For a discussion of the utopic place: the Bandeirian Pasárgada inhabited by Cape-Verdians and Portugueses

Abstract

If one contrasts some aspects of Brazilian Modernism and the Capeverdean Claridade, a common thread that defines their identity as nation, and as a counterpart to an imposed identity based on their historic past as colonies of Portugal can be found. Indeed, Brazilian Modernist movement is seen as a model by its “brother-country”, Cape Verde, due to its aspects of regionalism, nationalism, and to a certain stand to its “xenophobic” aspect regarding mostly Portugal, the “father-land”. Eduardo Lourenço in his book, A Nau de Ícaro seguido de Imagem e Miragem da Lusofonia (Lisboa: Gradiva,1999), states in a psychoanalytic critique that Brazil would culturally survive only after “killing” its father: “Para o discurso cultural brasileiro, Portugal existe pouco ou nada, mas, se existe, é apreendido como pai colonizador que o Brasil teve de matar para poder existir”(150). The same would apply to Cape Verde, with the difference that it was still a colony in the first half of the 20th century, and, therefore, the “killing” of the father would have to be done on a level other than psychological… The use of an imagery of the well-known poem by Manuel Bandeira, “Vou-me embora pra Pasárgada”, would then allow Capeverdean poets such as Jorge Barbosa, Osvaldo Alcântara and José Osório de Oliveira to proclaim their “freedom”, as did the Brazilian poet. The present study focuses on the cross-cultural and literary relationship between Brazilian Modernism, the Capeverdean literary movement Claridade, and also the Portuguese “answer” to all this, present in the literary journal Távola Redonda.