Cape Verde, a rainbow that must not be erased - Antonio Varela
For years, some political figures in Cape Verde have been quietly and constantly trying to erase the vibrant rainbow that represents the true essence of our nation - especially on the island of Brava. They try to rewrite history in their own way, as if the diversity that formed us was a mistake to be corrected, an inconvenient part of the national narrative.
Cape Verde was born at the - often painful - crossroads of different worlds. We are descendants of Europeans who arrived during colonization, of Jews fleeing persecution and the Holocaust in Europe, and of Africans brutally torn from their lands and sold into slavery in the Americas. It was from this meeting of tragedies and hopes that the Cape Verdean people were born.
At Brava, this fusion of cultures, colors and histories has taken shape in our names, our music and our way of being. We have Portuguese surnames and African traits. We carry the melancholy of the morna mixed with ancestral drumming. Our Creole language is in itself a living testimony of resistance and reinvention. We are what we are because we carry all this - and not in spite of it.
Erasing this past is a profound mistake. It's robbing new generations of the right to know themselves fully. It turns a fascinating people into a simplified caricature. And even worse, it's making room for intolerance, prejudice and exclusion, when we could be teaching empathy, pride and belonging.
In schools, we must teach this story with courage and honesty. In public spaces, we must celebrate all the faces and voices that make up the Cape Verdean mosaic. In the diaspora, we must create opportunities for dialog between generations so that our memory is not lost. Every child born in Cape Verde - or outside of it - has the right to know that they carry a rich and extraordinary heritage in their blood.
Our ancestors survived slave ships, religious persecution, famine, dictatorships and abandonment. Many died without recognition, without justice, without a voice. Telling their stories is the least we owe them. To honor their legacy is to ensure that our future is built with truth - not silence.
We are Africans and Europeans. We are Jews and Christians. We are mestizos, islanders, migrants and citizens of the world. And that's exactly what makes us strong and unique. At a time when the world is fragmenting into rigid identities and hate speech, Cape Verde has something precious to offer: the example that it is possible to merge differences into harmony.
When someone tries to paint our story with a single color, we should respond with all the colors that make us up. What makes us unique isn't purity - it's mixture. And in that, we are one of the most beautiful and fascinating peoples in the world.
The Brava has taught us that beauty can flourish even among stones and wind. That even in a remote corner of the Atlantic, it is possible to build dignity, resilience and humanity. Our past is not a shame - it is a beacon. And may it continue to shine with all its light, illuminating the present and inspiring future generations with pride and truth.
Antonio Varela is a Cape Verdean-American businessman and philanthropist who was born on the island of Brava and has lived in the United States for more than four decades. He is the founder of the Nilza Varela Foundation, which works on several Cape Verdean islands with housing, health and food security projects. He is also the owner of Warren Jewelers in Massachusetts and an advocate for the preservation of historical memory and social justice, both in the diaspora and on the islands.
