Colá (also in Portuguese and the Capeverdean Creoles of Santo Antão, São Vicente, São Nicolau, Sal, Boa Vista and Brava, ALUPEK, Santiago (Badiu), Maio and Fogo: ''Kolá'') is a musical genre of

Cape Verdean music Cape Verde is known internationally for '' morna'', a form of folk music usually sung in the Cape Verdean Creole, accompanied by clarinet, violin, guitar and cavaquinho. ''Funaná'', ''Coladeira'', '' Batuque'' and '' Cabo love'' are other musical ...

As a genre music

As a music genre, colá is characterized by having an ''andante'' tempo, a 6/8 or 3/4

measure Measure may refer to: * Measurement, the assignment of a number to a characteristic of an object or event Law * Ballot measure, proposed legislation in the United States * Church of England Measure, legislation of the Church of England * Mea ...

and traditionally it is just melodic, i.e., it is just sung, it has no

polyphonic Polyphony ( ) is a type of musical texture consisting of two or more simultaneous lines of independent melody, as opposed to a musical texture with just one voice, monophony, or a texture with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords, h ...

accompaniment. In its traditional form, it is structured like a chain of melopeias (songs or recitals). Today, cola has been composed in another form by recent composers.

As a dance

As a dance, colá is traditionally celebrated in a street parade.

History

Little is known about the history of colá. This music genre is the most popular in the Barlavento Islands (which were later populated), one source stated that it was developed around the 17th century. However, it is known with other affinities with more popular genres of

Santiago Island Santiago Island may refer to: *Isla Santiago (Baja California Sur) * Santiago Island (Cape Verde) *Santiago Island (Galápagos) *Santiago Island (Philippines) Santiago Island is an island located off the northeast coast of Bolinao, Pangasinan, Phi ...

, along with batuque and

tabanka Tabanka (Cape Verdean crioulo name of tabanca) is a musical genre of Cape Verdean music. As general music As general music, tabanka characterizes by having an ''allegro'', a binary compass, and traditionally being melodic only. In its tradit ...

As a cultural festival

The music style is featured in religious music festivals in Cape Verde which occurs in the months of May of June. The objective would be having a good agriculture, celebrated before the rainy season. According to Félix Monteiro,Monteiro, Félix, ''Bandeiras da Ilha do Fogo – O Senhor e o Escravo Divertem-se'', ''

Claridade ''Claridade'' (Portuguese for "light") was a literary review inaugurated in 1936 in the city of Mindelo on the island of São Vicente, Cape Verde. It was part of a movement of cultural, social, and political emancipations of the Cape Verdean soc ...

— Revista de artes e letras'', no. 8 – 1958 the word ''kolâ'' is of African origin (

Mandinka Mandinka, Mandika, Mandinkha, Mandinko, or Mandingo may refer to: Media * ''Mandingo'' (novel), a bestselling novel published in 1957 * ''Mandingo'' (film), a 1975 film based on the eponymous 1957 novel * ''Mandingo (play)'', a play by Jack Kir ...

) meaning "to acclaim, praise aloud, homage" According to the dates, colá music is best known for religious festivals, according to their patron saint of an area or the island. In Santo Antão "cola-se", the festival of Santa Cruz (Holy Cross) on May 3 in the areas of

Coculi Coculi is a townCabo Verde, Statistical Yearbook 2015< ...

and Chã das Pedras, Saint Anthony (Santo António) on June 13 in Pombas, Saint John the Baptist (São João Batista) on June 24 in Porto Novo and Saint Peter the Apostle (São Pedro Apóstolo) on June 29 in

Garça Garça is a town located in the west-central part of the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The population is 44,409 (2020 est.) in an area of 556 km2. Established on October 4, 1924, it was one of the cities that had been part of the coffee circle ...

. On the island of São Vicente, the festival of Santa Cruz in

Salamansa Salamansa is a village in the northeastern part of the island of Sao Vicente, Cape Verde. It is situated on the north coast, approximately 5 km northeast of the city centre of Mindelo. In 2010 its population was 1,179. Salamansa is a fishin ...

, Saint John the Baptist (São João Batista) in

Ribeira de Julião Ribeira de Julião is a seasonal stream in the central part of the island of São Vicente in Cape Verde.São Pedro. In São Nicolau, it is used during the festivals of Saint Peter (São Pedro) and São Pedrinho. On the island of Sal, it is used for the festivals of the Holy Cross (Santa Cruz) and Saint John (São João) in Espargos, the island of Boa Vista mainly in Fundo das Figueiras and all of the island of Brava (patron saint of the island), in which is known as ''kulinha'' or kolâ San Djan.

Fogo tabanka

Musically related with colá, this cultural music genre is known as colêxa (or kolexa) or Fogo tabanka (also as Fogo tabanca, Portuguese: ''Tabanka do Fogo'', ''Tabanca do Fogo''), on the island with the same name. Kolexa rhythm

This variant is used each year in a religious and municipal festival of Festa da Bandeira, which celebrates its saint, it is celebrated each year on May 1 in the city of São Filipe whose patron saint is Saint Philip.

Examples

* «Sanjon na R’bêra d’ Jilion», traditional
Arranged by Franck Cavaquim no álbum «Sanjon na R’bêra d’ Jilion » (ed. ? — 1976) * «Midj’ má tambor» by Kiki Lima
Performed by Kiki Lima on the album «Midj’ má tambor» (ed. ? — 1980?) * «Tema para dois» by Zeca Couto
Performed by

Os Tubarões Os Tubarões was a Cape Verdean traditional music band who, along with Bulimundo, Finaçon and Simentera, were among the most famous music bands in Cape Verde. The band name is Portuguese for "the sharks" which are common in the waters surround ...

on the album «Tema para dois» (ed. ? — 1982) * «Romaria» by Toy Vieira
Performed by Lura on the album «M’ bem di fora» (ed. ? — 2006) * «Rogá mar» by Teófilo Chantre
Performed by Cesária Évora on the album « Rogá mar» (ed. Lusáfrica, Paris – 2006)

References

External links

Brief Notes on the Musical Forms in Cape Verde
(pdf)
Music and Cape Verdeans in Lisbon
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cola Cape Verdean music Culture of São Vicente, Cape Verde