The musical heritage of Cape Verde is rich, vibrant and a reflection of its chequered past and stems from its African and Portuguese roots.
The task of spreading Cape Verde’s sounds at the RWMF2019 has fallen upon Tabanka, a young Cape Verdean group from Rotterdam.
Their music has been inspired by Cape Verde artists from an older generation such as Code di Dona, Bulmundo, Americo Brito and of course, Bitori.
The group has a fresh and contemporary take on funana, the upbeat, energetic and festive music and dance style, once forbidden by the Portuguese colonial rulers, which then became part of the post-independence Cape Verdean identity in the eighties.
Funana was derived from the music from the descendants of slaves, mixed with contemporary pop and jazz.
The base of the music are the gaita and the rasping sound of the ferrinho. Festival goers at the RWMF 2019 will find it impossible to stand still when Tabanka takes to the stage.
The Rainforest World Music Festival takes place on July 12-14 at the Sarawak Cultural Village and is organised by the Sarawak Tourism Board, endorsed by Tourism Malaysia and is supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Youth & Sports Sarawak.
For further information on tickets, festival activities and logistics, check out my preview of RWMF2019.
