeans were Portuguese citizens at the time of the Savoia. Whether they were Portuguese against their will was not the focus of the story.
The story "A study in diversity" again is again an "historical" piece. At the time under analysis, Cape Verdeans were considered Portuguese. As that, Portuguese were also considered black. That's the diversity under analysis.
In a "Feast of Festas," while Cape Verdeans are referenced, I don't see Joe LaPlante ever stating that they are Portuguese. Now, one could defer from the mention of CapeVerdeans in a story and a book about the Portuguese that the story is implying that they are Portuguese, but once again, the newspaper's inclusion of Cape Verdeans is cultural and historical. It's not to be taken as a current reality.
Therefore, Cape Verdeans are included in the stories because of their close cultural ties to Portugal and the Portuguese in this area at a time when they were considered Portuguese. They are significant to local immigration as a group of "expressão Portuguesa" or Portuguese Cultural affinity. If Angolans or Mozambicans were to have had a significant impact on local immigration as a group of "expressão Portuguesa," they too would have been in the book.

We obviously know that Cape Verdeans are not Portuguese. We're not trying to imply that they are. Why should we?

Nevertheless, I think Cape Verdeans separately deserve all the credit recognition you're asking for. It's only fair. Hopefully that will come sooner than later.

Cordialmente,

João Ferreira
Standard Times Reporter &
author of Making the perilous journey to America
from the Book "A Nossa Vida: The Portuguese Experience in America"

João,

thank you for responding.

I understand your points. But I think that the articles should be a little more explicit on the Cape Verdean role in the Portuguese history and make it clear who we are because from somebody tat does not know our history, especially the American audience, they would infer that Cape Verdeans are Portuguese from reading the book. But I'm glad you came forward and address this issue and make your points a little clearer.

However, Standard Times must come out publicly as a media entity and apologize for the misconception it unintentionally created and still implement the other demands in order to gain the trust and confidence of the Cape Verdean community back:

- make the correction both on the Book A Nossa Vida: The Portuguese Experience in America and the daily editions of its newspaper and website about the way Cape Verdeans were reported on the documentary

- highlight how Cape Verdeans should be addressed in terms of their identity

- publish several articles about the Cape Verdean people and with many Cape Verdean sources where it honestly address its identity- a diverse West African people from the Cape Verde Islands, an independent nation from Portugal, with its own identity, culture, values and traditions;

- last, it would be a sincere demonstration of its honest apology and regret for feeding this misconception to South Coast residents, especially the young generation of Cape Verdean-Americans who may no know much about its history, to donate part of the profits from the selling of the book and yesterday’s newspapers to the schools with significant number of Cape Verdean children, Cape Verdean organizations, and non-profits in New Bedford and Fall River that aim to teach the heritage of their ancestors to the new generation.

Until these demands are met, Standard Times will not be seen as a partner and friend of the Cape Verdean community.

Just to give you some heads up, the community is already talking about addressing this specific issue with the Cape Verdean Prime Minister, Mr. Jose Maria Neves, who just arrived to US today for a week long visit, workshops, and meetings with Cape Verdeans and its community leaders and advocates in New England.

Therefore, if Standard Times sincerely cares about the outrage it created in the Cape Verdean community, it would be wise for its representatives to settle this issue before it leads to more controversy and animosity.

Alberto, I agree that to the American audience, it could lead to confusion. If I could go back, I probably would have been more explicit, but hindsight is always 20/20.

Also, the letter you sent to the paper was published today at http://www.southcoasttoday.com/daily/10-06/10-03-06/03opinion.htm.

João Ferreira

Well, Senhor João Ferreira, I hope you've learned your lesson. Next time be specific and let your audiance know that Cabo Verde is a sovereign African nation with his own history, language and culture. Additionally, in the future, should you write anything about Cape Verdean immigration to the United States, you should note that the Cape Verdeans caught a lot of hell from the "yanbabs", i.e., Acorianos and continentais, who typically didn't like when Cape Verdeans asserted their then(pre-independence) portuguese nationality. But now all of a sudden you want to include us in your group. Sounds kinda fishy.

I noticed another small mistruth I while watching the short "Faces" video clip Alberto had a link to in his article. The narrator of the piece makes mention of "Goa a small island off of India." Goa is not an island! Goa is a western region of the Indian Subcontinent.

That Standard Times really needs to consult professionals when they do their research, and not rely on recycled street knowledge.

Peace & Much Respect

JPA

I am first generation of my family born in this country. My father is portuguese and was born in Almada. My mother, was born in Brava Cape Verde and came here in the late 50's. My mother from Brava, is white. My aunts, uncles, cousins who also came here from Cape Verde, are also white. I am white. Both my children are white. My son was born blonde hair blue eyes. My daughter like me is brown hair with brown eyes but just as white. I cant understand why it is such taboo to say one is white and from cape verde as if whites never existed there. My daughter experienced this ignorance first hand in dancing school when cshe was given a bracelet symbolising she was cape verdean and was told by a little black that she could not be cape verdean because she is not black. This is worng! Like any where else in the world there are white people and black people. mi e branco e tambe e creolo. bu ka ta cardita? I suggest you read a book written by my cousin Americo Araujo called Little known which clearly shows pictures of white people that clearly existed in cape verde but some of you want to deny that. Erase it for all time and thats a shame.

White C.V., I think you got it wrong. The point is debate here is not if there's white or black people in Cape Verde.The author of the article in dispute clearly stated that Cape Verdean people is "a diverse West African people from the Cape Verde Islands," which includes both blacks, mulatos, whites, yellow and other people. Nobody denies that!
The point in debate here is that Cape Verdeans are not Portuguese and hould not be treated as such, but as Cape Verdeans and African. I'm pretty sure you or your family are not the first white African people. Just look at South Africa and you'll see that. The misconception you seem to have is that a white person cannot be african and that's plain wrong.

Cape Verde embraces all its children no matter the color of their skin.

Mixed C.V: Thanks for the reply. It just makes me angry sometimes because just like I am proud to be portugues, I am also proud to be cape verdean because thats where my mother is from. I rememebr as boy growing up going to my grandmothers house during mastro and putting all the food on the tree getting yelled at for touching it and taking things from it before its time. It was a fun time. I just feel it is wrong to label me something that I am not. My mother is from Brava and they were there for generations but their roots come from Portugal which is where my family originated from when many many years ago an uncle of mine was exiled from Portugal and sent to cape verde. My family since leaving cape verde in the 50's will not say they are cape verdeans they simply say they are portuguese because they dont to be labled as something they are not which happens all the time like it did with my daughter being told she could not possibly be cape verdean because she is not black and that is worng. I want embrace my roots and culture too.

mixed c.v. if you send me your email I will send you pictures of family in cape verde taken in the early to mid 1900's