This July marks the second official Cabo Verdean Heritage Month in New Bedford and the city is celebrating with an outdoor art exhibit featuring local artists with Cabo Verdean Heritage.
Local Cabo Verdean artist Iva Brito helped curate the exhibit. CAI's Gilda Geist spoke to Iva to learn more.
Gilda Geist Can you tell me about the exhibit title, Ilha Di Li: Picturing the 11th Island?
Iva Brito "Ilha Di Li" translates to "island over here" or "an island called here." There's been such a history with [Cape Verdean] folks migrating to this sort of "island," to this New England area. So, there are people that have created businesses, have created communities and families around Cape Verdean culture, history, artistry. And so many folks have this strong connection with Cape Verde, although they've never been. It's this resistance, this push and pull of yearning to go back, but also being here, and how do you adapt and still have a relationship with your native land?
GG There are 10 islands in the Cape Verde archipelago, and the 11th being this New England area where we have so many Cape Verdeans?
IB Yes. There's more Cape Verdeans that live outside of the Cape Verde islands than within it.
GG Do you have one or two works you want to highlight?
IB I worked closely with Ron Barboza and wrote the tribute to him, a poetic tribute. Ron is a friend and an artist that I respect, and he has captured Cape Verdean history through the lens of photography for the last 50 years. Looking at the images from his exhibit, they really show the history, going from the cranberry bogs and different folks such as [Bishop Charles Manuel] "Daddy" Grace. He has a picture there of someone's wedding [and] a Cape Verdean colonel in the military. He balances going back and forth from an image that you can tell that's an older image, maybe a black-and-white, and then something that is more recent, more vibrant, prominent, like a picture of someone in a carnival outfit. So, [he's] looking at this history of individuals that have been prominent in shaping the culture and history of this 11th island.
GG In particular, the picture of young man walking in the street with the flag—I found that one very striking.
IB I love that one as well. I think it speaks to the pride, the joy, the passion that we have as Cape Verdean people. We are small islands, but we have a beautiful, large, expansive spirit and heart that has transcended distances and transcended time, and that I think the picture captures that. You can be away from the land, you may not have the language and resources, but one thing we've always held on tight is our passion, our culture, our hearts and dreams to expand into multiple generations, and I think that picture captures that very well.
GG Some people who will see these works will have Cape Verdean heritage and then others won't. What messages do you hope these two different groups will take away from the exhibit?
IB I think anyone can benefit and have an enjoyable experience from this. It's an invitation to explore another culture, to learn their history, their different ways of interacting in this culture. And I think what we realize when we do some exploring is that we're more alike than separate and that there's a lot of connections between the different cultures.
GG Anything else you want people to know?
IB As part of this project, on July 25, there will be two events that will promote these local artists and the work they're doing. From 2 to 5 PM at the Cape Verdean Association of New Bedford, the KabuJazz Ensemble featuring Candida Rose will be performing at Island Park in collaboration with the Cape Verdean Association. Also happening that day is a community photography workshop that will be led by two of the Cape Verdean artists in the project, Ron Barbosa as well as Leia Onofrey. The workshops will be at 2, 3 and 4 PM. It's free and open to the public, but you do have to sign up. Those are two great opportunities to stay connected with this project and the artistry of it.
Find more information about how and where to see the exhibit on the New Bedford tourism website.
