Identidade e Resistência na Lírica de José Craveirinha

Abstract

The work is guided by Mozambican literature, especially the lyrics of José Craveirinha (1922 - 2003), born in Lourenço Marques, now Maputo, considered the greatest Mozambican poet. 12 poems by José Craveirinha were analyzed in order to verify to what extent the great poet's lyrics point to the identity of Mozambique in the years 1950 to 1960, a period in which the country lived under the Portuguese colonial regime and fought for independence. For such analyses, the formulations of Frantz Fanon, Stuart Hall, Theodor W. Adorno, Paulo Visentini, Laurent Jenny, Manuel Ferreira, Oliveira Marques, Eduardo Mondlane and Rita Chaves were used. Thus, through the analyses, it was possible to understand the colonial scenario in Mozambique and the colonized's awareness of their subjugation and exploitation, which culminated in resistance and, later, in the Portuguese colonial war. Craveirinha was able to restore the pride of being African in his lyrics, bringing the culture, beliefs, dance, and native languages of Mozambique that were suffocated by the values of the colonizer. Furthermore, the great poet gave voice to Mozambicans who were oppressed by the Metropolis, exposing the colonial barbarities that affected them.