Mozambican singer Paulina Chizian defended on Friday that the Portuguese language, in order to belong to all people who speak it, needs to be “healed, cleansed, decolonized”, citing the way some words are defined in dictionaries as an example.
During her speech after receiving the Camões 2021 award at a ceremony in Lisbon, Paulina Quiziane shared that the Portuguese language has “some quirks” that make it “sometimes” “terrify” her.
The writer gave examples of definitions she finds in Portuguese dictionaries for some words, such as catinga, “which is accompanied by a nauseating smell characteristic of the black race.”
“I feel very sad when I look at this. Have we had time to consider these questions? – he said.
Pauline Chisian also called matriarchy, which is defined as “African tribal custom”, as opposed to patriarchy, “the heroic tradition of the patriarchs”.
“In Africa, we have a matriarchy, especially in the northern region of Mozambique. It’s a tribal custom, throw it away, it’s an African thing. But patriarchy already has value. What kind of machismo is this?” he asks.
The writer also shared “the last word, and there are a lot of them”: a shack, “a rustic dwelling characteristic of blacks.”
“The hut has been proven to be an ecological dwelling. The Portuguese language, in order to become ours, needs to be processed, cleaned, decolonized, ”he defended.
Paulina Kizian, who came “out of nowhere” and “learned to write in the sand on the ground” and wore “her first pair of shoes when she was ten years old”, was “very happy” to receive the Camões Prize this Friday. , “such an important award, just in time for World Portuguese Language Day.”
“For someone who came from nothing, to be here in front of the Portuguese government, the Brazilian government, the diplomatic corps and various personalities is something that touches me deeply. I walked without knowing where I was going, but I got somewhere, what is this reward, ”he said.
Of the many thanks he expressed, the greatest thanks went to his readers “in Mozambique and in all Portuguese-speaking countries”.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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