Cabo Verde & its Music
A Virtual Museum

In recent years most museums have been leaving aside exhibitions of material artefacts in favour of new approaches focused on non-material heritage such as the cultural practices, representations, expressions and knowledge that these communities and groups recognize as their cultural heritage [1]

Besides this and recognizing how much creativity contributes to the construction of societies that are open, inclusive and pluralistic, UNESCO emphasizes that the integration of cultural heritage with creative activities provides the foundations for building societies in which knowledge is dynamic, innovative and thriving. [2]

These paradigm shifts in museum practice are evident in the Virtual Museum. It is a resource which, besides exhibiting particular contents, suggests new ways of learning, stimulates participation in interactive activities, while at the same time promoting playful aspects which facilitate the diffusion of knowledge. Some traditional museums now make their collections partially or completely accessible through their website, while others – like this one – are exclusively virtual. It can reach us on a computer, a tablet or a smartphone. And we can take it with us wherever we go. And at the same time, the virtual museum carries us into a world that exists beyond the electronic channels that bring it to us.

The materials (texts, photographs, videos, drawings and others) that digital formats allow us to bring together need to be worked on in order to organize and document them effectively. Virtual museums share the same work of documenting materials which make up the knowledge that they want to preserve and share. Like any museum it is an archive, and the work it requires is the same as that of a physical museum.   

Cabo Verde does not possess a physical museum dedicated to music in a comprehensive way. With this in mind, the initiative of the Virtual Museum is intended to preserve the records of facts, personalities, stories and pathways related to the complex world of musical practices in Cape Verde and its emigrant communities. We intend to contribute to the education and culture of new generations, wherever they may be. We hope it can be a place of sharing, welcoming contributions and passing them on to the larger community of lovers of Cape-Verdean music.

To get a feel for the virtual museum experience you can go to the site of the Virtual Museum Transnational Network here.

[1] Unesco, The Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. Obtido em: https://ich.unesco.org/en/convention.

[2] Unesco, Protecting Our Heritage and Fostering Creativity. Downloaded from: https://en.unesco.org/themes/protecting-our-heritage-and-fostering-creativity.