After 64 years, Manny Silva rediscovers Ilha Brava and his roots

Manny left Brava as a child in the 1960s for a new life outside the Cape Verde archipelago, specifically in the USA. Since then, he has never returned. Now, more than six decades later, he is once again stepping onto the soil that saw him born, accompanied by friends and family, on a journey full of symbolism and emotion.

"There's a lot of history here, a lot I didn't know!" he said with watery eyes as he visited the space where his childhood home once stood. The property, located in Nova Sintra, now houses the museum dedicated to the illustrious Cape Verdean poet Eugénio Tavares. "Knowing that my old house has been transformed into a center of culture and national memory is deeply moving," he adds.

The visit to the house turned into a museum was just the beginning of an intimate and emotional tour. He visited the former home of his grandfather, Manuel Ramos - affectionately known as "Pai Duciu" - located in the Pé da Rocha area, close to the museum. It is a place that holds inestimable sentimental value, being one of the last material links to Manny's family history.

During their stay in Nova Sintra, Manny and his group have had remarkable encounters with locals - many of whom remember their parents and times gone by. "When I see someone, I usually introduce myself and strike up a conversation, and that's how I discover new things. People here are always willing to talk and are thrilled when they find out I've come back after so many years," he says.

After a steep walk from the hotel to the city center, they met someone who was willing to accompany them to Fajã de Água, a picturesque coastal village where they swam in the crystal-clear waters and had lunch by the sea.

For Manny, every moment spent on this visit has an almost dreamlike tone. "It often feels like a surreal experience, as if I'm in a dream," he says. It's the juxtaposition between childhood memories, the stories told by his elders and the unspoiled natural landscape that gives the trip its almost magical character.

The weather contributed to the trip. In the middle of July, the town of Nova Sintra has mild temperatures, between 18 and 20 degrees Celsius. Despite a brief shower in the afternoon, the skies opened up just in time for another walk in the fresh air - the perfect opportunity to soak up the atmosphere and make new encounters.

After their stay in Brava, Manny and his companions headed to the island of Fogo, where they will stay for several days. The trip, more than touristy, is a spiritual and emotional journey, a true return to the roots and a reunion with the story of a lifetime.