{"id":2976,"date":"2013-04-18T18:18:41","date_gmt":"2013-04-18T18:18:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sh118.global.temp.domains\/~igsgorg\/lusophonegoa\/?p=2976"},"modified":"2013-04-18T18:18:41","modified_gmt":"2013-04-18T18:18:41","slug":"lusophone-world-much-wider-than-imagination-allows-conceiving-luciano-canhanga-angolan-writer-in-an-interview-with-lsg","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lusophonegoa.org\/en\/2013\/04\/lusophone-world-much-wider-than-imagination-allows-conceiving-luciano-canhanga-angolan-writer-in-an-interview-with-lsg\/","title":{"rendered":"“Lusophone World much wider than imagination allows conceiving” Luciano Canhanga Angolan writer in an interview with LSG"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>“The first time I heard of Goa should be attending 4th class and it was during a lesson in Portuguese in that matter was the Portuguese-speaking world. As Goa was a toponym strange resorted to atlas to locate on a map this territory. From then on I realized that the lusophone world was much broader than the eyes and<\/strong>\u00a0imagination allow me to conceive ” Luciano Canhanga Angolan writer explains in an exclusive interview to Lusophone Society of Goa (LSG).\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Luciano Canhanga* a writer of Angola tells us about his books, the Angolan literature and about Lusophony. And he does not forget Goa.
\n<\/span>An exclusive Interview conducted in Portuguese by the Lusophone Society of Goa (LSG).<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Mr <\/strong>Luciano Canhanga you debuted in Angolan Literature in 2010 with “Dream Kau\u00eda” and, as a professional journalist, you are responsible for corporate communication of the largest Angolan diamond company the Catoca Mining Society.<\/strong>\u00a0What does it mean to you to be a journalist and a writer at the same time?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Being a journalist\u00a0and writer\u00a0is\u00a0a harmonious combination\u00a0that\u00a0I indulge\u00a0with pleasure, as the\u00a0journalist\u00a0and writer\u00a0inhabit the same\u00a0body.<\/p>\n

Journalism\u00a0is a\u00a0long\u00a0dream\u00a0that materialized\u00a0with\u00a0training in this\u00a0field.\u00a0The exercise of\u00a0Corporate Communications\u00a0consultancy\u00a0in\u00a0Catoca\u00a0is exploring\u00a0the other side of\u00a0my training\u00a0in Media.\u00a0It is a new\u00a0pleasurable experience\u00a0which\u00a0a large part\u00a0of\u00a0Angolan journalists try to reach,\u00a0after a long time\u00a0working on daily news\u00a0or\u00a0periodicals.\u00a0Literature is\u00a0only a complement\u00a0of my being.\u00a0Actually, I prefer\u00a0to\u00a0consider\u00a0myself\u00a0as a\u00a0“note taker\u00a0or\u00a0teller of scenarios\u00a0” because I’m\u00a0entering literature\u00a0by chance,\u00a0as an extension\u00a0of journalism\u00a0that\u00a0I never stopped\u00a0exercising,\u00a0because\u00a0journalism,\u00a0for me,\u00a0is like\u00a0an addiction.<\/p>\n

Why do you consider yourself as a “note taker or teller of <\/strong>scenarios\u00a0” and why don’t you like to be called a writer?<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong>I believe\u00a0that writers who are worthy of that name\u00a0are those people who\u00a0endeavor to be one.\u00a0Those who write\u00a0professionally and\u00a0live their life\u00a0doing\u00a0fiction.\u00a0I\u00a0am a journalist who,\u00a0with\u00a0some slack\u00a0time,\u00a0tries to\u00a0transcend from\u00a0journalism\u00a0to literature.\u00a0On the other hand,\u00a0I do not produce\u00a0classic literature\u00a0classic.\u00a0I’m a reporter\u00a0of experiences and\u00a0 literature helps\u00a0me\u00a0to represent reality.\u00a0Although\u00a0my writings tend\u00a0towards fiction,\u00a0they do have a component of experience.\u00a0If there was\u00a0a middle ground\u00a0between journalism and\u00a0literature,\u00a0for example\u00a0the chronic,\u00a0it would be in\u00a0this genre\u00a0that\u00a0I situated myself\u00a0 best.\u00a0I’m a chronicler.<\/span><\/p>\n

Your book<\/strong> “Manongo Nongo”, released in 2012, is a juvenile tale.<\/strong>\u00a0What is the reason for turning to the young ones?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Actually, there are\u00a0several stories\u00a0(fables) and not only one.\u00a0Some of them I had already\u00a0heard\u00a0in my childhood and I\u00a0retold\u00a0them with\u00a0new scenarios\u00a0and characters,\u00a0others are of\u00a0my own creation.<\/p>\n

Peoples who had\u00a0a long period\u00a0without written records\u00a0made\u00a0their\u00a0history\u00a0and\u00a0preserved\u00a0their culture\u00a0through\u00a0orality.\u00a0I was influenced\u00a0in my\u00a0childhood\u00a0by the stories\u00a0and\u00a0history that\u00a0I heard\u00a0 of the elders.\u00a0I decided to\u00a0take\u00a0part of this\u00a0orality to\u00a0literature\u00a0as a way to\u00a0bequeath\u00a0to the younger\u00a0the experiences\u00a0that I have been\u00a0transmitted\u00a0orally\u00a0in childhood.<\/p>\n

Today, there are few\u00a0families\u00a0that retain\u00a0the habit\u00a0of singing\u00a0to\u00a0lull\u00a0a child\u00a0to\u00a0sleep\u00a0or tell a\u00a0story.\u00a0Since\u00a0today’s\u00a0youth\u00a0have no\u00a0voice recordings\u00a0to reproduce to\u00a0their children, books can\u00a0help in\u00a0this mission.<\/p>\n

How do you characterize<\/strong> the current Angolan literature?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The\u00a0creative side\u00a0is on track.\u00a0There is greater\u00a0freedom to\u00a0write and\u00a0publish\u00a0without\u00a0any form of censorship\u00a0or liability.\u00a0I\u00a0note\u00a0also the emergence of many\u00a0new writers. There are only\u00a0 difficulties\u00a0in publishing,\u00a0because\u00a0there is\u00a0not\u00a0a great culture\u00a0of\u00a0reading and, for this reason, few books\u00a0are sold.\u00a0Books\u00a0in Angola\u00a0are also relatively\u00a0expensive because\u00a0we have no\u00a0paper industry\u00a0and\u00a0there are high\u00a0customs fees on\u00a0the books published outside the country.\u00a0This makes the\u00a0writers\u00a0authentic\u00a0beggars\u00a0looking for sponsors\u00a0for their\u00a0artistic creations.\u00a0Often\u00a0the writers\u00a0themselves have to bear the\u00a0expenses of\u00a0editing,\u00a0as\u00a0is my case.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Which are your favourite Angolan writers and why?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The first\u00a0book I read\u00a0was\u00a0“Vozes\u00a0na\u00a0Sanzala”\u00a0of\u00a0Uanhenga\u00a0Xitu.\u00a0I liked the\u00a0book,\u00a0I like his\u00a0literature and\u00a0his\u00a0way of writing.\u00a0I also admire\u00a0the\u00a0writing\u00a0of Ondjaki,\u00a0a young writer and\u00a0very productive,\u00a0as\u00a0I admire\u00a0Jacinto\u00a0de Lemos,\u00a0Jofre\u00a0Rocha, Roderick\u00a0Nehone,\u00a0Izaquiel\u00a0Cori\u00a0and\u00a0Ismael\u00a0Mateus.\u00a0There are more\u00a0names\u00a0but I prefer to\u00a0mention only\u00a0these.\u00a0All of\u00a0them have a\u00a0captivating\u00a0literature\u00a0and\u00a0I also\u00a0consider\u00a0them\u00a0as\u00a0tellers of scenarios.\u00a0Some,\u00a0like Uanhenga\u00a0Xitu, who\u00a0is\u00a0an inescapable figure\u00a0of\u00a0Angolan literature,\u00a0show\u00a0more concern about\u00a0the content\u00a0than\u00a0the form of\u00a0exposure and,\u00a0sometimes,\u00a0I follow\u00a0this example.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Do you think it is worth to instil the Lusophone spirit in the countries and regions of the Portuguese language?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The\u00a0Portuguese language\u00a0is\u00a0a culture.\u00a0It is\u00a0something that exists\u00a0independently\u00a0of the dispersion of\u00a0speakers\u00a0around the world.\u00a0Goa\u00a0and\u00a0Timorare nowhere near\u00a0the other\u00a0Lusophone countries\u00a0nor\u00a0are they distant.\u00a0These territories\u00a0are\u00a0where God\u00a0and\u00a0human adventure\u00a0wanted them to be, maintaining an\u00a0already\u00a0secular\u00a0culture and language.\u00a0The language\u00a0will\u00a0remain\u00a0there forever\u00a0as it will remain\u00a0in Africa and\u00a0South America, It\u00a0is also\u00a0important to note\u00a0that globalization\u00a0increases the\u00a0Lusophone\u00a0Diaspora.\u00a0Therefore, the Lusophone\u00a0spirit\u00a0has to be instilled in the countries\u00a0and regions\u00a0that are expressing themselves\u00a0in Portuguese,\u00a0and also elsewhere\u00a0where they want to\u00a0adopt\u00a0or communicate\u00a0in this language.\u00a0This is the case\u00a0ofEquatorial Guinea\u00a0who has been claiming the status of\u00a0full member\u00a0of the\u00a0CPLP (Community of Portuguese Language Countries).\u00a0As for the\u00a0language issue, I am an\u00a0expansionist.\u00a0Come\u00a0over\u00a0speakers!<\/p>\n

When did you first hear of Goa and come to know where it is located?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The first time I\u00a0heard of\u00a0Goa\u00a0should be\u00a0attending\u00a0the 4th\u00a0class\u00a0and it was\u00a0during a\u00a0lesson\u00a0in\u00a0Portuguese\u00a0when the matter\u00a0was\u00a0about the Lusophone world.\u00a0As\u00a0Goa\u00a0was an unknown place to me I took out the\u00a0Atlas\u00a0to locate\u00a0 this territory on the map\u00a0.\u00a0From then on\u00a0I realized\u00a0that the lusophone world was much broader\u00a0than that which\u00a0my eyes\u00a0and imagination\u00a0enabled me to\u00a0conceive.<\/p>\n

_____________________________________<\/p>\n

*The angolan journalist and writer Luciano Canhanga with the literary pseudonym “Soberano Canhanga” was born in Libolo (Kwanza Sul province), Angola in 1977.<\/em>\u00a0He graduated in Social Communication, worked at radio Luanda Antena Comercial (LAC) and collaborated on many radio stations and newspapers in Angola and abroad.<\/em>\u00a0For the last six years <\/em>he has been responsible for corporate communication of Catoca Mining Society.<\/em><\/p>\n

He has begun writing atthe beginning of the nineties, with his first novel “The Dream of Ka\u00faia” in 2010, the storybook “Manongo-Nongo” (2011) and the “ebook” “10 Enchantment”, a collection of poems (2012).<\/em>\u00a0Next month of May<\/em> he w<\/em>ill launch his third book called the “10 Enchantment”, a collection of poems that he has been writing since 1993.<\/em><\/p>\n

He belongs to the restricted group of Angolan writers whose work has been translated into another language.\u00a0The Journal of Universal Literature Romania “Orizont Literar Contemporan” published two of his poems: “Back Advertised” and “Drama”.<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“The first time I heard of Goa should be attending 4th class and it was during a lesson in Portuguese in that matter was the Portuguese-speaking world. As Goa was a toponym strange resorted to atlas to locate on a … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2976","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-culture"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lusophonegoa.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2976","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lusophonegoa.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lusophonegoa.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lusophonegoa.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lusophonegoa.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2976"}],"version-history":[{"count":112,"href":"https:\/\/lusophonegoa.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2976\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3091,"href":"https:\/\/lusophonegoa.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2976\/revisions\/3091"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lusophonegoa.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2976"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lusophonegoa.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2976"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lusophonegoa.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2976"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}