Rabelados of Espinho Branco

The Rabelados, the rebels, are descendants of Cape Verdeans who refused the liturgical reforms the Catholic church introduced in the islands from the 1940s and withdrew into the interior of Santiago to keep the older practice. The community at Espinho Branco lives in a cluster of houses and has, since the 2000s, become known for painting: an art project brought materials in and the residents began producing work sold to collectors.

What you actually see

• The community - a settlement founded on refusing the church reforms of the 1940s.
• The painting - the naive art the residents began producing in the 2000s.
• The houses - the painted dwellings of the settlement.
• The interior setting - inland Santiago away from the coastal towns.

When to go

November to June is the dry season and the most comfortable. Visits should be arranged rather than dropped in on. Religious observances take precedence.

Honest expectations

This is a living community, not an attraction; visits need arranging and photographing people requires asking. The settlement is poor and the interaction is uncomfortable if handled badly. Facilities are non-existent.

Nearby

Assomada is nearby, and Serra Malagueta is north.