Discover Mozambique : Literature (Comics / News)

The fight of literature

First of all, let's evoke the lyrically realistic poetry of those who, like José Craveirinha (1922-2003), engaged in political action for the liberation movement. For these authors, imagination and writing represented a means of exorcising their suffering in the face of oppression and the misfortunes of a country affected by hunger, drought and floods. Mozambique then experienced the effervescence of poet-writers in the early 1960s, who were still very much involved in Frelimo's political and cultural actions. Sergio Vieira and Heliodoro Baptista, for example, tackled the same themes, but with a more direct and naive approach. Their aim is to make people laugh and reflect on the problems of a society which, in fact, grasps the implausible and the tragic. During the transition period and after independence (1975), a number of writers turned away from political themes, opting instead for a more aesthetic style of writing and poetic freedom. They did not, however, forget their commitment. This was the beginning of narrative fiction. Euphoria and anxiety in the face of new-found freedom, conflict between life and death, pessimism, lifestyles, the environment and oral traditions are their main sources of inspiration. In the 1980s, literature was given pride of place in the press, and cultural debates became increasingly popular. Short stories, narratives, novels and poems reflect the problems of violence, death and war. For a long time, the literary scene was limited to publication in newspapers. Poets then freed themselves from Marxist-Leninist ideology and so-called combat poetry. Literary magazines were launched, attracting many poets as well as fiction writers (the Charrua and Forja magazines). Unfortunately, these magazines did not last long. Today, writers are turning to more optimistic themes and going beyond the exorcism function of literature with stylistic diversity.

The unavoidable Mia Couto

A storyteller who blends reality and fantasy, Mia Couto is a white man with clear eyes... 100% Mozambican. Of Portuguese origin, he was born in Beira in 1958. This versatile man of a thousand and one resources is a biologist by training. This discipline enables him to travel the country, delve into the secrets of Mozambican culture and write about his compatriots. His literary debut came in 1983 with the publication of the poetry collection Raide Orvalho. For him, poetry remains a means of expressing a reality that is at times magical and highly irrational. Terre somnambule, published in 1992, was his first major success. It's a chronicle of war, in which lives cross and uncross. His writing evolves between fatalism, animist pantheism, humor and frustration. Her characters are linked to supernatural forces. A veritable cocktail of fiction and paintings of everyday life. Mia Couto is officially included in school curricula. But he remains humble and sees contact with people as an exchange, always eager to learn. He has become a key figure in Mozambican literature, and in 2013 was awarded the Camões Prize for his body of work, the highest distinction given to a Portuguese-speaking author.

Other names to remember

Luis Bernardo Honwana really marked the beginning of narrative fiction in Mozambique, with a collection of short stories published in 1964 to great acclaim: Nous avons tué le chien teigneux. The author takes a childhood story and turns it into a symbol of revolt against the colonial system. He denounces the shortcomings and abuses of this oppressive society. His work is part of a general awareness inseparable from the struggle for Mozambique's liberation, launched by Frelimo. Another literary reference in Mozambique, Ungulani Ba Ka Khosa was awarded the Grand Prize for Narrative Fiction by the Mozambique Writers' Association in 1980, ex-aequo with Mia Couto. Born in 1957, Ba Ka Khosa is a history teacher who draws inspiration from his country's ancient and recent history, with a critical eye on official texts. He disrobes what he finds indignant and deeply moving. The obscene, death, exorcism and chaos are laid bare. As for Rui Knopfli, he is one of the finest examples of literary dual nationality. Born in 1932 in Mozambique, where he lived until independence, he decided to move to London in 1975. His verses are imbued with the melancholy and nostalgia of a country he loved and fled too soon. An important figure in the cultural life of Lourenço Marques in the 1950s, he initiated numerous literary supplements in the press. He was also a very active literary and film critic, and a regular columnist. In Mozambique, as in Portugal, Rui Knopfli has a special place in poetry. His work is considered a benchmark by younger generations. Torn between his European cultural roots and the Africa that runs through his veins, his lyrical, introverted poetry is a constant reminder of the African country that has left an indelible mark on him.

On the women's side, Lilia Momplé, born in 1935, was a member of Unesco's Executive Board between 2001 and 2005. She has written extensively on the painful history of Mozambique. Discover, for example, Neighbours, first published in 1995. In 2011, she was awarded the José Craveirinha de Literatura prize for her 1988 book Ninguém Matou Suhura . It's impossible not to mention Paulina Chiziane, born in 1955. A member of the Mozambique Liberation Front, she began writing in 1984. Her first novel, Ballade d'amour au vent, was published in 1990. She was awarded the José Craveirinha prize in 2003 for her book Le Parlement conjugal: une histoire de polygamie. The new generation includes poets such as Hirondina Juliana Francisco Joshua, born in 1987, and author of Esperança e Certeza (2006) and A Minha Maputo È (2012).