Music 

Cape Verde is known internationally for morna, a form of folk music usually sung in the Capeverdean Crioulo languages (Kriolu, Criol), accompanied by clarinet, accordion, violin, guitar and cavaquinho. Morna has primarily European roots, but the islands also boast funana and batuco music that are more closely related to West African styles.

Cape Verde is an island archipelago that was uninhabited until the Portuguese arrived in 1462. The sailors brought with them African slaves, and the islands' population became mixed with elements of both races. Climate conditions made the islands unhospitable, and the Portuguese mostly ignored the inhabitants and the frequent droughts and famines that wracked the islands periodically. As a result, there are now more Cape Verdeans abroad than at home, and sizable communities exist in New England, Portugal, Wales, Senegal, Italy, France and the Netherlands.

Morna is by the most popular genre of Cape Verdean music, and it has produced an international superstar in Cesria vora. Morna is, like Argentinian tango, a national song-style beloved by Cape Verdeans across the many islands of the country. It is related to Portuguese fado and its close cousin, Brazilian modinha. Lyrics are usually in Crioulo, and reflect highly-variable themes, including love and lust, patriotism and mourning.

Morna is believed to have originated on Boa Vista as a cheerful song-type. Eugnio Tavares was an influential songwriter of the period, and his songs are still extensively performed. Morna also spread to So Vicente, and performers like Manuel de Novas and B. Leza became popular. Solo vocalists were accompanied by a guitar (or, more rarely, a fiddle, viola or bass guitar) and a piano or accordion. The cavaquinho (similar to a ukulele), a Portuguese and Brazilian instrument, was also common.

Language

 Portuguese is Cape Verde's official language, and the language of instruction in official schools. However, the Cape Verdean Crioulo languages are also widely spoken. These are a range of Portuguese-based creole languages, which vary considerably from island to island.

There is a substantial body of literature in these languages, especially in the Crioulo of Santiago (bdiu) and the Crioulo of So Vicente (criol di de Soncente). The Crioulo languages have been gaining prestige since the nation's independence from Portugal, and there is a movement to make the variant of Santiago the official language of the country.

However, the substantial differences between the languages spoken in different islands, each with its traditional spelling system, has been a major obstacle in the way of this move. Some people have advocated the development of two unformized official languages: a North (Barlavento) standard, centered on the Crioulo of San Vicente, and a South (Sotavento) standard, centered on that of Santiago.