Brainwave Mar Azul: Reflections on Loss and Migratory Grief in the Cape Verdean Diaspora

What is the connection between migratory grief and the loss of a loved one? How does an individual’s migratory background shape their experience of grief? And how do funeral rituals travel across borders into new contexts? Join us as we delve into how different Cape Verdean diasporas engage with these questions.

Although a universal experience, grief is a deeply intimate experience shaped by our identity and expressed through cultural norms. This evening seeks to intersect two experiences of grief: migratory grief and the loss of a loved one.

Migration is etched into the social fabric of the Cape Verdean people. With more people living outside of the archipelago than on the islands themselves. Therefore, the theme of migratory grief has been explored and is known deeply amongst the Cape Verdean people. In her thesis, Jennifer Silva explored grief and continuing bonds in the Cape Verdean diaspora in Brazil. She will discuss her findings.

The event features a screening of the film, The Last Harvest by Nuno Miranda Benoventura. The film paints an intergenerational portrait of the Cape Verdean community and diaspora in Lisbon, exploring topics such as sense of belonging and diasporic grief. The screening is followed by an aftertalk with the director of the film.

To close, we delve back into the Dutch context, where a large Cape Verdean community lives. We will explore how community-centered funeral rituals are translated in a more individualistic cultural context.

Programme

16:00 - Walk-in
16:30 - Presentation by Jennifer Silva
17:00 - Film screening The Last Harvest
17:25 - Discussion with Nuno Boaventura Miranda
18:00 - Exploring the Dutch context