Cova Joana
Archipelago
Cova Joana is a village in the middle of the island of Brava, Cape Verde. The Creole name of the place is Kuva Juana.
Location
Cova Joana is located in the mountains almost exactly in the middle of the island in a sink. Hence also the name of the village - Cape Verde is meant by " cova " a crater or hollow. With about six kilometers from the island capital of Vila Nova Sintra and the about one kilometer south pilgrimage Nossa Senhora do Monte Cova Joana is connected by good motorable and in all weather road. At the small harbor town of Faja de Agua on the west coast downhill Bravas one passes through a trail. The highest mountain of the island of Brava, the 976 -meter Alto de Fontainhas is accessible via a walking path.
Features and infrastructure
The island of Brava is considered the greenest island of Cape Verde: Since it is often under a blanket of clouds, evaporation is less than on the other islands. Still a little longer to keep the moisture in the valley of Cova Joana where farming ( mainly maize, bananas, beans) is the main source of income of the population. Quite a few houses in Cova Joana have a garden where successful for their own use vegetables are planted. Also noteworthy is the tree of hibiscus main street of the village, in which several new buildings in colonial style, old manor houses (so-called Sobrados ) built.
In Cova Joana lived one of the most important musicians of Cape Verde, the violinist Raúl de Pina, who had 30 children, and even owned a Stradivarius. His house can be seen at the entrance on the right side and can be visited on request. Raúl de Pina was a friend of the Cape Verdean national poet Eugénio Tavares (1867-1930), who also lived on Brava.
In the main street of the village there is a small shop for the necessities of daily life, a simple restaurant and a pension. Cova Joana also does not have a school, but a church.
Transport links
Cova Joana is to reach several times a day called the " Aluguer " and typical of the Cape Verde buses from the island capital of Vila Nova de Sintra and of Nossa Senhora do Monte from. But it does not operate on a fixed schedule, but then go off again when enough passengers have arrived. On the way they stop on demand when someone wants to get in or out.