Thousands of people gathered on Cape Verde's Santo Antao island for horse racing events that celebrate Saint John the Baptist. The annual festival also honors the summer solstice across Portuguese-speaking nations. Eighteen jockeys competed during the Sonjon horse race near Atlantic Ocean shores. Phizer and his horse Keke won the three-hour competition. Drums and cheering crowds created excitement around the mountain track.
The celebrations bring sacred and secular traditions together from the 17th century. Thousands of Cape Verdeans travel to Porto Novo city each June for the festivities. People hold processions and various celebrations for three days. They honor Saint John the Baptist, called Sonjon in local Creole language. Pilgrims pay respect to the saint through different activities.
The main event features the Sonjon revoltiod parade with multiple dance groups. Each neighborhood shows traditional costumes and local cultural items like oil lamps and farming tools. Participants wear corn and peanut necklaces that represent abundance. They dance to the Kola Sonjon rhythm that symbolizes fertility. Community members stress the importance of preserving their cultural heritage.
Portugal colonized Santo Antao island during the 16th century. The island sits in the northwest area of the Cape Verde archipelago off west Africa's coast. UNESCO recognized the Saint John the Baptist festivities as part of Cape Verde's cultural heritage in 2013. Local residents continue attending these celebrations to maintain their traditions. The festival connects modern Cape Verdeans with their ancestral customs.
The celebrations bring sacred and secular traditions together from the 17th century. Thousands of Cape Verdeans travel to Porto Novo city each June for the festivities. People hold processions and various celebrations for three days. They honor Saint John the Baptist, called Sonjon in local Creole language. Pilgrims pay respect to the saint through different activities.
The main event features the Sonjon revoltiod parade with multiple dance groups. Each neighborhood shows traditional costumes and local cultural items like oil lamps and farming tools. Participants wear corn and peanut necklaces that represent abundance. They dance to the Kola Sonjon rhythm that symbolizes fertility. Community members stress the importance of preserving their cultural heritage.
Portugal colonized Santo Antao island during the 16th century. The island sits in the northwest area of the Cape Verde archipelago off west Africa's coast. UNESCO recognized the Saint John the Baptist festivities as part of Cape Verde's cultural heritage in 2013. Local residents continue attending these celebrations to maintain their traditions. The festival connects modern Cape Verdeans with their ancestral customs.
