Born: 30 April 1926, São Tomé and Príncipe
Died: 9 March 2010
Country most active: São Tomé and Príncipe
Also known as: Alda do Espírito Santo, Alda Graça,
Santomean poet and politician Alda Neves da Graça do Espírito Santo wrote, among other works, the lyrics to São Tomé and Príncipe’s national anthem, “Independência total”. While studying in Portugal as a young adult, she met students from other Portuguese-colonized countries, joining the student group Casa dos Estudantes do Império. She became interested in communism and socialism, co-founding the Centro de Estudos Africanos with other students, including Mozambican poet Noémia de Sousa.
Returning to São Tomé in 1953, she engaged in nationalist activism while working as a teacher. Her association with the independence movement led to her arrest and several months’ imprisonment in 1965 and 1966.
Following the country’s independence in 1975, she held several high-ranking roles in the federal government, including Minister of Education and Culture, Minister of Information and Culture, President of the National Assembly, and General Secretary of the National Union of Writers and Artists of São Tomé and Príncipe.
When she died in 2010, the government declared five days of national mourning.
Works
O Jornal das Ilhas (1976)
O Nosso o Solo Sagrado de Terra (1978)
Mataram o rio da minha cidade (2003)
Cantos do solo sagrado (2006)
O coral das ilhas (Coral of the Islands) (2006)
Mensagens do solo sagrado (2006)
Mensagens do canto do Ossobó (Messages from the Songs of Ossobó) (2008)
Tempo universal (Universal Time) (2008)
O relógio do tempo (The Clock of Time) (2008)