Tabanka

As general music, tabanka characterizes by having an allegro, a binary compass,[1] and traditionally being melodic only.

[1] Rhythmically there are four variants of tabanca including tabancas of Várzea, Achada Grande, Achada de Santo António (three neighborhoods of the city of Praia) and Chã de Tanque in Santa Catarina[2] Tabanka today have been composed in other forms by recent composers and musicians.

The word was likely originated from some of the African languages, mainly the westernmost part of West Africa, that time, it was used to build and design fortifications by Portuguese navigators in the coast of Guinea (now roughly Guinea-Bissau) in the Guinea-Bissau Creole, the word "tabanka" or "tabanca" means "locality" or "neighbourhood", in Cape Verde, it achieved a different significance.

Although tabanka was hostile by the Administration (due to the uprising by the slaves) and the church (not very "catholic") in the early years.

Along with funaná and batuque, tabanka was a symbol for the struggle for Cape Verdean independence.