Ivone Ramos facts for kids

Ivone Aida Lopes Fernandes Ramos (born September 7, 1926, died March 3, 2018) was a famous writer from Cape Verde. Cape Verde is a group of islands off the coast of Africa. She wrote many stories and books for both adults and children.

About Ivone Ramos

Ivone Ramos came from a family of talented writers! Her parents were Armando Napoleão Rodrigues Fernandes and Alice Lopes da Silva Fernandes. Many of her relatives were also famous writers. These included her uncles José Lopes da Silva, and her cousins António Aurélio Gonçalves and Baltasar Lopes da Silva. Her sister, Orlanda Amarílis, and her brother-in-law, Manuel Ferreira, were also writers.

Early Life and Reading

When Ivone was six years old, she moved back to a place called Assomada. She loved to read from a very young age. Her favorite types of books included political novels, love stories, and spy adventures. She also enjoyed medieval books and many others. Her father even opened a library in their home. This helped her learn a lot about local and world issues as she grew up.

Becoming a Storyteller

Later, Ivone moved to the island of São Vicente. She lived in the house of her uncle, the writer António Aurélio Gonçalves. Here, she started writing down stories and folklore from Cape Verde. She knew many of these tales because she loved to tell them.

These stories were often told by her neighbors, housewives, and older people in Santa Catarina and São Nicolau. They would gather in yards or by house doors under the starry sky. Children would sit and listen to these exciting tales. The stories were about sorcerers, people with amazing powers, or brave heroes on dangerous missions. Ivone never thought of herself as a professional writer at this time.

First Books and Later Works

Much later, these stories became the inspiration for a series of books. Her first book was Vidas Vividas, published in 1990. In the same year, she helped re-publish her father's book, Léxico do dialecto crioulo do arquipélago de Cabo Verde, in Mindelo. She later wrote more stories, including "Futcera ta cendê na Rotcha" (2000) and "Exilada" (2005). In 2009, she published a children's short story book called Mam Bia tita conta estória na criol. This title means "Mother Bia is telling stories in Creole."

Other Talents

Besides writing, Ivone Ramos was also a skilled dressmaker and tailor. She had a very artistic side. She showed this through her handicrafts and by making traditional items. These included patchwork quilts, market vendor pockets, embroidery, and cloth dolls. She also made many decorative pieces.

Family Life

Ivone Ramos married Arnaldo da Silva Gonçalves. They had children together. One of their children, Carlos Filipe Gonçalves, grew up to become a journalist.

Books by Ivone Ramos

• Vidas Vividas (Short stories in Portuguese, 1990)
• Futcera ta cendê na Rotcha (Short stories in Portuguese, 2000)
• A exilada (2005)
• Mambia tita contá história na criol (Children's story book, 2009)
• Short story Capotóna (in Crioulo of São Vicente) published in the book Futcera ta cendê na Rotcha