Baltasar Lopes da Silva(23 April 1907 – 8 May 1989[1]) was a writer, poet and linguist fromCape Verde,who wrote in bothPortugueseandCape Verdean Creole.WithManuel LopesandJorge Barbosa,he was the founder ofClaridade.In 1947 he publishedChiquinho,considered the greatest Cape Verdean novel[2]andO dialecto crioulo de Cabo Verdewhich describes different dialects of creoles of Cape Verde. He sometimes wrote under thepseudonymOsvaldo Alcântara.
Baltasar Lopes da Silva | |
|---|---|
 Baltasar Lopes da Silva on a 500 Capeverdean escudo note issued between 1992 and 2000 | |
| Born | 23 April 1907 |
| Died | 28 May 1989(aged 82) Lisbon,Portugal |
| Era | 20th-century philosophy |
| Region | African philosophy;Independence Movement |
Main interests | Ethics,Humanity,Justice,Love,Politics,philosophy |
Ressaca,his work of poems can be found on the CDPoesia de Cabo Verde e Sete Poemas de Sebastião da GamabyAfonso Dias.[3]
Biography
editBaltasar Lopes da Silva was born in the village ofCalejãoon the island of São Nicolau in Cape Verde on April 23, 1907.[2]He attended the seminary in Ribeira Brava in his native island. He later headed to Portugal and studied at theUniversity of Lisbon.When he was at Lisbon, Baltasar Lopes studied with the most important writers and authors of the Portuguese culture includingVitorino NemésioandLuís da Câmara Reis.He graduated with degrees in Law and Romance Philology,[4]: 278 he was one of the excellent students at the university. Afterwards, he returned to Cape Verde and was professor atLiceu Gil Eanesin Mindelo, São Vicente island, for a few years, he was also the lyceum's rector. He returned to Portugal again and educated in Leiria for a short time, during the difficulties of relationship with Portuguese politics that occurred that time, he returned to Cape Verde where he continued his education and advocacy. His last days were spent in Lisbon, where he was transferred for treatment of a cerebrovascular disease and died shortly afterwards on May 28, 1989.[5]
Career
editBaltasar Lopes, with the collaboration of other writers, such asManuel Lopes,Manuel Ferreira,António Aurélio Gonçalves,Francisco José Tenreiro,Jorge Barbosa,andDaniel Filipe,founded the Cape Verdean journalClaridadein 1936.Claridadepublished essays, poems, and short stories. Its contributors wrote about the problems of their society, such as drought, famine, and emigration, bringing clarity to the study of Cape Verdean reality, especially with regard to the most disadvantaged social groups.[6]
In 1947, Lopes published his first book, the novelChiquinho.Chiquinhodescribes in detail the customs, people, landscapes, and social problems of Cape Verde in early twentieth century. It is a coming-of-age novel about the people of Cape Verde and the step that many Cape Verdeans had to take to achieve a better life: emigration. The novel is organized into three parts:[6]
- "Childhood" (Infância), in which theprotagonistChiquinho lives with his family and community in the village of Caleijão on the island of São Nicolau and learns his first letters.[7]
- "São Vicente," in whichChiquinhocontinues his education in high school on the island of São Vicente, where he meets new friends and his first love Nuninha.Chiquinhoand his classmates found the Grémio, an association and a journal that is very similar toClaridade,in the sense that it attempts to change the social environment of the archipelago.[7]
- "The Waters" (As Águas), in whichChiquinhoreturns to his island and becomes a teacher. This part is focused on the calamity of drought, a major problem in Cape Verde, which results in famine and many deaths. At the end of the novel,Chiquinhoemigrates to the United States with the hope of a better life.[7]
Family
editBaltasar Lopes da Silva belonged to a family of great literary figures of Cape Verde includingAntónio Aurélio Gonçalvesand poetJosé Lopes da Silva.
Works
edit- Chiquinho(1947)[5]
- A Caderneta
- Cabo Verde visto por Gilberto Freyre[Cape Verde Visited byGilberto Freyre] (1956)[8]
- O dialecto crioulo de Cabo Verde,a description of the Cape Verdeancreole language(1957).[6]
- Antologia da Ficção Cabo-Verdiana Contemporânea[Contemporary Anthology of Cape Verdean Fiction] (1961)[9]
- Cântico da Manhã Futura(1986), volume of poetry published under the name Osvaldo Alcântara[5]
- Os Trabalhos e os Dias(short stories, 1987)[5]
Legacy
edit
A street named after the writer (Avenida Baltasar Lopes da Silva) is located in the north ofMindeloslightly northeast of the city center.[10]
He was featured on aCape Verdean $500 escudo notewhich was issued between 1992 and 2000. On the back isIlhéu dos Passarosand its ships.
References
edit- ^Sousa, Lima (25 March 2007)."O centenário da Claridade em São Vicente"[The 100th Anniversary of Claridade in São Vicente].A Semana.Archived fromthe originalon 3 February 2016.Retrieved26 January2016.
- ^ab""Chiquinho" é "obra fundadora da literatura cabo-verdiana"[ "Chiquinho" is "founding work of the Cape Verdean literature" ].Diário de Noticias.22 April 2010.
- ^"Objectos do quotidiano de Cabo Verde mostram-se em Lisboa na" Casa Fernando Pessoa ".A Semana.25 June 2007. Archived fromthe originalon 3 February 2016.Retrieved26 January2016.
- ^Gerard, Albert (1986).European-language Writing in Sub-Saharan Africa.John Benjamins Publishing.
- ^abcd"DR.Baltasar Lopes Da Silva" considerações "".Archived fromthe originalon August 11, 2020.RetrievedNovember 8,2016.
- ^abc"Baltasar Lopes da Silva - April 23, 1907 - May 28, 1989".RTC.RetrievedNovember 8,2016.
- ^abc"Chiquinho and Baltasar: Mark of Cape Verde's literature".Archived fromthe originalon November 9, 2016.RetrievedNovember 8,2016.
- ^Cabo Verde visto por Gilberto Freyre: apontamentos lidos ao microfone de Radio Barlavento.OCLC461827276.
- ^Antologia da ficção cabo-verdiana contemporânea.OCLC3799795.
- ^"Ave Baltazar Lopes da Silva"(Map).Google Maps.RetrievedNovember 12,2016.
Bibliography
edit- Leão LopesBaltasar Lopes 1907-1989,University of Rennes 2,2002, 3 volumes, pgs. 22, 151, 281 (doctorate thesis in Portuguese, published in 2011[1])