Luanda - The Angolan writer Artur Pestana "Pepetela" has been awarded the title of Doctor Honoris Causa, by the Council of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The University Council of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, which awarded the title by unanimous acclamation, highlights the Angolan writer’s trajectory of more than 50 years of service to the Angolan literature and intellectuality, his dedication to the promotion of the Portuguese language around the world, as well as the fact that he is one of the most studied Angolan writers in Brazil and all over the world.
The Angolan Academy of Arts (AAL) has said it considers fair the title awarded by the Brazilian university institution, which highlights Pepetela’s literary and human quality noting that his work sheds light on Angola's contemporary history.
AAL welcomes the award of this distinction, noting that the set of the writer’s work has earned him national and international recognition, with the winning of several literary prizes.
The Angolan Academy of Arts also said it hopes that this title opens the door to an ever greater appreciation of the Angolan Intellectuals.
Pepetela was born in Benguela, in 1941. He graduated in Sociology, in Algiers (Algeria), during his exile, and was an MPLA member, politician and official.
Pepetela did his primary education at his hometown and later on left for Lubango city, Huíla province, where he continued his studies. In 1958 he went to Lisbon and studied engineering until 1960.
Pepetela became a militant of Angola's ruling MPLA party in 1963 and later abandoned political life, choosing to become a teacher at the Faculty of Architecture in Luanda, where he teaches sociology.
He won Camões Prize 1997 and has published among others, the books "As Aventuras de Ngunga" (1973), "Muana Puo" (1978), "Mayombe" (1980), "O Cão e os Caluandas" (1985), "Yaka" (1985), "Lueji" (1989), "Geração da Utopia" (1992), "Kianda's Desire" (1995), "Parable of the Old Turtle" (1997), "The Glorious Family" (1997), "The Mountain of Lilac Water" (2000) and "Jaime Bunda, Secret Agent" (2001) and "His Excellency Present Body" (2018).
The writer won many awards namely: Correntes de Escrita, in 2020, Rosalia de Castro, from the PEN Galicia Center, in 2014, Nacional de Literatura (1981), Nacional de Cultura e Artes (2002), Especial dos Críticos Literários de São Paulo (1993), Internacional da Associação de Escritores Galegos (2007), Prince Claus of the Netherlands (1993) and Degree of Doctor Honoris Causa by the University of Algarve on April 28, 2010.
