Through a child’s eyes: ancestry, war and politics in Ondjaki

• Autor(a) principal: Lourenço, Rachel
• Data de Publicação: 2020
• Outros Autores: Morais, Jorge
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Navegações (Online)
• Texto Completo: https://revistaseletronicas.pucrs.br/ojs/index.php/navegacoes/article/view/36215
• topic: Ondjaki; Angolan literature; Childhood representation; Ondjaki; Literatura angolana; Representação da infância

This article analyzes ancestry, war and politics in the literary works by Ondjaki, contemporary Angolan writer from the point of view of children characters of five novels: Os da minha rua, AvóDezanove e o segredo do soviético (Grandma Nineteen and the Soviet’s secret), A bicicleta que tinha bigodes, Uma escuridão bonita and Bom dia camaradas (Good morning comrades). Ancestry in Ondjaki is portrayed according to the tradition in several African societies: ancestors remain as a part of the family and take part in its daily life, even after dying. The civil war is unveiled in a subtle and light way, including humorous features. Politics permeates the characters’ daily lives, with the presence of government forces and of foreigners (mostly Cubans and Russians) working as military, physicians and teachers in Angola. We can conclude that Ondjaki addresses these contents with great sensitivity and in a poetic way despite the complexity of such topics.