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The History Of Sal Cape Verde



On Sal the living has always been marginal, based on whatever need could I. found for its four products: rock, salt, sand and wind. Today, for the first time its history, it is flourishing on three of those commodities. Merely as a rock in the Atlantic it is proving useful as a refueling stop for international aircraft. White sand is now in demand from beach loving tourists. And the wind now catches the sails of delighted windsurfers who have discovered one of the best places in the world for their sport.

For the last five centuries Sals economy has risen, always modestly, and fallen with international demands for its fourth element salt. It is thought that before the island was sighted by Genies and de Noli in 1460 it was known by its Moorish sailors for its rich saltpans.

The colonisation of Cape Verde had little consequence for Sal for hundreds of years salt was procured more easily from the island of Maio closer to the capital island, Santiago. Nothing much disturbed Sal except perhaps the off-loading of some perplexed goats in the 16th century as part of the archipelago's drive to increase its meat production. For much of the time there were probably also a few slaves on Sal, digging for salt. Early reports from passing sailors also show that people sometimes hunted marine turtles on Sal.

Even by 1683 the passing English sailor William Dampier reported just six men, one governor and an abundance of flamingos. There are no longer any flamingos, it is believed they disappeared with the rise of the salt industry. The men survived by trading salt and goat skins for cod and old clothes with the odd passing ship.


It wasn't until 150 years ago when a Cape Verdian businessman, Manuel Antonio Martins set up a salt export business, that Sal's population began to grow. A thousand souls came to join the 100 occupants between 1827 and 1882, souls was the word used by the British businessman from Sao Vicente, John Ronda', to describe both free men, of whom there were 300, and the 700 slaves.

The salt business was based at two sites, Pedra de Lome in the east and Santa Maria in the south. Its fortunes fluctuated with the trade barriers in Brazil, the African main land and even Portugal itself. Eventually it was wound up in the first half of the 20th century and the island returned to desolation. Archibald Lyall an English journalist who visited in 1936, reported.

Not even Ole most rudimentary garden is possible among the shifting dunes, and all landward windows of the houses have to he kept perpetually shuttered against the penetrating yellow grit.
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