Literature of Angola
Encyclopedia
Angolan literature has its origins in the mid-19th century. The diversity of Angola's
culture is reflected in the diversity of its literature, which traditionally has been combative and satirical.
As Angola was a colony of Portugal
, it is a Lusophone
country. Most authors write in Portuguese
, though there are many distinct tribes and Portuguese isn't the first language of every Angolan. In 2006, Luandino Vieira was awarded the Camões Prize
, though he declined it and the $128,000USD prize money for "personal and intimate reasons."
Agostinho Neto
, the first president
of Angola, was a well-known poet
.
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
culture is reflected in the diversity of its literature, which traditionally has been combative and satirical.
As Angola was a colony of Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, it is a Lusophone
Lusophone
A Lusophone is someone who speaks the Portuguese language, either as a native, as an additional language, or as a learner. As an adjective, it means "Portuguese-speaking"...
country. Most authors write in Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
, though there are many distinct tribes and Portuguese isn't the first language of every Angolan. In 2006, Luandino Vieira was awarded the Camões Prize
Camões Prize
The Camões Prize , named after Luís de Camões is the most important literary prize for the Portuguese language. It is awarded annually by the Portuguese Fundação Biblioteca Nacional and the Brazilian Departamento Nacional do Livro to the author of an outstanding work written in Portuguese.It...
, though he declined it and the $128,000USD prize money for "personal and intimate reasons."
Agostinho Neto
Agostinho Neto
António Agostinho Neto served as the first President of Angola , leading the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola in the war for independence and the civil war...
, the first president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of Angola, was a well-known poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
.
Angolan writers
- Agostinho NetoAgostinho NetoAntónio Agostinho Neto served as the first President of Angola , leading the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola in the war for independence and the civil war...
- Viriato da CruzViriato da CruzViriato Clemente da Cruz, an Angolan poet and politician, was born in 1928 in Kikuvo, Porto Amboim, Portuguese Angola and died in Beijing, People's Republic of China on 13 June 1973....
- Antonio JacintoAntónio JacintoAntónio Jacinto, full name António Jacinto do Amaral Martins, born in Luanda, Angola 28 September 1924, died 23 June 1991 in Lisbon, Portugal, was an Angolan poet.-Biography:...
- Oscar RibasÓscar RibasOscar Bento Ribas Angolan writer.Ribas was born in Luanda, the son of Arnaldo Gonçalves Ribas and Maria de Conceição Bento Faria...
- Luandino Vieira
- Mario Antonio
- Arlindo BarbeitosArlindo BarbeitosArlindo do Carmo Pires Barbeitos is an Angolan poet.- Works :*["por entre as margens da esperança"; "longe"; "borboletas de luz", Vozes Poéticas da Lusofonia]...
- Henrique AbranchesHenrique AbranchesHenrique Abranches or Enrique Abranches was an Angolan writer and anthropologist born in Lisbon, Portugal. He came to Angola in 1947 that acquired citizenship. Pepetela founded in Algiers with the Angolan Studies Center where they worked in the writing of a handbook of history of Angola...
- PepetelaPepetelaArtur Carlos Maurício Pestana dos Santos is a major Angolan writer of fiction. He writes under the name Pepetela....
- Botelho de Vasconcelos
- Luandino Vieira