nPostednon September 24, 2013
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“Wenare independent of you, Portugal.”
“Wenare independent of you, Portugal.”n
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nThengovernment of what was then known as Portuguese Guinea, in WesternnAfrica, made this declaration in 1973, but Portugal didn’tnagree to the independence at first. Portugal was having its ownnproblems, though, and about half a year later its own government wasnoverthrown by a military coup. At that point, the world acceptednGuinea-Bissau as an independent nation. n
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nTherenare a lot of different ethnic groups within the borders of this smallnnation (which is just a bit larger than the state of Maryland).nBecause of this, there are many different languages spoken. Thenofficial language is Portuguese (because it was a Portuguese colony),nbut only about 14% of the population speaks that language. Far morenpeople speak Kriolu, which is a Portuguese-based creole language—butnmost of the Kriolu-speakers also know one or more African languages,nsuch as Mandingas or Pepeis. What surprised me was that students innGuinea-Bissau learn French in school!
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nWhynFrench, rather than Portuguese or some other language?
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nGuinea-Bissaunis (as I have already mentioned) a pretty small country, and it isnsurrounded by French-speaking countries including Senegal andnGuinea.
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nThisnnation is one of the poorest in the world, and it is having a lot ofntrouble with political instability. Some leaders have been elected,nbut not one has ever served his five-year term before being kickednout, arrested, or even killed.
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nAlsonon this date:
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Schwenkfelder Thanksgiving
Schwenkfelder Thanksgivingn
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ChiefnJustice John Marshall’s birthday
ChiefnJustice John Marshall’s birthdayn
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Anniversarynof the establishment of the Supreme Court of the United States
Anniversarynof the establishment of the Supreme Court of the United Statesn
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nNationalnPunctuation Day
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nNational Voter Registration Day
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nPlannAhead!
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nChecknout my Pinterest pages on Septembernholidays, Septembernbirthdays,nand historicalnanniversaries in September.
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nAndnhere are my Pinterest pages on Octobernholidays, Octobernbirthdays,nand historicalnanniversaries in October.
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