Story of Alda Lara

After Sophia de Mello B. Andersen, we changed the accent again, but we did not change the poetic strength of the words spoken in Portuguese.

Alda Lara was a female voice who, through poetry, articulated the experiences and desires of Angolan women, transforming writing into a powerful vehicle of expression and resistance.

In her poetry, in her life, in her love for her people, she sought to give a voice to the Angolan woman, their strength and sensitivity.

Born in 1930, in Benguela, Angola, Alda grew up in a home that valued education and culture.

Her childhood was marked by books and the stories of her father, a doctor and arts enthusiast, who taught her to look at Angola with attentive and loving eyes.

The influence of her father and the colonial context in which she lived were crucial in shaping her critical and literary consciousness.

Graduated in Medicine in Portugal, Alda Lara balanced her medical career with poetry, writing about everyday themes, love, motherhood, and especially about the Angolan reality and the female condition.

Excerpt from the poem Maternity:
Inside me,
From my blood nourished,
and sustained,
is that the voice is not a sob
but scream!

In 1948, she wrote the poem “Life that was lost”, where she reflects on her days away from the land of Benguela. Before moving to Lisbon, she had already published texts in Jornal de Benguela.

Her return to Angola after studying and living in Portugal reinforced her dedication to literature and social activism. She even refused a specialization in Paris, as she already had the aim of returning to her country.

Her poetry became even more rooted in the land and the struggles of her people. Angola cried out for justice, and she, through her verses, cried out together.

We can say that Angola's transition to independence shaped her writing, making her a spokesperson for her people's challenges and hopes for decolonization.

Alda Lara was recognized for her declamation ability. Thus, she performed several recitals in Lisbon and Coimbra, transforming these playful moments into true vehicles for the dissemination of black poetry, which until then was still largely unknown.

Unfortunately, Alda had an early death and passed away in 1962, at the age of 31.

However, her work became a symbol of the struggle for independence and the fight for the female voice in literature. She continued to inspire generations of women writers.

Alda teaches us about the transformative power of the written word and its ability to resonate for so many years. Her short life was not in vain.