António Jacinto facts for kids

António Jacinto do Amaral Martins (born September 28, 1924 – died June 23, 1991) was an important Angolan poet and politician. He was also known by his pen name, Orlando Tavora.

Life and Work

Early Life and Education

António Jacinto was born in Luanda, Angola. His parents were from Portugal. He grew up and studied in a town called Golungo Alto. This town is in the Cuanza Norte Province of Angola.

Starting His Career

After finishing his studies in Luanda, António Jacinto began working. He became a civil servant, which means he worked for the government. He was known for writing poems that spoke out against unfairness. Because of his strong political beliefs, he was arrested in 1959.

Imprisonment and Release

In 1961, Jacinto was sent to a special prison camp. This camp was called Tarrafal and was located in Cape Verde. He stayed there until 1972. His first book of poems was published in 1961. This was the same year he was arrested.

Many people around the world learned about his imprisonment. In 1972, he was moved to Lisbon, Portugal. There, he was allowed to live outside prison but had to follow rules. This is called being on parole. He worked as an accountant during this time.

Joining the Fight for Freedom

In 1973, Jacinto managed to escape. He joined the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA). This group was fighting for Angola's independence.

When Angola became independent in 1975, he joined the government. He worked for Agostinho Neto, who was the first president. First, he was the Minister of Education and Culture. Later, in 1977, he became the secretary of the National Cultural Council. He stopped working in politics in 1990 because he was getting older.

Later Years

António Jacinto passed away in Lisbon, Portugal, in 1991.

Famous Poems

António Jacinto wrote many powerful poems. Here are some of his well-known works:

• "O grande desafio" (This means "The great challenge" in Portuguese)
• "Poema da alienação" ("Poem of alienation")
• "Carta dum contratado" ("Letter of a contract worker")
• "Monangamba" (A French version of this poem was made into music in 1964)
• "Canto interior de uma noite fantástica" ("Interior chant of a fantastic night")
• "Era uma vez" (This means "Once upon a time")
• "Bailarina negra" ("Black dancer")
• "Ah! Se pudésseis aqui ver poesia que não há!" ("Ah! If you could see that there is no poetry here!")

Memorable Quote

One famous line from his poem "Monangamba" is:

• "Sur cette vaste plantation, ce n'est pas la pluie mais la sueur de mon front qui arrose les récoltes" (This is French. It means: "On this huge farm, it's not the rain but the sweat from my forehead that waters the crops"). This quote shows the hard work of laborers.

See also

In Spanish: António Jacinto para niños