Mário Lúcio, a Cape Verdean writer, singer and composer, born in Tarrafal, evoked the "mistreated" and "outraged" in the opening of the show, narrating the suffering of the first prisoners' sea voyage, until they reached the exile that would imprison almost 600 people.

"It is no longer a prison and may it never be again", said Teresa Salgueiro, who then sang "Behind that Window" that José Afonso dedicated to those who were also imprisoned in Caxias under the dictatorship.

The music of Angola echoed through the voice of Paulo Flores, music "made of both suffering and hope", he explained, to, later on, sing "Tomorrow", by Duo Ouro Negro.

Karyna Gomes brought to the stage the voice of Guinea-Bissau, "a fundamental country" for the freedom that is celebrated today, because the liberation struggle so dictated.

"Our struggle was all sung" and those were themes chosen for a show of unity, in which the singer asked for a "hurray" to Amílcar Cabral.

Mário Lúcio, Teresa Salgueiro, Carina Gomes and Paulo Flores singing Zeca Afonso in Tarrafal. pic.twitter.com/rlEGdK76dn

— BernardoPiresdeLima (@Bernardo_PL) May 1, 2024

"He lives in us", she added, in an evocation of the leader for the independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde.

Almost at the end, the four joined together to sing "Let Five More Come", by José Afonso.

In the front row of the audience, the President of the Portuguese Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the Cape Verdean Head of State, José Maria Neves, and the Angolan Minister of Defense, representing João Lourenço, attended the show -- the Guinean President, Sissoco Embalo, spoke at the special session, at the end of the morning, but left soon after.

In the speeches of the time, the Heads of State pointed out the former camp (now a museum) as an example of what is never wanted again, defending the consolidation of democracy and freedom.

Read Also: Former Tarrafal camp has a new documentation center on the Internet (Portuguese version)