A Dolorosa Raiz do Micondó
Encyclopedia
A Dolorosa Raiz do Micondó is a book of poetry written by the Santomean
poet, Conceição Lima
. It contains twenty-seven poems and was published in 2006 by the Portuguese publisher Editorial Caminho of Lisbon. Lima's poetry is thematic in its genealogical composition. Her words are personal, intimate and, at times, painful as they evoke family ties and the suffering of her ancestors (and other São Toméans) who were brought against their will to the archipelago from mainland Africa
and later sent to other countries as slaves. This book is also a testimony to the violence that São Tomé and Príncipe
has experienced throughout the centuries with poems such as "1953", "Jovani", and "Ignomínia".
journey in search of her roots and compares her ordeal/search to that of the American writer, Alex Haley
, who traced his grandfather Kunta Kinte
to the town of Juffure from where, in the 18th century, he was taken as a slave. This story became the inspiration for the novel Roots
, which Haley wrote later in life. Although Lima's poetry is about her land and her roots (local poetry), it is also universal as evidenced by this parallel of events in São Tomé and Príncipe
and the United States
in regards to the painful history of slavery
.
The poem ends with the following verses: "Eu, a peregrina que não encontrou o caminho para Juffure / Eu, a nómada que regressará sempre a Juffure" (I, the pilgrim who did not find the road to Juffure / I, the nomad who will always return to Juffure). These verses attest to the revelation that Lima has not found her roots after all; a dilemma that plagues not only the poet and her Santomean compatriots, but all those whose ancestors were enslaved.
, surrounded by its enchanting nature. These are some of its verses: "E eu brincava, eu corria, eu tinha o anel, / o mundo era meu" (I used to play, run, I had the ring / the world was mine).
The second part of this poem is called "A Sombra do Quintal" (The Shadow of the Backyard), in which Conceição Lima confesses that in those days of innocence she was not aware of the suffering of others around her: "Eu rodopiava e o mundo girava / girava o terreiro, o kimi era alto / e no tronco eu não via não via não via / o tronco rasgado dos serviçais."
"As Vozes" (The Voices), the third part of the poem, evokes remembrances of family members: aunts, cousins, relatives of her mother and even some neighbors.
"A voz do meu pai punha caras concretas / naquelas caras que eram altas, eram difusas / e olhavam p'ra longe, não para mim." These verses are part of the last section of the poem, "Os Olhos dos Retratos" (The Eyes in the Photographs). It is about the family pictures that she finds in the attic of people she does not know, but through her father's storytelling she learns about these family members. Storytelling is a rich African tradition and the foundation of the continent's oral literature
, in addition to being strongly present in written literary works such as Lima's.
while the rest of the world remained silent and took no action to protect them. It severely criticizes the governments of the industrialized nations for allowing the genocide
to take place in Rwanda
. The poem ends with this disturbing verse: "Ruanda ainda conta os crânios dos seus filhos" (Rwanda still counts the skulls of her children).
Through the poems in her A Dolorosa Raiz do Micondó, Conceição Lima ties her autobiographic expression to a commentary on the history of her nation. She lends her lyric voice to those who were unable to express their suffering and those who had no voice in the society.
São Tomé and Príncipe
São Tomé and Príncipe, officially the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, is a Portuguese-speaking island nation in the Gulf of Guinea, off the western equatorial coast of Central Africa. It consists of two islands: São Tomé and Príncipe, located about apart and about , respectively, off...
poet, Conceição Lima
Conceição Lima
Maria da Conceição de Deus Lima , also known as Conceição Lima, is a Santomean poet from the town of Santana in São Tomé, one of two islands in the small nation of São Tomé and Príncipe situated in the Gulf of Guinea, off the western coast of Africa...
. It contains twenty-seven poems and was published in 2006 by the Portuguese publisher Editorial Caminho of Lisbon. Lima's poetry is thematic in its genealogical composition. Her words are personal, intimate and, at times, painful as they evoke family ties and the suffering of her ancestors (and other São Toméans) who were brought against their will to the archipelago from mainland Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and later sent to other countries as slaves. This book is also a testimony to the violence that São Tomé and Príncipe
São Tomé and Príncipe
São Tomé and Príncipe, officially the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, is a Portuguese-speaking island nation in the Gulf of Guinea, off the western equatorial coast of Central Africa. It consists of two islands: São Tomé and Príncipe, located about apart and about , respectively, off...
has experienced throughout the centuries with poems such as "1953", "Jovani", and "Ignomínia".
"Canto Obscuro às Raízes"
The first poem in this book is entitled "Canto Obscuro às Raízes" (Hymn to Obscure Roots), in which the poet inquires about the identity of her last African grandfather. Conceição Lima embarks on a lyricalLyrical
The term lyrical may mean:*Lyrics, or words in songs*Lyrical dance, a style of dancing*Emotional, expressing strong feelings*Lyric poetry, poetry that expresses a subjective, personal point of view...
journey in search of her roots and compares her ordeal/search to that of the American writer, Alex Haley
Alex Haley
Alexander Murray Palmer Haley was an African-American writer. He is best known as the author of Roots: The Saga of an American Family and the coauthor of The Autobiography of Malcolm X.-Early life:...
, who traced his grandfather Kunta Kinte
Kunta Kinte
Kunta Kinte is the central character of the novel Roots: The Saga of an American Family by American author Alex Haley, and of the television miniseries Roots, based on the book. Haley described his book as faction - a mixture of fact and fiction...
to the town of Juffure from where, in the 18th century, he was taken as a slave. This story became the inspiration for the novel Roots
Roots: The Saga of an American Family
Roots: The Saga of an American Family is a novel written by Alex Haley and first published in 1976. It tells the story of Kunta Kinte, an 18th-century African, captured as an adolescent and sold into slavery in the United States, and follows his life and the lives of his descendants in the U.S....
, which Haley wrote later in life. Although Lima's poetry is about her land and her roots (local poetry), it is also universal as evidenced by this parallel of events in São Tomé and Príncipe
São Tomé and Príncipe
São Tomé and Príncipe, officially the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, is a Portuguese-speaking island nation in the Gulf of Guinea, off the western equatorial coast of Central Africa. It consists of two islands: São Tomé and Príncipe, located about apart and about , respectively, off...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in regards to the painful history of slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
.
The poem ends with the following verses: "Eu, a peregrina que não encontrou o caminho para Juffure / Eu, a nómada que regressará sempre a Juffure" (I, the pilgrim who did not find the road to Juffure / I, the nomad who will always return to Juffure). These verses attest to the revelation that Lima has not found her roots after all; a dilemma that plagues not only the poet and her Santomean compatriots, but all those whose ancestors were enslaved.
"São João da Vargem"
"São João da Vargem" is another poem about familial history but it has a lighter, more innocent tone than the previous poem. It is divided into four parts. The first, with the title "O Anel das Folhas" (The Ring of Leaves), is about her happy childhood growing up on her native island of São ToméSão Tomé Island
São Tomé Island, at , is the largest island of São Tomé and Príncipe and is home in 2009 to about 157,000 or 96% of the nation's population. This island and smaller nearby islets make up São Tomé Province, which is divided into six districts. The main island is located 2 km north of the...
, surrounded by its enchanting nature. These are some of its verses: "E eu brincava, eu corria, eu tinha o anel, / o mundo era meu" (I used to play, run, I had the ring / the world was mine).
The second part of this poem is called "A Sombra do Quintal" (The Shadow of the Backyard), in which Conceição Lima confesses that in those days of innocence she was not aware of the suffering of others around her: "Eu rodopiava e o mundo girava / girava o terreiro, o kimi era alto / e no tronco eu não via não via não via / o tronco rasgado dos serviçais."
"As Vozes" (The Voices), the third part of the poem, evokes remembrances of family members: aunts, cousins, relatives of her mother and even some neighbors.
"A voz do meu pai punha caras concretas / naquelas caras que eram altas, eram difusas / e olhavam p'ra longe, não para mim." These verses are part of the last section of the poem, "Os Olhos dos Retratos" (The Eyes in the Photographs). It is about the family pictures that she finds in the attic of people she does not know, but through her father's storytelling she learns about these family members. Storytelling is a rich African tradition and the foundation of the continent's oral literature
Oral literature
Oral literature corresponds in the sphere of the spoken word to literature as literature operates in the domain of the written word. It thus forms a generally more fundamental component of culture, but operates in many ways as one might expect literature to do...
, in addition to being strongly present in written literary works such as Lima's.
"Ignomínia"
"Ignomínia" is a short but powerful poem that has a tragic and profound tone. It speaks of the atrocities committed against the innocent people of RwandaRwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
while the rest of the world remained silent and took no action to protect them. It severely criticizes the governments of the industrialized nations for allowing the genocide
Genocide
Genocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...
to take place in Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
. The poem ends with this disturbing verse: "Ruanda ainda conta os crânios dos seus filhos" (Rwanda still counts the skulls of her children).
Through the poems in her A Dolorosa Raiz do Micondó, Conceição Lima ties her autobiographic expression to a commentary on the history of her nation. She lends her lyric voice to those who were unable to express their suffering and those who had no voice in the society.