Alda Neves da Graça do Espírito Santo

Alda Neves da Graça do Espírito Santo (April 30, 1926 – March 9, 2010^[1]), known as Alda do Espírito Santo, was a poet working in the Portuguese language.

Life and career

She was born in São Tomé e Príncipe, tne former Portuguese territory off the coast of West Africa. She worked as a teacher and was active in nationalist circles, at one point being arrested and imprisoned for some months by the portuguese authorities as a result of her identification with the African liberration movement.^[2]

Since 1975, when São Tomé and Príncipe achieved independence from Portugal, she held several high offices in the government, including as Minister of Education and Culture, Minister of Information and Culture, President of the National Assembly, and General Secretary of the National Union of Writers and Artists of São Tomé and Príncipe.

She was also the author of the lyrics to the national anthem, "Independência total". Her published work includes O Jorgal das Ilhas (1976) and O Nosso o Solo Sagrado de Terra (1978).<ref name=DofA /Her poem "The Same Side of the Canoe" (translated by Kathleen Weaver) is included in such anthologies as The Penguin Book of Women Poets (1987) and Daughters of Africa (1992).

References

1. "Alda Graça do Espírito Santo — Katya Aragão’s Special Tribute". Saotomeblog.com. 2010-03-16. Retrieved 2012-03-08.
2. Margaret Busby (ed.), "Alda do Espírito Santo", Daughters of Africa, London: Jonathan Cape, 1992, p. 326.

External links

• Alda Neves da Graça do Espírito Santo's obituary (Portuguese)