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Craveirinha Jose 1922 - 2003 (81)

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José Craveirinha (28 May 1922 – 6 February 2003) was a Mozambican poet and journalist who is considered one of the most important literary figures in Mozambique's history. He was born in Lourenço Marques (now Maputo) and grew up in a racially segregated society under Portuguese colonial rule.

Craveirinha began writing poetry in the 1940s and became associated with the Négritude movement, which celebrated African culture and identity. He was also a journalist, and in 1958 he helped found the anti-colonial newspaper O Brado Africano. He was active in the nationalist movement and was arrested several times by the Portuguese authorities.

After Mozambique gained independence in 1975, Craveirinha became a prominent figure in the country's cultural and political life. He served as the director of the Mozambican Writers Association and was appointed as the country's first ambassador to Portugal in 1986.

He was one of the African pioneers of the Négritude movement, and published six books of poetry between 1964 and 1997. Craveirinha's poetry often dealt with themes of oppression, resistance, and African identity. His most famous work is the collection "Karingana ua Karingana" (1974), which was written in the Ronga language and translated into Portuguese and other languages. He was awarded the Camões Prize in 1991, the highest literary honor in the Portuguese-speaking world.

Craveirinha died in Maputo in 2003, and his legacy continues to be celebrated in Mozambique and beyond as a symbol of the country's struggle for independence and its cultural identity.