Raquel Ilonbé, pseudonym of Raquel del Pozo Epita (1938 – 1992), was an Equatoguinean writer in Spanish

Spanish language

Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...

.

Background and early life

Born in Spanish Guinea

Spanish Guinea

Spanish Guinea was an African colony of Spain that became the independent nation of Equatorial Guinea.-History:The Portuguese explorer, Fernão do Pó, seeking a route to India, is credited with having discovered the island of Bioko in 1472. He called it Formosa , but it quickly took on the name of...

 (today Equatorial Guinea

Equatorial Guinea

Equatorial Guinea, officially the Republic of Equatorial Guinea where the capital Malabo is situated.Annobón is the southernmost island of Equatorial Guinea and is situated just south of the equator. Bioko island is the northernmost point of Equatorial Guinea. Between the two islands and to the...

), on the island of Corisco

Corisco

Corisco, or Mandj, is a small island of Equatorial Guinea, located 29 km southwest of the Rio Muni estuary that defines the border with Gabon...

, she moved (in infancy) to Spain

Spain

Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

, where she eventually pursued her studies. As an adult she travelled in the land of her birth with a view to exploring her roots, and in order to prepare for her writings.

Poetry and writings on Equatoguinean legends

Her writings included:

• Ceiba (1978), a poetry collection.
• Leyendas guineanas (1981), a collection of legends from Guinea, aimed with a young readership in mind.

See also

• Raquel Ilonbé on Spanish Wikipedia
• Equatoguinean literature in Spanish#1981-1984