AAfrican Knowledge Atlas

São Tomé and Príncipe

Capital: São Tomé · Central Africa

Equatorial creole islands whose Forro, Angolar and Principense cultures preserve Afro-Portuguese theatre, music and language born of plantation history.

Ethnic communities

  • ForrosDescendants of freed islanders; tchiloli theatre
  • AngolaresMaroon-descended fishing communities

More communities of São Tomé and Príncipe

  • Principense (Lung'Ie) The smaller island's creole community
  • Tonga Plantation-contract descendants of the roças
  • Cabo Verdean-descended Drought-era migrant families
  • Mestiço townsfolk São Tomé city's mixed heritage
  • Roça communities Estate villages of cocoa's old empire
  • Fisher lineages South-coast canoe and net families
  • Danço-Congo brotherhoods Dramatic dance societies of the saints
  • Auto de Floripes players Príncipe's epic street-theatre keepers
  • Portuguese-descended families Planter-era lineages
  • New diaspora returnees Lisbon-linked families rebuilding

Languages

Major languages: Portuguese, Forro, Angolar, Principense

Language families: Portuguese-based Creoles

Historical kingdoms & states

  • Angolar maroon 'kingdom' of Amador

Heritage sites

  • Plantation roças heritage
  • Obo National Park

Cultural highlights

Tchiloli dramatic traditionDanço-CongoÚssua music