The culture of Cape Verde reflects its mixed African and Portuguese roots. It is well known for its diverse forms of music such as Morna, and a wide variety of dances: the soft dance Morna, and its modernized version, the Funaná - a sensual mixed African and Portuguese dance, the extreme sensuality of coladeira, and the Batuque dance. These are reflective of the diverse origins of Cape Verde's residents. The term "Criolo" is used to refer to residents as well as the culture of Cape Verde.
Cape Verdean literature
Cape Verdean literature is one of the richest of Lusitanian Africa.
Poets: Sergio Frusoni, Tavares Eugénio, B. Léza, João Cleofas Martins, Luís Romano de Madeira Melo, Ovídio Martins, Barbosa Jorge, Fortes Corsino António, Baltasar Lopes (Osvaldo Alcântara), João Vário, Oswaldo Osório, Arménio Vieira, Vadinho Velhinho, José Luís Tavares, Carlos Baptista, etc.
Authors: Manuel Lopes, Henrique Teixeira de Sousa, Almeida Germano, Luís Romano de Madeira Melo, Germano de Almeida, Orlanda Amarílis, Jorge Vera Cruz Barbosa, Pedro Cardoso, Mário José Domingues, Daniel Filipe, Mário Alberto Fonseca de Almeida, Corsino António Fortes, Arnaldo Carlos de Vasconcelos França, António Aurélio Gonçalves, Aguinaldo Brito Fonseca, Ovídio de Sousa Martins, Osvaldo Osório, Dulce Almada Duarte, Manuel Veiga
Poems in Portuguese: Cape Verdean Poems, Poesia
Cape Verdean Literature
Sopinha de Alfabeto
Famous tales: Ti Lobo and Chibinho
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. The islands also feature native genres such as funaná, batuque, coladeira, and mazurka.
Cesária Évora is perhaps the best internationally-known practitioner of morna. She has achieved worldwide fame, counting in her fans many famous people, such as Madonna and Julio Iglesias.
Games
Several games are played regularly in common meeting places such as squares. These are a strong form of social interaction, and sometimes originate informal tournaments that draw the public's attention. Among these games are several card games such as bisca and txintxon, and other games like uril.