ABSTRACT
This chapter highlights some texts written by Cape Verdeans now living in the U.S.
As more Cape Verdeans pursue work and higher education abroad, increasing numbers feel motivated to write their reflections about their experiences. No matter their memories (direct or implanted), contemporary diasporic Cape Verdeans share a certain double consciousness that speaks (if orthogonally) to DuBois’ landmark conception. Whether through memoirs, poems, song lyrics, or social media posts, Cape Verdeans in the diaspora are finding their voices for themselves, for each other, for the world.
An anthropologist of the contemporary Cape Verdean experience is wise to read the thoughtful writings now emerging from the diaspora—whether in print or online, and whether in public or restricted fora—to chart how global Cape Verdeans are (re)negotiating and performing their complicated, and sometimes unsettling, identities.
Furthermore, attending to these compelling examples of diasporic text suggests a new role to be played by the anthropologist: something analogous to that of a contemporary West African porte-parole, a variant of the classic griot.
