Cabo Verde

Internationally known for morna and coladeira, its two most international musical styles, this country claims Africanness as part of its essence. Slaves, coming largely from the shores of Guinea, gave it their social foundations, and Cape Verdeans are proud of their heritage. Cape Verde's identity, marked by the five centuries of Portuguese dominance, is also imbued with Italian, Jewish and American culture, to form a most plural country in Africa. In its islands, besieged by pirates, threatened by persistent droughts, decimated by various famines, the Claridade cultural movement was decisive in the future of the country.