Orlando da Costa
Encyclopedia
Orlando António Fernandes da Costa (July 1929 − 27 January 2006) was a Portuguese
writer of Goan descent on his father Luís Afonso Maria da Costa's side and of Portuguese
and French
on his mother Amélia Maria Fréchaut Fernandes' side. Born in Lourenço Marques
, Mozambique, a Portuguese colony at the time, he spent his youth in Goa
, Portuguese India
, another Portuguese colony. At the age of 18, he left Goa and traveled to Lisbon
, where he studied history and philosophy
at the local university. In 1951, Costa published his first work, a poetry
book entitled A Estrada e a Voz. He continued publishing, not only poetry, but also drama
and romance
.
During the 1950s, Orlando da Costa spent most of his time in the House of the Students of the Empire, an institution mainly built to house students from the colonies that were studying in the metropole
. There, he came in contact with many of the future leaders of the nationalist movements of the colonies, such as the MPLA, the FRELIMO and the PAIGC.
Orlando da Costa joined the Portuguese Communist Party
in 1954, during the dictatorial regime of Oliveira Salazar, when the Party was still outlawed. He developed his work as a communist in the intellectual sector of the Lisbon region.
Orlando da Costa was the father of Isabel dos Santos da Costa, who died as a child, as well as politician António Costa
-present Mayor of Lisbon, former Portuguese Minister (Internal Affairs and Justice), Portuguese deputy, Member of the European Parliament
and one of the Vice-Presidents of the European Parliament
, born of his first marriage to writer Maria Antónia Palla née de Assis dos Santos. He was also the father of journalist Ricardo Costa
from his second marriage to Inácia Martins Ramalho de Paiva.
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
writer of Goan descent on his father Luís Afonso Maria da Costa's side and of Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
and French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
on his mother Amélia Maria Fréchaut Fernandes' side. Born in Lourenço Marques
Maputo
Maputo, also known as Lourenço Marques, is the capital and largest city of Mozambique. It is known as the City of Acacias in reference to acacia trees commonly found along its avenues and the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. It was famous for the inscription "This is Portugal" on the walkway of its...
, Mozambique, a Portuguese colony at the time, he spent his youth in Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
, Portuguese India
Portuguese India
The Portuguese Viceroyalty of India , later the Portuguese State of India , was the aggregate of Portugal's colonial holdings in India.The government started in 1505, six years after the discovery of a sea route to India by Vasco da Gama, with the nomination of the first Viceroy Francisco de...
, another Portuguese colony. At the age of 18, he left Goa and traveled to Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, where he studied history and philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
at the local university. In 1951, Costa published his first work, a poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
book entitled A Estrada e a Voz. He continued publishing, not only poetry, but also drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
and romance
Romance novel
The romance novel is a literary genre developed in Western culture, mainly in English-speaking countries. Novels in this genre place their primary focus on the relationship and romantic love between two people, and must have an "emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending." Through the late...
.
During the 1950s, Orlando da Costa spent most of his time in the House of the Students of the Empire, an institution mainly built to house students from the colonies that were studying in the metropole
Metropole
The metropole, from the Greek Metropolis 'mother city' was the name given to the British metropolitan centre of the British Empire, i.e. the United Kingdom itself...
. There, he came in contact with many of the future leaders of the nationalist movements of the colonies, such as the MPLA, the FRELIMO and the PAIGC.
Orlando da Costa joined the Portuguese Communist Party
Portuguese Communist Party
The Portuguese Communist Party is a major left-wing political party in Portugal. It is a Marxist-Leninist party, and its organization is based upon democratic centralism. The party also considers itself to be patriotic and internationalist....
in 1954, during the dictatorial regime of Oliveira Salazar, when the Party was still outlawed. He developed his work as a communist in the intellectual sector of the Lisbon region.
Orlando da Costa was the father of Isabel dos Santos da Costa, who died as a child, as well as politician António Costa
António Costa
António Luís dos Santos da Costa, GCIH is a Portuguese lawyer and politician, former Minister and current Mayor of Lisbon.-Political career:...
-present Mayor of Lisbon, former Portuguese Minister (Internal Affairs and Justice), Portuguese deputy, Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
and one of the Vice-Presidents of the European Parliament
President of the European Parliament
The President of the European Parliament presides over the debates and activities of the European Parliament. He or she also represents the Parliament within the EU and internationally. The President's signature is required for enacting most EU laws and the EU budget.Presidents serve...
, born of his first marriage to writer Maria Antónia Palla née de Assis dos Santos. He was also the father of journalist Ricardo Costa
Ricardo Costa (journalist)
Ricardo Paiva Costa is a Portuguese journalist. He has worked for SIC television network as a host in several television programs, including Expresso da Meia-Noite, with Nicolau Santos. Since 2011, Ricardo Costa is the director of Expresso. Ricardo is son of Orlando da Costa, a writer, and Inácia...
from his second marriage to Inácia Martins Ramalho de Paiva.
Works
- 1951 − A Estrada e a Voz
- 1953 − Os Olhos sem Fronteira
- 1955 − Sete Odes do Canto Comum
- 1961 − O Signo da Ira
- 1964 − Podem Chamar-me Eurídice
- 1971 − Sem Flores nem Coroas
- 1979 − Canto Civil
- 1984 − A Como Estão os Cravos Hoje?
- 1994 − Os Netos de Norton
- 2000 − O Último Olhar de Manú Miranda