Born: 24 June 1953, Mozambique
Died: 25 June 2017
Country most active: Mozambique
Also known as: NA
Mozambican writer Fátima Langa is remembered for her stories for young readers, inspired by her own childhood in Mozambique as the oldest of ten children. In 2015, she founded the publishing house Editora Mulheres e Jovens Moçambicanos (Mozambican Women and Youth Publishing, EMUJOMO).
As a child, Langa spoke only Chopi until she was six, learning Portuguese in primary school. From a young age, she told stories in Chopi, and was later encouraged by Mozambican writer Lília Momplé to write them down. Although she started publishing stories and poems in newspapers and magazines, Langa didn’t publish her first book until her 50s, 2004’s Uma Jibóia no Congelador (A Boa Constrictor in the Freezer). She published at least ten books for children in various local languages like Chopi, Makhuwa, Chuwabu, and Makonde, as well as Braille. Two of them, Ndinema vai à escola and O gato e o coelho, were also adapted into plays.
Her works include:
Uma Jibóia no Congelador (2004)
Vhembeleti e outros (2006)
O menino e a raposa (2012)
O coelho e a água (2013)
O leão, a mulher e a criança (2014)
O galo e o coelho (2015)
A gazela, o carneiro e o coelho (2015)
Ndinema e o final de ano (2015)
Memórias de uma inclui (2016)
Ndinema vai à escola (2016)