Anthropology of Mission in Cape Verde

Culture, Worldview, and the Contextualization of the Gospel

Abstract

The article aims to analyze how missiological anthropology can contribute to the cross-cultural development of mission in Cape Verde, offering a practical plan of action. The methodology used was a literature review of reference authors, combined with contextual analysis of the Cape Verdean mission field in its historical, cultural, and religious aspects. The data collected show that fluency in krioulu kabuverdianu is essential for effective communication; that stress factors such as cost of living, insular logistics, health, and education require mitigation strategies; and that the predominant cultural matrix is honor–shame, with traces of fear–power and guilt–innocence. The analysis also indicates that morabeza, musicality, and communal meals provide significant redemptive points for communicating the gospel. It concludes that attentive listening and discernment between the essential and the negotiable allow for a faithful and transformative contextualization, capable of proclaiming Christ as the one who restores honor and welcomes people into God’s family.