Cora Coralina () is the

pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true meaning ( orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individual's o ...

of the

Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

ian writer and poet Ana Lins dos Guimarães Peixoto Bretas () (August 20, 1889 – April 10, 1985). She is considered one of the most important

Brazilian writers Brazilian commonly refers to: * Brazil, a country * Brazilians, its people * Brazilian Portuguese, its dialect Brazilian may also refer to: * "The Brazilian", a 1986 instrumental music piece by Genesis * Brazilian Café, Baghdad, Iraq (1937) * Bra ...

, Her first book (''Poemas dos Becos de Goiás e Estórias Mais'') was published in June 1965. She spent her working life as a confectioner in a small bakery, and where she drew upon her experiences of rural Brazilian culture to create her rich poetic prose, often featuring the Brazilian countryside, and in particular focusing upon life of the citizens who lived in the small towns across the state of

Goiás Goiás () is a Brazilian States of Brazil, state located in the Central-West Region, Brazil, Central-West region. Goiás borders the Federal District (Brazil), Federal District and the states of (from north clockwise) Tocantins, Bahia, Minas Ge ...

Biography

Anna Lins dos Guimarães Peixoto Bretas wrote under the pseudonym of Cora Coralina. She was born on August 20, 1889, in the city of

and raised on the banks of the River Assunção, and maintained a strong connection to the city throughout her life. She was the daughter of Francisco de Paula Lins dos Guimarães Peixoto, a prominent local desembargador (appellate judge) appointed by

Dom Pedro II ''Don (honorific), Dom'' PedroII (Pedro de Alcântara João Carlos Leopoldo Salvador Bibiano Francisco Xavier de Paula Leocádio Miguel Gabriel Rafael Gonzaga; 2 December 1825 – 5 December 1891), nicknamed the Magnanimous (), was the List o ...

, and Jacyntha Luiza do Couto Brandão. Cora first began to write poems in her early teenage years at around 14, and later attended the ''Clube Literário Goiano'' of Dona Virgínia da Luz Vieira. Cora then married, and went to live in

São Paulo São Paulo (; ; Portuguese for 'Paul the Apostle, Saint Paul') is the capital of the São Paulo (state), state of São Paulo, as well as the List of cities in Brazil by population, most populous city in Brazil, the List of largest cities in the ...

, where she raised six children. In addition to running her busy family life, Cora also worked in a small bakery as confectioner specializing in cakes. Her work and family consumed much of her time, but she continued to write; however it would not be until the mid-1960s, following the death of her husband when she was 75 years old, that she came to publish these works, the first of which would be Poemas dos Becos de Goiás e Estórias Mais'.'' After her husband's death, she also dedicated her time to agricultural activities on a small estate in the interior of the state. Her most well-known publications are ''Poemas dos becos de Goías e estorias mais'' and ''Estorias da Casa Velha da Ponte.'' She is especially well known for her writing on women's issues, life in the state of

, the poverty of Northeastern Brazilians, and the mythology of

Afro-Brazilian Afro-Brazilians (; ), also known as Black Brazilians (), are Brazilians of total or predominantly Sub-Saharan African ancestry. Most multiracial Brazilians also have a range of degree of African ancestry. Brazilians whose African features are mo ...

rituals that many still practiced. Her poetry integrates many of the diverse cultures of

. Her contemporaries include Argentine writer

Alfonsina Storni Alfonsina Storni (29 May 1892 – 25 October 1938) was a Swiss Argentines, Swiss-Argentine poet and playwright of the Modernismo, modernist period. Early life Storni was born on May 29, 1892, in Sala Capriasca, Switzerland. Her parents were Alf ...

, Uruguayan writer

Juana de Ibarbourou Juana Fernández Morales de Ibarbourou, also known as Juana de América, (March 8, 1892 – July 15, 1979) was a Uruguayan poet and one of the most popular writers of Spanish America. Her poetry, the earliest of which is often highly erotic, is ...

, and Chilean poet

Gabriela Mistral Lucila Godoy Alcayaga (; 7 April 1889 – 10 January 1957), known by her pseudonym Gabriela Mistral (), was a Chilean poet-diplomat, educator, and Catholic. She was a member of the Secular Franciscan Order or Third Franciscan order. She was ...

. Almost all of her books have had more than ten editions, and have continued to be reprinted in the years since her death, and a number of posthumous volumes of her collected writings and personal stories have been published. In 1984, the Brazilian Union of Writers named her the "literary personality of the year." At the time,

Carlos Drummond de Andrade Carlos Drummond de Andrade () (October 31, 1902 – August 17, 1987) was a Brazilian poet and writer, considered by some as the greatest Brazilian poet of all time. He has become something of a national cultural symbol in Brazil, where his wi ...

, a distinguished poet in Brazil well known in Latin America, said: "I admire Cora Coralina and her mastery of living in a state of grace with her poetry. Her verse is like running waters, her lyricism has the power and delicacy of the natural world." Cora Coralina's family house, where she lived in her childhood and her later years until her death in 1985, can be visited in the city of

. It is located by the bridge over the Vermelho River. It is one of the earliest last buildings of

, and a typical 18th-century house; it inspired some of the most beautiful of her poems. There is a small museum in the house to honour her.

Tributes

Two Brazilian animal species, '' Kora corallina'' (a land snail) and '' Ischnopelta coralinae'' (a shield bug) are named in her honour. On August 20, 2017,

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celebrated her 128th birthday with a

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Example

Aninha and Her Stones
:Don't let yourself be destroyed ... :Gathering new stones :and building new poems. :Recreate your life, always, always. :Remove stones and plant roses and make sweets. Restart. :Make your mean life :a poem. :And you will live in the hearts of young people :and in the memory of the generations to come. :This fountain is for use by all thirsty people. :Take your share. :Come to these pages :and do not hinder its use :to those who are thirsty.

Books

In chronological order, the works of Cora Coralina: * '' Poemas dos Becos de Goiás e estórias mais'' (Poetry), 1965 ( Editora José Olympio). * ''Meu Livro de Cordel'', (Poetry), 1976 * ''Vintém de Cobre - Meias confissões de Aninha'' (Poetry), 1983 * '' Estórias da Casa Velha da Ponte'' (Anthology of Short Stories), 1985 * ''Meninos Verdes'' (Children's Literature), 1986 (''Posthumous'') * ''Tesouro da Casa Velha'' (Poetry), 1996 (''Posthumous'') * ''A Moeda de Ouro que o Pato Engoliu'' (Children's Literature), 1999 (''Posthumous'') * ''Vila Boa de Goias'' (Poetry), 2001 (''Posthumous'') * ''O Prato Azul-Pombinho'' (Children's Literature), 2002 (''Posthumou''s)

References

Sources

* Clóvis Carvalho Britto, Rita Elisa Seda, '' Cora Coralina – Raízes de Aninha'', Editora Idéias & Letras, 2011; * Darcy França Denófrio, ''Cora Coralina'' – Coleção Melhores Poemas – Global Editora, 2004; * Darcy França Denófrio, Goiandira Ortiz de Camargo, ''Cora Coralina: Celebração da Volta'', Cânone Editorial, 2006; * Vicência Bretas Tahan, ''Cora Coragem, Cora Poesia'', Global Editora, 1989; * Vicência Bretas Tahan, ''Villa Boa de Goyaz'', Global Editora, 2001.

External links

*
The house and museum of Cora Coralina
*
Cora Coralina's House
{{DEFAULTSORT:Coralina, Cora 1889 births 1985 deaths 20th-century Brazilian poets Brazilian children's writers Brazilian women children's writers 20th-century Brazilian women writers Brazilian women poets