Lília da Fonseca facts for kids

Maria Lígia Valente da Fonseca Severino (born May 21, 1906 – died August 14, 1991) was an important journalist and writer from Portugal and Angola. She believed in equal rights for women. When she wrote, she often used the pen name Lília da Fonseca. In 1957, she made history by being the first woman to be part of a group of candidates running for election to Portugal's parliament.

Her Life and Work

Maria Valente da Fonseca was born in 1906 in Benguela, Angola. Her mother was Angolan and her father was European. She moved to Portugal when she was very young. There, she studied at schools in Coimbra and Porto.

Later, she returned to Angola and lived in Luanda. She started working as a journalist for a newspaper called A Província de Angola. Even after she moved back to Portugal, she kept writing for this newspaper.

Her first novel, Panguila, was published in 1944. She used her pen name, Lília da Fonseca, for this book. The story gives a true picture of life in colonial Benguela at that time.

In November 1945, she joined other thinkers in signing a statement. This statement protested against rules that limited what people could think and write. These rules were set by the government at the time, known as the Estado Novo regime. She also worked for peace, signing a statement called Pela Paz entre as Nações (which means "For Peace Among Nations").

Starting Magazines

In 1950, Maria founded a magazine in Lisbon called Jornal-Magazine da Mulher ("Women's Newsmagazine"). She was the editor of this magazine until its last issue in 1956. She also started another magazine called Suplemento Literário Mãos de Fada: Revista de lavores femininos ("Fairy Hands Literary Supplement: Magazine of Women's Labor").

She also worked on a feminist magazine called Os Nossos Filhos ("Our Children"). This magazine offered different ideas for education. It was different from what the Estado Novo government wanted to teach.

A Pioneer in Politics

In 1957, Maria Lígia Valente da Fonseca became a candidate in the elections for Portugal's parliament. She was part of a group that was against the government. This was a very important moment because she was the first woman ever to be named on an election list in Portugal.

Puppetry and Storytelling

Fonseca later started a puppetry group called Teatro de Fantoches de Branca Flor. This group performed puppet shows in many places. They visited schools, summer camps, and poor neighborhoods around Lisbon. They also performed in theaters in other parts of Portugal.

Her puppet group even represented Portugal at international puppet festivals. Maria wrote many of the plays for the group. Some of these plays were also broadcast on the radio by Emissora Nacional, which was the national radio station. She even received a special grant from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. This allowed her to travel and see puppet theaters in different countries.

Maria Lígia Valente da Fonseca wrote many books. Some of her works focused on the role of women in society. She also wrote novels and many books for children. She received several awards for her writing from the Emissora Nacional.

Her Books