TEN LITTLE MOUNDS OF EARTH
YEAR: 1999
DIRECTOR: Francisco MANSO
AUTHORS: Francisco MANSO, Daniel SPENCER, François LE BAYON
FORMAT: BETA SP
DIFFUSION: BETA SP
DURATION: 4 X 52 minutes
TYPE: Documentaire
PRODUCTION: Francisco Manso, MCM, Classique Jazz, Muzzik, Videoteca da Camara Municipal de Lisboa, Ministerio da Cultura da Republica de Cabo Verde, Lieurac Productions
PARTICIPATION: Centre National de la Cinématographie, Comissao Nacional para as Comemoraçoes dos Descobrimentos Portugueses

The Archipelago of Cabo Verde is composed of "ten little mounds of earth" ten islands where the density of musical talent to the square mile is perhaps the highest in the world.
Cabo Verde music is composed of several distinct styles. There is the Morna, more profoundly nationalist, romantic, poignantly melancholic, or the Coladeira, joyous, pleasant, vivacious. Then there are styles that are more urbane, and reflect outside influences, like the Funana.
This series of four programmes is structured around these different styles. The Morna, the Coladeira and the Funana, the three principal styles, each have their own 52 minute programme. The fourth programme is more general and tells of other Cabo Verde music: the Batuque, the Finaçon, the Kota, the Tabanka, the Toada, all influenced by Africa, or the Contradanse, the Mazurka and the Waltz with their European roots.
All these different musical styles reflect the diversity of the ten islands and their history.