Cape Verde: Crioulo Colony to Independent Nation(81-129)

Cesaria Evora, one of Cape Verde's most famous and admired singer!

Summary
As Cape Verde indulges themselves with conflicts and successes, women were facing gender discrimination, “in their relatively higher level of illiteracy, lower pay, and diminishing numbers in Upper social, political, and education positions” (Lobban 83). However, there were also successful Cape Verdean women at the time, such as Vera Duarte, Yolanda Morazzo, Orlanda Amarilis, and Maria Nunes who were all writers. Women had heavy and arduous jobs including working on road bridges and public works project, pounding food grains, and carrying heavy water containers over long distances and to high elevations. Women lived difficult lives. On top of having dangerous labors, they were commonly abused at home by their husbands. But no abuses were mentioned in the court. Women’s roles began to change in 1961, when the Democratic of Women (UDEMU) was formed in Conakry. This organization for women oppressed the anticolonial movement led by the PAIGC. The organization represented Cape Verde and Guinea Bissau. The UDEMU was later replaced by the Women's Commission, which continued the improvement of women in different nations. After the Women's Commission, in 1980, the separate organization of women of Cape Verde (OMCV) was formed when PAIGC was changed to PAICV. Paula Fortes was the present Secretary-General of the OMCV. Now as a result, women have held 79 seats in the Cape Verdean Elections for the first time.
Quote:
."...The women in both lands suffered from the triple oppression of colonialism, racism, and male supremecy"(Lobban 82).
Reaction
Women always had a role of not being an influential and dominant personality nor role in the society. Women were only to get married have children, raise their children properly, and take care of the house by cooking and farming. Now, you can see at Cape Verde, women's role began to change drastically. They became more involved in political issues defending women's rights. They became more than just wives and mothers. They became voices for the other women and heroines to the own sex. They stood up for their rights, fought for their rights, and obtained their rights on the Cape Verdean Island society.

Cape Verde: Crioulo Colony to Independent Nation(40-80)

The problem has now begun now that the existence of Cape Verde Island is known. The conflict over Bolama began from 1884-1885 with Berlin. “The Berlin congress was dominated by France and England, but claims to Africa territory were also made by the host nation, Germany as well as by Portugal, Italy, Spain, and Belgium”(Lobban 41). Portugal claimed Cape Verde as their own property. However, Europeans also wanted the complete control over Cape Verde only if they could prove they could have efficient control over the islands. As a result, over the conflicts over Bolama, Cape Verde presence in Upper Guinea Coast was reduced to the trade ports at Bolama. Cape Verde was impacted increasingly as a result of the Berlin Congress’s decisions. Conflicts arose because of the lack of control over the interior posts of Bolama. Cape Verdeans turned to “parceiro” and “rendeiro” (sharecropping and tenant-farming). These labors were supplanted with “contratados” (contract labor), “brigadas de Estrada” (“road work gangs) and “frentes de trabalho” (unskilled labor force). This went on until they were liberated and obtained their independence in 1975 (Lobban 62). With these conditions, and hard labor, it resulted with “pitiful pay, harsh treatment, poor health, and early death for thousands” (Lobban 70).


“If Africa peoples resisted, they would be crushed in “pacification” mission and “punitive” campaigns. The European forces had Gatling guns and steam-powered ships and trains at their disposal, with which they could enforce policies that were often genocidal in practice” (Lobban 41).

Cape Verde: Crioulo Colony to Independent Nation (31-46)

Summary
Now that Cape Verde Has been discovered and have been known, as well that the population is in the lead of crioulos problems are arosing invloving economics and rights of people, particularly the slaves. Questions and concerns surrounding Slave Trade in Africa, Struggles to control African Coast, Feudilism, and Brazil-Cape verde connections. Cape Verde became the biggest industrial for slave trading between the brazilians and portugese. Their economy revovled around slave trade and fishing because Cape Verde is located right in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, where fishes are varied.


Quote
"The Cape Verde Islands were known as the Gorgades in The Hesperides Sea"(Lobban 40).
Reaction
The quote introduces Cape Verde's Economic Industry; which was known as The Gorgades in the Hesperides Sea.