A case study:
CAPE VERDE
This is the flag of Cape Verde
Fauna & Flora
When Cape Verde was first discovered and colonized by the Portuguese in
the 15th century, the wildlife consisted mainly of dry forests and scrub
habitat.
Vegetation in the islands is basically of the savannah or steppe type.
There are trees typical of both temperate and tropical climates, depending
on elevation.
The flatter parts of the islands sustain semi-desert plants while the higher
lands have arid shrubland
If you take a road trip in Cape Verde, you will see….
banana trees
(but only when it rains…. last year, it
rained for only 6 days during the whole
year!!!)
deserts
mountains
Also, Cape
Verde is
composed of 9
islands, so there
are beaches
everywhere!
The kids
love to
swim!
One of the islands has an active volcano!
The view up there was
pretty amazing!
Now, let’s check out their food!
The apples from
Cape Verde are
mini-sized!
Their breakfast is a
lot like ours, with
eggs, fruits and
coffee.
One big difference is that they eat cachupa in
the morning too.
Cachupa is made of white
beans, pork and vegetables.
It’s delicious but very rich!
You better be hungry to eat
it!
People there eat a
lot of chicken,
carrots and potato.
Carrots and potato
are easier to plant
than salad (lettuce
and other greens).
They also eat a lot of goat cheese!
There are goats
everywhere in there!
Did you know that
goats can endure
hard times better
than other animals?
They don’t drink a lot
of water and they can
eat pretty much
anything!
The food there is
simple and
delicious!
This is a typical
lunch
Because it is a country of islands, people also
eat a lot of fish!
Here are
some men
waiting for
the fish boats
to come back
from the sea:
They sell the fish in the markets.
These are Totó, João and
Ericsson.
They help their families to fish.
João only has one flipflop but
he wears it anyway. It reminds
him that he has something.
This is a typical classroom there.
The students don’t
have personal
items, they share
everything.
This is a typical house in the countryside.
In these houses,
farmers live without
any electricity, heat
or water.
Some kids who
live in these
houses have to
walk 2 hours up
the mountains
to get to school
everyday.
Talking about how people live, many people
there struggle with poverty.
Languages
People speak Portuguese
and Creole.
This is a concert of
typical Cape
Verdean music.
Does it seem
similar to our
music here in
Brazil?
Arts
Capulanas
A capulana is a type of a sarong worn primarily in Mozambique but also in other areas of
Africa. It is a length of material about 2 metres by 1 metre. It can either be used as a wraparound skirt, dress or can become a baby carrier on the back. It is considered a complete
piece of clothing.
Capulanas have been in Mozambique since the establishment of the Arab/Indian trade
routes. It was received from Indian traders as a means of trade for other goods. First, they
came primarily in three colors: red, white, and black. White represented the protection of
the ancestors, black represented evil, and red represented the spirit of war. After this time,
Mozambicans preferred using Capulanas to the traditionally-used animal skins.
Today, there are many kinds of Capulanas of various designs and colors. They are used in a
variety of manners, including everyday casual-wear, carrying heavy loads, or even careful
tailored for special events.
Brightly colored, Capulana are often offered as gifts to women. Some couples make
matching "Kapulana" outfits for special events or for a significant reason such as a
traditional marriage between the two.
Knowledge bits: the Maasai people
Remember when I said that most people from the African continent
live just like us?
So you must also remember that around 10% of the people live
according to old traditions, right?
Today, we are going to learn a little bit about an ethnic group called
the Maasai. They are part of these 10% of Africans who live according
to their own culture.
Knowledge bits: the Maasai people
Maasai are an ethnic group inhabiting central and
southern Kenya and northern Tanzania.
They are among the best known local populations
due to their distinctive customs and dress.
The Maasai speak the Maa language. Some have
become educated in the official languages of Kenya
and Tanzania, which are Swahili and English.
They are considered one of the tallest people in the
world, with an average height of 6 ft 3 inches
according to some reports.
Knowledge bits: the Maasai people
The Tanzanian and Kenyan governments have instituted programs to encourage
the Maasai to abandon their traditional semi-nomadic lifestyle, but the people
have continued their age-old customs.
A study has suggested that the Maasai could pass
on traditional survival skills such as the ability to
produce food in deserts and scrublands that could
help populations adapt to climate change.
Many Maasai tribes throughout Tanzania and
Kenya welcome visits to their villages to
experience their culture, traditions, and lifestyle, in
return for a fee.
Let’s take a look at how the Maasai people live.
A child will lead our virtual visit :)