In this episode of Grating the Nutmeg, Natalie Belanger of the Connecticut Museum of History and Culture chats with some members of Connecticut's Cape Verdean community to learn about the culture's deep roots in the state. Roberta Vincent has been a passionate advocate for the Cape Verdean community in her home town of Norwich, Connecticut for decades. Educator Koren Paul grew up in Stratford and is President of the Cape Verdean Women's Club of Bridgeport. Both women describe the origins of the community in New England and to talk about their personal experiences maintaining their cultural heritage. The conversation also includes Lynne Williamson, the mutual friend who introduced Belenger to Roberta and Koren. Williamson is the former director of the Connecticut Cultural Heritage and Arts Program, the state's official folk and traditional arts initiative. CCHAP merged with the Connecticut Museum in 2015.

Learn more here:

Cape Verdeans in Norwich

Africans in Search of the American Dream: Cape Verdean Whalers and Sealers

Cape Verdean Women's Social Club of Bridgeport

Connecticut Cape Verdean Community History Project

Cape Verdean Materials at the Connecticut Museum of History and Culture

The Connecticut Digital Archive

And to hear more examples of Cape Verdean music in CT, you can listen to some repicar de tambor recorded at the Festa de Sao Joao at the Cape Verdean Club of Waterbury in 2010, and an audio notebook produced by NPR with CCHAP in 2009.

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This episode of Grating the Nutmeg was produced by Natalie Belanger and engineered by Patrick O'Sullivan at https://www.highwattagemedia.com/

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