“Bolama Ka Pudi Pirdi Tina”

The project “Bolama Ka Pudi Pirdi Tina” (Bolama cannot lose Tina) aims to contribute to the preservation of the practice of Tina on the island of Bolama, a territory in Guinea-Bissau where AMI has been involved since 2000. Tina simultaneously designates a style of music, an instrument and a dance, constituting not only a form of entertainment through percussion and movement, but, and above all, an element of family and community ceremonies, a means of sharing narratives of everyday life and an instrument of intervention. Particularly on the island of Bolama, this artistic practice witnessed a great flowering and acquired a special relevance in the cultural life of the community. In recent years, however, there has been an accelerated extinction of the island’s Tina groups, and consequently, the loss of an important intangible cultural heritage.

Thus, the project aims to contribute to the protection of heritage and boost the cultural sector on the island of Bolama, through the revitalization the practice of Tina, and it is intended to 1) constitute an inventory of the practice of Tina on the island of Bolama and gather oral testimonies and audiovisual content about this practice; 2) train Tina’s groups and artists for cultural management and programming and to work in concert; 3) disseminate Tina among the youth community on the island of Bolama and the Guinean population.

In the set of proposed activities, the collection of oral memories and audiovisual recordings associated with the practice of Tina stand out; the edition and reproduction of a manual with the history and description of this practice on the island of Bolama and the studio recording of musical tracks; setting up an association of Tina artists from Bolama and holding training sessions; the making of radio programs, shows and workshops to disseminate the practice. This project started in December 2022, has a duration of 12 months and a budget of €10,000, 100% financed by DIVERSIDADE, an instrument of the PROCULTURA PALOP-TL project (action financed by the European Union, co-financed and managed by Camões, I.P. in partnership with EUNIC).