Cabo Verde: Reimagining the biography of Amílcar Cabral.

Dulce Araújo – Vatican City.

The decolonisation of European colonies in Africa was one of the most important historical processes of the 20th century. The struggle for the independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cabo Verde cannot be told without the figure of Amílcar Cabral. 

One of Africa’s legendary leaders

This year, many initiatives have marked the 99th anniversary of Cabral's birth. The idea is to continue these initiatives in the run-up to the centenary of this iconic leader.

Amílcar Cabral was a multifaceted man who fought to liberate Africa and all humanity. He was assassinated at just 49 years old. He would not live to see the independence of Guinea-Bissau or Cabo Verde -the countries he gave his life to. 

Cabral dreamed of seeing no one excluded from society. 

A biography accessible to a new generation

According to organisers, it is vital to make the figure of this great leader known to children and young people. With this in mind, the Amílcar Cabral Foundation, based in Praia, Cabo Verde, asked journalist, educator and children’s writer Marilene Pereira to write a biography of Cabral in a language that suits a younger generation. The result has been a book entitled “Eu, Amílcar” which in English translates to “I, Amílcar.” The new biography is complete with illustrations by Renato Athayde and a preface by Iva Cabral, Amílcar’s firstborn.

Teaching country's history to younger people

Marilene embraced this task with determination, not least because she is a great admirer of Amílcar Cabral, "not so much for what he did, but for the wealth of reflections and thought Cabral left behind,” she told Vatican News.

There is widespread disenchantment that the education system in Cabo Verde does not give due place to the teaching of the country’s history.