Africa-Press – Angola. The coordinator of the Center for African Studies at the Catholic University of Angola, Nelson Pestana, praised today, in Porto Amboim, Cuanza Sul province, the figure of the politician, anti-colonial leader and Angolan writer, Viriato da Cruz, for his contribution to homeland.
Speaking at the opening of the week’s tribute to Viriato da Cruz, born in the city of Porto Amboim, on March 25, 1928, he highlighted that the nationalist deserves respect and admiration even from generations to come, as he dreamed of freedom and aspired to the dawn of struggle .
“It is no coincidence that his contribution as a politician deserves all the respect of those who fought alongside him as the country’s intellectual heritage and makes a great contribution to the country”, he underlined.
Speaking on “Viriato da Cruz and Angolan literature”, UCAN research professor Osvaldo da Silva underlined the legacy of this personality in literature.
, for literary critics the relationship between text and context constitutes an analysis obligation and in this case, we are talking about a poet and nationalist.
“His legacy in literature is linked to a path as a poet, a young man who, since he was 16, with publications that demonstrated a vast and profound literary culture with a definition and a vision of the world”, he stressed.
On his turn, the President of the Instituto Superior Politécnico do Porto Amboim, António Quitério, highlighted the need for a deep reflection on the contribution of Viriato da Cruz in Angolan politics and literature.
He announced the construction of a “Viriato da Cruz” memorial and, with the help of natives and friends from Porto Amboim, the construction of a family memorial and youth house, with a view to perpetuating his deeds.
He highlighted the collection of Poems by Viriato da Cruz 1947-1950.
Notes on Viriato da Cruz
Viriato Francisco Clemente da Cruz Porto Amboim, March 25, 1928 – Beijing, June 13, 1973 was an Angolan politician, anti-colonial leader and writer, in Luanda, he studied at Liceu Salvador Correia.
In 1948, he launched the motto «Let’s Discover Angola», at which time he began to attend the Associação dos Naturals de Angola (ANANGOLA) where, with Higino Aires, António Jacinto and Mário António de Oliveira. In 1951, the first issue of the magazine Mensagem was published, where the Movement of New Intellectuals of Angola (MNIA) was created.
In the 1950s he was in contact with the clandestine anti-colonial movement in Luanda, including the Angolan Communist Party (PCA), founded at that time. He left Angola around 1957 to go to Paris (France) where he met Mário Pinto de Andrade, developing political and cultural activities.
The first tour of Mainland China was in November 1958, and lasted three weeks. Both Viriato da Cruz and Mário Pinto de Andrade went to Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.
As a politician, he stands out for having been secretary general of the MPLA.
Viriato da Cruz died in Beijing (China) on June 13, 1973. On December 26, 1990, his remains were taken to Angola, where he was buried.
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