Novel
Uanga
Not translated into English
Óscar Ribas · 1951
Synopsis
The marriage of an African man and woman, in the society of Luanda at the end of the nineteenth century. The title names the spell, and the narrative gathers along the way the fables, songs and sayings of the Mbundu; it is part novel and part investigation, so that its author presents it as an Angolan folkloric novel, and it keeps the memory of the folklore of Luandan society of that time.
Context
The novel appeared in 1950 or in 1951 according to the sources; in 1969 its author produced a second, corrected and expanded edition, printed in Luanda, and the Union of Angolan Writers reissued it in 1985. Together with a collection of 1952, it marks its author's shift from romantic narratives to African subject matter, and critics place it among his so-called ethnographic works, between fiction and research.
Who it is for
A novel in Portuguese, rich in Mbundu fables, songs and sayings; with no French or English translation.
Prizes and reception
Regarded as its author's notable work; a 2016 dissertation sees in it a sociocultural heritage for researchers.
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