King Momo Carnival
- Dance
The Mindelo Carnival is the most lively in Cape Verde. Originating from the Portuguese Shrovetide festival, it assimilated features of the Brazilian Carnival to develop into an event with its own unique characteristics and one of the island’s most popular festivals. The build-up to the Carnival starts from the first few days of the new year, when preparations begin. The desire to create is awakened in many an anonymous artist and, in a more or less organised manner, they give life to the various carnival troops.
On the day of the Carnival, the residents of Mindelo go out into the streets to submerge themselves in a world of dream and fantasy where everyone, regardless of their social status, takes part in the collective outpouring of joy and forgets their day-to-day reality. In this ritual, visitors from other islands and the growing numbers of tourists are easily and spontaneously assimilated into the festivities. The carnival troops parade in their creatively fantastic costumes, singing and dancing endlessly as they follow their allegorical floats that brim over with colour and imagination.
The high point of the Carnival in São Vicente is the parade of the official carnival troops, including Ribeira Bote, Sonhos sem Limites, Baianas do Mindelo, Flor de Alecrim, Grupo de Calhau and Veteranos e Jovens de Monte Sossego.
The parade usually starts from Avenida Marginal along the seafront and then traces the following route: Rua de Lisboa, Avenida Baltasar Lopes da Silva, Praça Nova, Avenida 5 de Julho and Rua Sena Barcelos, before returning to Avenida Marginal. It is at this point that the voting takes place for the three best troops, as well as the king, the queen, the best allegorical float, music and flag bearer.
The island of S. Nicolau also experiences moments of great euphoria at Carnival. The festival is always very lively, with plenty of music and colour.
The “Copa”, “Estrela Azul” and “Brilho da zona de Caleijão” troops are the main protagonists of the festival. Each of them put on costumes and choreographic displays of such splendour and delight that their memory lingers all year long in the minds of those who witness their parades.
The “Copa” troop parades with around 200 dancers, “Estrela Azul” with over a hundred and the “Caleijão” troop with around 60. The three groups design their allegorical floats around themes linked to the traditions of S. Nicolau, as well as issues of present interest in Cape Verde and around the world.
The fertility of the island of Fogo, nature and the wonders of the ocean are some of the themes portrayed by the “Fogo em Chama”, “Fantasia de Cobom” and “Faxa da Terra” carnival troops in their island’s parade.
This is a more traditional Carnival, closer to its Portuguese roots and influences, and the troops display a certain amount of imagination and creativity. Although there are no prizes awarded, the quality of the Carnival parade usually exceeds the expectations of the hundreds of people who gather to watch it make its way down the city’s main street.
Apart from the official troops, several spontaneous troops also liven up the festivities, in particular members of the São Filipe Youth Centre. The leaders of the official troops express their satisfaction with the work completed and displayed, but at the same time appeal to public and private institutions for assistance to continue raising the quality of the Carnival.
The Mindelo Carnival is the most lively in Cape Verde. Originating from the Portuguese Shrovetide festival, it assimilated features of the Brazilian Carnival to develop into an event with its own unique characteristics and one of the island’s most popular festivals. The build-up to the Carnival starts from the first few days of the new year, when preparations begin. The desire to create is awakened in many an anonymous artist and, in a more or less organised manner, they give life to the various carnival troops.
On the day of the Carnival, the residents of Mindelo go out into the streets to submerge themselves in a world of dream and fantasy where everyone, regardless of their social status, takes part in the collective outpouring of joy and forgets their day-to-day reality. In this ritual, visitors from other islands and the growing numbers of tourists are easily and spontaneously assimilated into the festivities. The carnival troops parade in their creatively fantastic costumes, singing and dancing endlessly as they follow their allegorical floats that brim over with colour and imagination.
The high point of the Carnival in São Vicente is the parade of the official carnival troops, including Ribeira Bote, Sonhos sem Limites, Baianas do Mindelo, Flor de Alecrim, Grupo de Calhau and Veteranos e Jovens de Monte Sossego.
The parade usually starts from Avenida Marginal along the seafront and then traces the following route: Rua de Lisboa, Avenida Baltasar Lopes da Silva, Praça Nova, Avenida 5 de Julho and Rua Sena Barcelos, before returning to Avenida Marginal. It is at this point that the voting takes place for the three best troops, as well as the king, the queen, the best allegorical float, music and flag bearer.
The island of S. Nicolau also experiences moments of great euphoria at Carnival. The festival is always very lively, with plenty of music and colour.
The “Copa”, “Estrela Azul” and “Brilho da zona de Caleijão” troops are the main protagonists of the festival. Each of them put on costumes and choreographic displays of such splendour and delight that their memory lingers all year long in the minds of those who witness their parades.
The “Copa” troop parades with around 200 dancers, “Estrela Azul” with over a hundred and the “Caleijão” troop with around 60. The three groups design their allegorical floats around themes linked to the traditions of S. Nicolau, as well as issues of present interest in Cape Verde and around the world.
The fertility of the island of Fogo, nature and the wonders of the ocean are some of the themes portrayed by the “Fogo em Chama”, “Fantasia de Cobom” and “Faxa da Terra” carnival troops in their island’s parade.
This is a more traditional Carnival, closer to its Portuguese roots and influences, and the troops display a certain amount of imagination and creativity. Although there are no prizes awarded, the quality of the Carnival parade usually exceeds the expectations of the hundreds of people who gather to watch it make its way down the city’s main street.
Apart from the official troops, several spontaneous troops also liven up the festivities, in particular members of the São Filipe Youth Centre. The leaders of the official troops express their satisfaction with the work completed and displayed, but at the same time appeal to public and private institutions for assistance to continue raising the quality of the Carnival.
