Boa Morte (Sao Tome and Principe) (AFP) – First the blowing of a traditional flute, then the rush of percussion: the chiloli actors take the stage to perform a tragedy inherited from medieval Europe and transmitted from generation to generation on the African island of Sao Tome.
Published on: 03/09/2026 - 09:31
In Boa Morte, in the heights of the north of the island in the Gulf of Guinea, the Formiguinha da Boa Morte troupe is one of the oldest to perpetuate this form of open-air theater, more than 500 years old and listed in 2025 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as the intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
For several hours, in a courtyard surrounded by houses, the thirty or so actors from the troupe play in old Portuguese and dance to the rhythm of the orchestra which sets the tone at each change of scene, in front of a captivated audience.
“People love this culture because it talks about a very real thing: justice. Justice does not distinguish between the rich and the poor,” argues Marco Carvalho, a piteiro in the troupe, named after the performers of the pitu, a flute carved from local bamboo.
In their flamboyant costumes, wearing beards, wigs, top hats and other artifices, these Santomean actors embody a dramatic and musical piece whose story is taken from the legends of the Carolingian dynasty, the Frankish kings who reigned over Western Europe from the 8th to the 10th century.
The heart of the plot centers around a crime: Prince Carlos, son of Charlemagne, kills a knight during a hunting trip. His uncle, the Marquis of Mantua, asked Emperor Charlemagne to judge his own son. The public trial of the crown prince then begins, who will subsequently be convicted.
From generation to generation
“It sends a very important message,” confirms Maribel Borja, a 19-year-old spectator. "Everything must be fair. He who sows evil reaps evil."
Chiloli “conveys social functions, meanings and cultural values which explain the attachment of the inhabitants of Sao Tome to its practice and its perpetuation”, argues the Ministry of Culture.
“It reaffirms the primacy of law, the rule of law, the virtues of dialogue and promotes living together and peaceful coexistence,” continues the institution, insisting on the need to “safeguard” this “unifying” art.
Brought to the central African island by Portuguese settlers in the 16th century, this tradition "was maintained in the archipelago for many years, taking the configuration it has today and integrating the Santomean cultural value", indicates documentation from the Ministry of Culture.
“Chiloli in itself is not a culture native to the island, it is an art adapted from European culture,” says Marco Carvalho, who at 61 has been practicing chiloli for more than three decades.
At 35, Jardel Moniz Fernandes made his childhood dream come true a year ago by playing the character of Ganelon in the troupe Formiguinha da Boa Morte.
“I like everything, really everything. Dancing, the sound of the flute, the drum,” he lists. “I have two children and soon, I will start preparing my eldest to play” a character, he continues, enthusiastically.
Like many before him, it will allow this centuries-old tradition to be perpetuated from generation to generation.
© 2026 AFP
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