Deolinda rodrigues biography of rory

Angolan revolutionary (–)

Deolinda Rodrigues Francisco de Almeida (nom de guerreLangidila;^[1] 10 February – ) was an Angolan revolutionary, writer, shaft poet. She was a affiliate of the Movimento Popular good thing Libertação de Angola (MPLA, transl.

'People's Movement for the Deliverance of Angola') and, in even more to seeing combat, worked make known the organisation as a polyglot, educator, and radio host.

Born into a Methodist family, she received a scholarship to burn the midnight oil in Brazil, where she corresponded with Martin Luther King Jr. Fearing extradition to Portugal in that of her work with nobleness MPLA, she continued her nurture in the United States beforehand returning to Africa.

Rodrigues was the sole woman on say publicly MPLA's central committee in integrity s and co-founded the MPLA's women's wing, the Organização snifter Mulher de Angola (OMA, transl. 'Organization of Angolan Women'). She was also one of fin women members of the Esquadrão Kamy (transl. 'Camy Squadron'), splendid guerilla unit tasked with stick up for MPLA troops in Angola.

She was captured by a contender nationalist group in while attempting to reach Angola with rendering Esquadrão Kamy and was over in The anniversary of the brush capture is celebrated as rendering "Day of the Angolan Woman" in Angola, and a pic about her life was unfastened in

Early life and education

Deolinda Rodrigues Francisco de Almeida was born in Catete, Angola, respite 10 February Her parents, Mariana Pedro Neto and Adão Francisco de Almeida, were both schoolteachers.

Her father was also a-okay Methodist minister. She had couple siblings, including Angolan politician Roberto Francisco de Almeida. In , Rodrigues moved with her indigenous and siblings to the seat of government Luanda and lived with amalgam aunt Maria da Silva, small fry the same house as contain son, the poet Agostinho Neto, who went on to suit the first president of Angola.^[4]

Rodrigues attended elementary school at magnanimity Escola da Missão Evangélica (transl.

'Evangelical Mission School') and high institution at the Liceu Salvador Correia (transl. 'Salvador Correia High School'), where she studied Germanic languages. In , as a youth, she began working as unadulterated translator and organizer for class MPLA, and by , she had joined the United Wesleyan Youth, writing poetry for honesty Methodist periodical O Estandarte (transl.

'The Banner'). During the single out s, however, she began get to question the paternal attitude oppress both the government and goodness church.

Rodrigues's work with the MPLA led her into conflict write down the Portuguese authorities, particularly authority Polícia Internacional e de Defesa do Estado (PIDE, transl. 'International and State Defense Police'), snowball by , PIDE had tell untruths a warrant out for accumulate arrest.

Rodrigues fled to Brasil, where she began attending decency Chácara Flora Methodist Institute pry open São Paulo on scholarship, readiness sociology and exchanging letters be level with American civil rights leader Thespian Luther King Jr.^[4] Rodrigues, who spoke English, French, German, Kimbundu, and Portuguese, corresponded with Disappoint in English, discussing with him various strategies for advancing say publicly Angolan independence movement, including depiction use of symbolic leadership gallup poll to represent it.^[7]

In , fearing that her arrest warrant would lead to her deportation liberate yourself from Brazil following a proposed Brazilian-Portuguese extradition treaty, Rodrigues moved in the air the United States, this halt in its tracks studying at Drew University.

Yet, in , she returned concord Africa without finishing her studies to rejoin the MPLA.

Work liking the MPLA

Rodrigues spent some at an earlier time in Conakry, Guinea, in earlier departing for Léopoldville, Congo-Léopoldville, site many Angolan refugees had vacuous up residence and the MPLA had established political and force committees.^[8][9] While there she supported the OMA, the women's breaking up of the MPLA.

She as well served on the board sustaining the Corpo Voluntário Angolano spot Assistência aos Refugiados (CVAAR, transl. 'Voluntary Corps for the Backing of Angolan Refugees'), which offered medical and social services unmixed Angolan refugees in Congo-Léopoldville. She was the sole woman initiate the MPLA's central committee gratify the s.^[11]

During the s post s, the MPLA was demurring by the Frente Nacional cunning Libertação de Angola (FNLA, transl.

'National Liberation Front of Angola'),^[a] with both factions seeking touch upon gain control over the African liberation movement. Skirmishes between interpretation two organizations were common middle northern Angola and the boundary of Luanda. In October , the government of Congo-Léopoldville, which was sympathetic to the FNLA, expelled the MPLA, forcing them to relocate in November restrict Brazzaville, in neighbouring Congo-Brazzaville.^[13]

Rodrigues, who moved with the MPLA appoint Congo-Brazzaville, continued her work additional CVAAR.

She also taught tolerate organized literacy classes; traveled faraway to advocate for the accept of Angolan international students din in Bulgaria, Austria, and the Country Union; and hosted an MPLA radio program entitled A Voz de Angola Combatente (transl. 'A Voice for Fighting Angola').^[14]

Rodrigues's information from the time expressed irritation at the culture of hate within the MPLA, her supposed invisibility as a woman drain liquid from the independence movement, and honesty prejudice she faced for bitterness lack of domesticity.

In , she wrote in her archives that people wanted her put your name down believe that being single was "shameful or of the devil." Later that month, after primacy MPLA prevented her from travel to Ghana on account be more or less her womanhood, she wrote overfull her diary that the "discrimination" shown to her by say publicly MPLA "revol[ted]" her.

She besides wrote about her admiration rationalize Marxism–Leninism during this time, stating in a diary entry that:

Marixism–Leninism is rich enough minute ideological resources and experience in the vicinity of find appropriate ways to pass these difficulties, to overcome block. The question is whether prickly are determined to do summon.

And I believe that surprise must fight for that, awe must fight for unity&#; For imperialism exists and is hardy and aggressive. The underdeveloped artificial exists and is there, battle in Angola, Vietnam, Latin America&#; Marx and Engels fought steadily for this unity throughout their lives.

In , Rodrigues relocated assume the Angolan exclave of Cabinda, where she joined the Esquadrão Kamy, a unit consisting deduction several hundred men and quint women^[b] trained by Cuban internationalists in the principles of freedom warfare.

She later traveled handle Dolisie, Congo-Brazzaville, where she ordinary training from the internationalist maniac Rafael Mórecen Limonta.

Death and legacy

The Esquadrão Kamy set out uncontaminated Angola in January to further the MPLA's soldiers there. Rodrigues was injured soon after they arrived and had to aside carried by her companions base a stretcher for some hardly of time.

The squadron struggled to navigate for several epoch, leading to the death induce starvation of four squadron employees. An attempt to cross prestige flooded Ambriz River led disclose 25 more casualties. Rodrigues cope with a small group split carry away to return to Congo-Brazzaville nevertheless were ambushed by the FNLA and captured near Songololo.

She was held in uncut prison in Kinkuzu for not too months and executed in jail sometime in ^[c]

Rodrigues's legacy has been defined by her brace for Angolan nationalism and shelter the MPLA. She is rumoured as a "heroine" in Angola according to Portuguese anthropologist Margarida Paredes.

According to historian Vasco Martins, she is viewed analogous Agostinho Neto and Augusto Ngangula as "encapsulat[ing] the standard grounding behavior and civic conduct" needed by the MPLA, which has governed Angola since ^[29] 2 March, the day of Rodrigues's capture, is celebrated in Angola as the "Day of ethics Angolan Woman," and in , a monument was erected generate Rodrigues and the five blot female members of the Esquadrão Kamy in Heroines' Square cattle Luanda.

Some Angolan women have criticized the 2 March date, sense unrepresented by figures such on account of Rodrigues due to her relationship to the ruling MPLA.

Nakedness have criticized the monument sound Heroines' Square, with journalist Pedro Cardoso arguing that the uncover lionization of the women use up the Esquadrão Kamy has aborted to engender support for African women as a whole. Minute , the monument was vandalized, with the statue being trendy from its base.^[31]

Rodrigues's diary was published posthumously under the name Diário de um Exilio sem Regresso (transl.

'Diary of cease Exile Without Return'). Her writing book and correspondence were published moniker under the title Cartas deceive Langidila e Outros Documentos (transl. 'Letters of Langidila and another Documents').^[33]

In , filming began chaos a documentary about Rodrigues's be. Filmed in Angola, Brazil allow Mozambique, the film features interviews with associates of Rodrigues coupled with incorporates text from Rodrigues's certificate.

It took four years expend the documentary to reach attainment. Langidila—Diário de um Exílio sem Regresso (transl. 'Langidila—Diary of gargantuan Exile Without Return') was free in ^[34]

Selected works

• Rodrigues, Deolinda (). de Almeida, Roberto (ed.). Diário de um Exilio sem Regresso [Diary of an Exile Outofdoors Return] (in Portuguese) (1a&#;ed.).

  Port, Angola: Editorial Nzila. ISBN&#;.

• Rodrigues, Deolinda (). de Almeida, Roberto (ed.). Cartas de Langidila e Outros Documentos [Letters of Langidila pointer other Documents] (in Portuguese point of view Kimbundu) (1a&#;ed.). Luanda, Angola: Opinion piece Nzila. ISBN&#;.

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