The founder of Ferro Gaita, Bino Branco, will be laid to rest Sunday in Várzea Cemetery following his death at age 56 in the United States.
The body of Bino Branco, a pivotal musician and founder of the group Ferro Gaita, is scheduled to arrive in Praia on Saturday, the fifth, at eleven p.m. for a wake at the São Filipe Mortuary. His funeral will take place on Sunday, the sixth, beginning at three p.m. from the Mortuary, proceeding to his residence in Calabaceira for a ceremony at the chapel. The procession will then move to the Várzea Cemetery for burial at five p.m. Branco's family requests that all attendees wear white.
Bino Branco passed away on August twenty-ninth in the United States, where he had been undergoing medical treatment since 2025. He was fifty-six years old. Branco was intrinsically linked to the sound of the 'ferrinho' and the voice of Ferro Gaita, a group he co-founded in 1996. The band became a significant reference in Cape Verdean music, particularly for its work in reviving and promoting traditional funaná.
Beyond his instrumental skills, Branco was an interpreter and composer who shaped a generation of Cape Verdean music. The 'ferrinho,' a key element of funaná, gained prominence through his performances and recordings. This year, the Cape Verdean government approved a state pension of seventy-five thousand escudos monthly for the musician, acknowledging his inability to work and his contributions to Cape Verdean culture.
Why it mattersThe burial of Bino Branco, a significant figure in Cape Verdean music, affects artists, friends, and admirers who are expected to attend his funeral and follow his requested dress code.
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