Field Trip in Lisbon
Last time we wrote we were in Portugal meeting the amazing young leaders of the European African Diaspora. After spending time with them organising the International Day of African Diaspora, we moved for two days in Lisbon. Few people told us we would have found an interesting African community there, especially from Cape Verde, Angola, Sao Tome Prince, Guinea-Bissau: these are the countries where people speak Portuguese, so it’s obviously easier for them to move to Portugal.
We did, indeed find Africans. At first, they were outside the National Theatre for apparently no good reason, but then we were told by someone who has lived in Lisbon for ten years that those are a specific tribe from Guinea-Bissau. They have no place to meet so they gather outside the theatre everyday.
Another African spot was Cova de Mourra, the ghetto. Differently from other neighborhoods we have been to, you wouldn’t necessarily pass by it because you need to. I guess if you go there it’s because you really want to go there. We met there two fantastic documentarists like ourselves who knew about (IN)VISIBLE CITIES and wanted to show us where the live.
“Welcome to Africa” they told us as we went inside, they pretty much knew everyone and greeted with “Peace!” It was fascinating and interesting, not what we usually portray though. We were never in the favelas but the approximate constructions surely reminded of those, but it was so colourful and slow. Like everyone was chilled out. Women were drying the bacalhau outside they’re houses and uncles were opening their bars only for us. It was so spontaneous and creative!
We are still wondering whether to include it or not in (IN)VISIBLE CITIES …
In the meantime,
Peace!
BALOBESHAYI 
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