Gongon

Santiago

COMMUNITY

The Gongon community can only be reached on foot or by going down from Serra Malagueta or going up from Hortelão, thus implying a series of sacrifices on the part of the community, starting with the transport of consumer goods or harvests on foot or with the help of donkeys.

Sacrifices and difficulties are the main causes of the great emigration that the community experiences, but the few families that remain feel happy to stay and live in nature, eating the natural products they produce.

At the moment the community is poorly electrified and water is collected from natural sources.

Here the project financed the creation of the small local ethnographic museum and the store selling food and local products available to tourists and locals.

THE EXPERIENCES:

Visit the park's interpretation center
Possibility of lunch traditional
Possibility of swimming in the Tank
Visit to Ethnographic Museum
Tour in Ribeira
Visit to the cave

THE WORKSHOPS IN GONGON

DISCOVER COFFEE

Nelson has a big dream, to make Santiago coffee, as famous as Fogo, so he shows tourists his plantation, the coffee processing and the preparation of a tasting using traditional methods.

YOU DISCOVER

THE WORKSHOPS IN GONGON

DISCOVER COFFEE

Nelson has a big dream, to make Santiago coffee, as famous as Fogo, so he shows tourists his plantation, the coffee processing and the preparation of a tasting using traditional methods.

YOU DISCOVER

ANOTHER CAPE VERDE

Depositions

Sergio Silva

What do I do? My business is everything. I am a bricklayer, blacksmith, carpenter, farmer, livestock breeder, grog maker. My name is Sergio Silva and I was born in Gongon. Forty years ago there were horses and mules here, then the road came and with the road the cars. Do you see this hook here? Here the reins of the mules and horses were tied, just like that. I traveled in my life, I visited Portugal and Spain, I worked in Europe for twenty years. I left in 1971, I was 18 years old. When I returned home, Gongon had changed, but for me it's still my home: I missed everything here, I missed my animals, the fruit trees, the people.

Vera Lucia Mendes

I would never go back to where I was born, my life is here. I know where to find what I need, outside: herbs for tea, cassava, edible roots, wild plants used for infusions, medicines, aromas: tourists are always welcome. Remember that whoever is kind is loved.

Gregoria Gomes

Here at Gongon we have stories that you know, like the stories of the Charmed Ones. The Enchanted are half men and half deities, and have ancient origins: Giulliana Encantada was one of them, and she lived right here, I remember her. My name is Gregoria , I have lived in Gongon since I was born, I am the oldest in the community: I am 93 years old. I believe that stories unite us, keep alive those who are no longer here and welcome those who need to arrive, even tourists. This is a living land.