Mozambican literature
However, it was not until the 1950s that a distinct Mozambican literary voice emerged, as writers began to challenge colonial oppression and assert their cultural identity.
The period following Mozambique's independence in 1975 was a particularly fruitful time for Mozambican literature, with writers exploring themes of national identity, social justice, and post-colonialism.
In the post-independence period, the New Wave movement emerged, which sought to challenge traditional literary forms and explore new styles and themes.
[3] The Mozambique liberation movement (FRELIMO) selected Portuguese as the language for their literacy campaign during the struggle for independence, using it to disseminate their Marxist-nationalist ideology.
Ancestral reverence holds significance for many ethnic groups, and folktales narrate the lives of previous generations with a blend of realism and mythology.
Supported by an assimilated class of intellectuals in urban areas, predominantly mestizos and mulattoes,[13] a genuinely Mozambican Portuguese-language literature began to flourish.
[15] After its sale in 1918, the brothers, along with Estácio Dias and Karel Pott, established O Brado Africano [de] (1918–1974) ("Cry of Africa"), where many important Mozambican writers published their first works, which included texts not only in Portuguese but also in shironga.
The authors affiliated with this journal openly advocated for the interests of black people in the colony, shaping a generation of writers and fostering African self-confidence.
[16] Many renowned writers published their poems and essays in this newspaper, including Noémia de Sousa, who edited the women's pages, and Marcelino dos Santos, who became a founding member of Frelimo.
It began with the posthumous publication of João dos Santos Albasini's O livro da dor (1925), a collection of personal reflections, which marked the start of the second phase.
[19] This imitation extended to the choice of genres, with poet Rui de Noronha predominantly using the sonnet form in his works,[20][21] following the European tradition.
[17] Other authors were Sousa Ribeiro with Symphonia conspirante (1928), Augusto Conrado with A Perjura ou a Mulher de Duplo Amor (1931), Fibras d'um coração (1933) and Divagações (1938).
[29][30] Probably unaware of French Négritude, she combined Neorealism with concepts of North American Black Renaissance, Haitian Indigenism, and Cuban Negrism.
[37][38] Rui de Noronha emerged as a pioneer of truly Mozambican poetry, addressing the plight of blacks and mestizos in his works and critiquing the negative aspects of colonialism.
In 1941 the journalist Rui Knopfli founded the magazine Itinerário (1941–1955), which deals with the social, literary and cultural problems of Mozambique and contributed to the emergence of a national identity.
One such group was the Casa dos Estudantes do Império, an association of Portuguese, Angolan, Cape Verdean and Mozambican students in Lisbon that had existed since 1944 and campaigned for the interests of the colonies.
In addition, the writers Virgílio de Lemos, Ruy Guerra, Fonseca Amaral, António Bronze and Orlando Mendes should be mentioned.
In the course of the publication of the new edition in 1962, a dispute arose between Rui Knopfli, Rodrigues Júnior and the editor of the anthology over the question of who could be considered a European and who a Mozambican writer.
It was a cultural association that sought study grants for black Mozambicans, organised lectures, panel discussions and film screenings and maintained its own library.
[50] In 1962, the first party congress of the Frente da Libertação de Moçambique (FRELIMO) (Mozambique Liberation Front) was held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Following independence in 1974, a civil war ensued, during which new writers like Mia Couto, Ungulani Ba Ka Khosa, Heliodoro Babtista, and Eduardo White emerged.
[54] In 1982, the Mozambican Writers' Association [pt] was created with the poets José Craveirinha,[55] Prize winner Luís de Camões, Albino Magaia, Eusébio Sanjane and others.
Other notable authors from Mozambique include Heliodoro dos Santos Baptista, Rui Knopfli, and Luís Bernardo Honwana have explored themes such as gender inequality, race relations, and the impact of colonialism on Mozambican society.
[36] Albina Magaya should be mentioned among other Mozambican writers, Jorge Rebelo, Reinaldo Ferreiro, Alberto di Lacerdu, Ruya Knopfli, Malangatanu Ngwenya, Armand Guebuzu,[56] Paulin Schiziana[57] and others.
Writers delve into the impact of colonialism on society, the challenges of multicultural nation-building, and the experiences of Mozambican women who defy patriarchal norms.
During the colonial period, the authorities imposed censorship restrictions and actively targeted writers with police forces, hindering the literary development.
The struggle for independence and the consequences of colonialism are recurring themes in Mozambican literature, as explored by writers like José Craveirinha and Luís Bernardo Honwana.
Decolonization is a pervasive theme in Mozambican literature, representing the historical, social, and cultural transformations that occurred during and after the struggle for independence.
Through their literary works, Mozambican writers have contributed to the collective memory, understanding, and reflection on the process of decolonization and its ongoing significance for the nation.
In the post-independence period, the New Wave movement emerged, aiming to challenge traditional literary forms and explore new styles and themes.
