Cape Verdean Association in New Bedford

New England celebrates Nha Balila, renowned Batuku musician & community leader from Cabo Verde!

Nha Balila is an icon of Cabo Verdean culture. Batukadera and community leader from Serra Malagueta, Santiago, residing in Tira Chapeu, City of Praia, she is widely known for her contributions as a musician, poet, composer, advisor, leader, public speaker, patriot, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and strong family provider—all this along with being blind since childhood.

Although researchers have documented her accomplishments and fellow artists have paid tribute to her talents, Nha Balila has never had the chance to visit the large Cabo Verdean-American communities in the U.S. This July, she will be coming to New England so we can celebrate, honor, and hear from her.

We need your help to bring Nha Balila to New England. Your contributions will go toward the costs of Nha Balila's travel and free public educational workshops and community events with Nha Balila in Boston, Brockton, New Bedford, and Providence/Pawtucket. Please give what you can to help this extraordinary opportunity happen. Any size donation welcome! If 10 people give $5 or $10 or $30 each, that’s $50-$300 raised! If you can give $50 or $100, that's great too!

All donations are tax deductible, with the generous collaboration of the Cape Verdean Association of New Bedford, the fiscal sponsor for the project. Any surplus funds raised will go toward the reopening of the community center and library named for Nha Balila and Nhu Simon (Rei di Tabanka) in Tira Chapeu, Nha Balila’s neighborhood in Praia.

If you prefer to send a check, please make it out to Cape Verdean Association in New Bedford, Inc., put Projetu Nha Balila in the memo line on your check, and mail to the association at 128 Union St., Suite 100, New Bedford, MA 02740.

Join us in July & August!

All events will be free and open to the public! Hope to see you there so you can meet this extraordinary, engaging, talented, and delightful sage of Cabo Verde.

Preliminary calendar of events:

July 5 - Boston

July 6-7 - New Bedford

July 13 - Pawtucket/Providence

July 20 - Participation with local artists in Bridgewater

July 27 - Western Mass. (Amherst)

August 4 - Brockton

Want to know more about Nha Balila?

Click here .

Want to know more about batuku?

Click here.

#batukunhabalila

Gratidão! Many thanks!

from Ekipa Nha Balila