Yolanda Bedregal facts for kids
Yolanda Bedregal de Cónitzer (born September 21, 1916 – died May 21, 1999) was a famous writer from Bolivia. People often called her Yolanda of Bolivia. She wrote many poems and stories that explored deep human feelings like happiness, sadness, and sometimes feeling alone.
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Early Life and Education
Yolanda Bedregal was born in La Paz, Bolivia. Her family was well-known and loved learning. Her father, Juan Francisco Bedregal, was a professor and a very important writer. He was also the head of the Universidad Mayor de San Andrés.
Yolanda finished high school at a respected school called the Instituto Americano de La Paz. She then studied art at the Escuela Superior de Bellas Artes in La Paz. Later, she won a scholarship to study at Columbia University in New York City. There, she learned about aesthetics, which is the study of beauty and art.
Career and Contributions
When Yolanda returned to La Paz, she became a teacher. She taught at several places, including the Conservatorio de Música and the Universidad Mayor de San Andrés.
She also started the Bolivian National Union of Poets and was its first leader. This group helped poets in Bolivia. Yolanda also represented Bolivia at many international meetings. She even became Bolivia's Ambassador to Spain.
Yolanda Bedregal wrote about 20 books. These included poetry, novels, and collections of writings. Some of her poems were written with her husband, Gert Cónitzer. He translated her poems into German. She also wrote books for children. Plus, she wrote many articles for magazines and newspapers. These articles were about literature, art, teaching, religion, and the crafts of the Aymara and Quechua people.
Yolanda Bedregal passed away in La Paz on May 21, 1999.
Her Writings
Yolanda's first book of poems was called Naufragio, published in 1936. In this book, she used clear and strong words to explore what it means to be human. Her writings often talked about how people feel and think.
Listen to Her Voice
You can listen to Yolanda Bedregal reading some of her own poems and stories. These recordings are from the Library of Congress. She reads from her works like Naufragio Poemar, Nadir, and Bajo el oscuro sol (from 1979). Click here to listen!
Awards and Recognition
Yolanda Bedregal received many honors for her work.
- In 1971, she won the Bolivian National Book award for her novel Bajo el oscuro sol.
- In 2000, a special award for poetry was created in her honor. It is called the Bedregal Award and is given by the government of Bolivia.
- Bolivia even put her on a postage stamp in 1993 to celebrate her achievements!
See also
In Spanish: Yolanda Bedregal para niños
