Pathways of memory in texts of African literatures in Portuguese

Abstract

This paper proposes to discuss arrangements made by some African literature texts in Portuguese as a way to recover data of oral tradition. Our point of departure comprises reflections about our present-day obsession about memory. Behaviors generated by globalization are mentioned, particularly those that broaden the need to see and to display, and various meanings produced by the concept "Realms of memory", created by Pierre Nora in 1984, are analysed. With such meanings one seeks to understand conflicts that are characteristic of an era that fights to preserve traces of what no longer exists. ln addition, we discuss the ways that African literatures of Portuguese language have been received as spontaneous memory support and as a reference to places that live with social practices defined by voice power and with a quick process of transformation of these practices. Such practices admitted by literature, may show themselves as resistance to the complete disappearance of whatever reserved memory is left to us.