Researchers advocate for global recognition of poet Noémia de Sousa
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Researchers from several countries are highlighting the continuing relevance and global potential of Noémia de Sousa, a Mozambican poet who would have turned one hundred years old this Sunday.
Carmen Tindó Secco and Vanessa Ribeiro, both from the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, noted that students respond strongly to Sousa’s work, finding its rhythms and emotional resonance captivating.
Ribeiro, who has studied African literature for 25 years, observed that students often see their own experiences reflected in the poet’s writing. Researchers also pointed to Sousa’s influence on contemporary artists, including Mozambican poet Énia Lipanga, Brazilian rapper Emicida, and Dércia Sara Feliciana, who writes under the name Deusa D’África. Despite this impact, scholars note that barriers exist to wider appreciation of Sousa’s poetry.
Noemi Alfieri, from the Universidade Nova de Lisboa in Portugal, explained that literature by women generally faces challenges in academic circles, receiving less recognition and publication both during and after their lifetimes. Alfieri also observed that while interest in Sousa is growing in Brazil and Mozambique, she is not yet widely studied in academic settings.
The researchers are advocating for increased study, translation, and dissemination of Sousa’s work to broader international audiences, believing her poetry offers a powerful means of confronting social issues and preserving historical memory. Investigations into Sousa’s life and work are currently underway in Argentina, Poland, the Czech Republic, and the United States, focusing on themes like race, colonialism, and feminism.
