Francisco Mangabeira
This time I will tell you about a grand-uncle that I never met. He had a very short life, he died when he was 25 years old. He was born in 1879 and died in 1904. He was a poet. He was also a physician and a soldier.
In 1968 my father wrote a book about him, called “Sonho e Aventura” (“Dream and Aventure”). I remember the time when he undertook the project of writing this book. He talked many times with his uncles João and Octavio, Francisco’s younger brothers, collected in Salvador many unpublished poems and writings and went to São Luís, in the state of Maranhão, to visit his tomb. My father never knew his uncle; he only heard from his parents that Chico (as the family called him) had carried him when he was two years old. But Chico stayed many years in different areas and my father was 8 years old when the family received the news that Chico had died.
Now my nephew Eduardo Mangabeira Albernaz republished my father’s book and distributed it among all of the family members. He asked me to write a preface, parts of which I am including here. But this blog page includes some facts that were unknown to me when the preface was written.
Chico was still a medical student when he left for Canudos, integrating a student’s military group. The Canudos War was violent, many soldiers did not return. My great-uncle was described as an intrepid soldier, always attempting to help the wounded, sometimes risking his life to protect them.
I think that an explanation about the Canudos war is necessary, since it happened so long ago.
Antônio Vicente Mendes Maciel, who became known as Antônio Conselheiro, was a religious mystic. He was not a madman and was never involved in politics. For many years he wandered through many areas of the Brazilian northwest, preaching sermons and building churches. After wards he established himself in this small village called Canudos. Being a charismatic messianic leader, he attracted thousands of poor people, Brazilian Indians and recently freed slaves, making Canudos a self-governing territory with a population of 20,000 inhabitants.
At that time Brazilian republican government was still unstable and feared the political attempts to reinstate the monarchy. The press of the time labeled Conselheiro as a madman and a dangerous counter-revolutionary monarchist. These statements caused the Brazilian Government to send troops to destroy Canudos. They did not expect, however, the heroic resistance of the Canudos inhabitants. Three military expeditions were sent. The two first ones were defeated by the local soldiers. The third expedition, in 1897, totally destroyed Canudos, the Brazilian Army killed even the soldiers that had been made prisoners. This genocide was described by Francisco Mangabeira in his poem “Tragédia Épica” * (“An Epic Tragedy”), published in 1900, and by Euclides da Cunha in his book “Os Sertões” (“Rebellion in the Backlands”), published in 1902.
On returning to Salvador he graduated in Medicine and went to work in São Luís, afterwards going to Manaus, where he spent some years. My father attributes this to his desire for adventure, and I believe that this was also his brothers João and Octavio’s belief. But recently I found a blog by a Bahian historian, Consuelo Novais **, who argues that he was sent to the Amazon region by the Federal Government because of his description of the Canudos war. She mentions that this form of exile was also imposed on other people, including Euclides da Cunha. The exile was “suggested”, if disobeyed there would be either a formal exile decree or prison. The Amazon region, at that time, was good place for political exile: very far, with poor communications, and away from the Federal Government.
I am sure that my great-uncles Octavio and João did not know this. They were much younger than Chico and apparently their parents kept this as a secret. But it makes sense. Octavio, in a speech at the Bahian Academy of Letters mentioned that Francisco’s depart to São Luís occurred very late at night, and Consuelo transcribes a letter that Francisco wrote in São Luís stating that his world was in Bahia and he was sad and lonely and wanting to return. This statement does not seem to agree with the idea that he left for adventure.
After a brief stay in Salvador to visit his relatives, in 1902, Chico went (was sent?) To Acre, where he became a secretary of Placido de Castro’s revolution to free Acre from Bolivia and make it Brazilian. It was at this time that he wrote the lyrics of the Acrean Hymn.
At the end of the revolution, when Acre definitely became Brazilian, Chico became very sick, with a severe type of malaria. He did not want to die there, he wanted to die in Bahia, he wanted to embrace his father once again. But he died in the ship, soon after leaving Belém, and was buried in São Luís.
It is dificult to understand that this man who was a physician and a soldier was also an extraordinary lyrical and symbolist poet.
I quote here one of his famous sonnets, usually quoted as “Mater”. But the title that he used was, simply, “To My Mother,” It was written soon after his mother’s death, when he was 16 years old.
Translations are difficult things. Translating poems is practically impossible. I can only tell you that I tried my best. And hoping that better translators may venture to improve my attempt I include the original in Portuguese.
The late Senator Jorge Kalume, an important Acrean citizen who created the Federal University of Acre, honored Francisco Mangabeira many times, in many different occasions, including the Brazilian Senate. In 1981 he made a conference to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Acrean University. The title of his conference was: “Francisco Mangabeira: Physician, Poet and Hero.”
And this is what he was: a physician, a poet, a hero.
* * *
I am grateful to my nephew Eduardo for reprinting my father’s book. He not only honered Francisco Mangabeira, but also my father, who told us, with much emotion, the life of an uncle that he did not meet but that his family almays remembered and honored.
We are immortal when we are cherished and remembered. The short life of this great poet did not prevent him from becoming immortal.
* For those who can read Portuguese, the Brazilian Literary Academy“ honored Francisco Mangabeira by publishing, in 2010, his “Tragédia Épica” The link is:
http://www.academia.org.br/abl/media/CAA-030-Tragedia%20Epica-Francisco%20Mangabeira-MIOLO-PARA%20INTERNET.pdf
** Dr. Consuelo’s blog can be found in http://consunovais.blogspot.com.br/2012/11/francisco-mangabeira-poeta-da-guerra-de.html
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| Francisco Mangabeira Drawing by Maria Sílva Mangabeira Albernaz |
Now my nephew Eduardo Mangabeira Albernaz republished my father’s book and distributed it among all of the family members. He asked me to write a preface, parts of which I am including here. But this blog page includes some facts that were unknown to me when the preface was written.
Chico was still a medical student when he left for Canudos, integrating a student’s military group. The Canudos War was violent, many soldiers did not return. My great-uncle was described as an intrepid soldier, always attempting to help the wounded, sometimes risking his life to protect them.
I think that an explanation about the Canudos war is necessary, since it happened so long ago.
Antônio Vicente Mendes Maciel, who became known as Antônio Conselheiro, was a religious mystic. He was not a madman and was never involved in politics. For many years he wandered through many areas of the Brazilian northwest, preaching sermons and building churches. After wards he established himself in this small village called Canudos. Being a charismatic messianic leader, he attracted thousands of poor people, Brazilian Indians and recently freed slaves, making Canudos a self-governing territory with a population of 20,000 inhabitants.
At that time Brazilian republican government was still unstable and feared the political attempts to reinstate the monarchy. The press of the time labeled Conselheiro as a madman and a dangerous counter-revolutionary monarchist. These statements caused the Brazilian Government to send troops to destroy Canudos. They did not expect, however, the heroic resistance of the Canudos inhabitants. Three military expeditions were sent. The two first ones were defeated by the local soldiers. The third expedition, in 1897, totally destroyed Canudos, the Brazilian Army killed even the soldiers that had been made prisoners. This genocide was described by Francisco Mangabeira in his poem “Tragédia Épica” * (“An Epic Tragedy”), published in 1900, and by Euclides da Cunha in his book “Os Sertões” (“Rebellion in the Backlands”), published in 1902.
On returning to Salvador he graduated in Medicine and went to work in São Luís, afterwards going to Manaus, where he spent some years. My father attributes this to his desire for adventure, and I believe that this was also his brothers João and Octavio’s belief. But recently I found a blog by a Bahian historian, Consuelo Novais **, who argues that he was sent to the Amazon region by the Federal Government because of his description of the Canudos war. She mentions that this form of exile was also imposed on other people, including Euclides da Cunha. The exile was “suggested”, if disobeyed there would be either a formal exile decree or prison. The Amazon region, at that time, was good place for political exile: very far, with poor communications, and away from the Federal Government.
I am sure that my great-uncles Octavio and João did not know this. They were much younger than Chico and apparently their parents kept this as a secret. But it makes sense. Octavio, in a speech at the Bahian Academy of Letters mentioned that Francisco’s depart to São Luís occurred very late at night, and Consuelo transcribes a letter that Francisco wrote in São Luís stating that his world was in Bahia and he was sad and lonely and wanting to return. This statement does not seem to agree with the idea that he left for adventure.
After a brief stay in Salvador to visit his relatives, in 1902, Chico went (was sent?) To Acre, where he became a secretary of Placido de Castro’s revolution to free Acre from Bolivia and make it Brazilian. It was at this time that he wrote the lyrics of the Acrean Hymn.
At the end of the revolution, when Acre definitely became Brazilian, Chico became very sick, with a severe type of malaria. He did not want to die there, he wanted to die in Bahia, he wanted to embrace his father once again. But he died in the ship, soon after leaving Belém, and was buried in São Luís.
It is dificult to understand that this man who was a physician and a soldier was also an extraordinary lyrical and symbolist poet.
I quote here one of his famous sonnets, usually quoted as “Mater”. But the title that he used was, simply, “To My Mother,” It was written soon after his mother’s death, when he was 16 years old.
Translations are difficult things. Translating poems is practically impossible. I can only tell you that I tried my best. And hoping that better translators may venture to improve my attempt I include the original in Portuguese.
À Minha Mãe
E partiste, levando no teu peito
Todo o meu coração... na face tua,
Pela primeira vez de risos nua,
O meu futuro rútilo – desfeito
Voaste às regiões de ouro, onde estua
A luz eterna, demandando um leito.
Por isso eu trago merencóreo o aspeito,
E julgo ver-te quando vejo a lua.
Deixaste-me a vagar pelo universo
Arrimado ao bordão puro do Verso
Sem ver o sol que eu antes via em ti!
Não há na terra um dissabor como este...
Dizem que existe Deus – e tu morreste!
Dizem que ele é piedoso – e eu não morri!
To My Mother
And you went away, taking with you,
All of my heart... In your face,
Now without a smile,
I found that I no longer had a future.
You flew to the golden places
Of eternal light, finding your place of rest.
And thus my face is anguished,
And I see you when I look at the moon.
You left me wandering in the universe,
Having only my poems sustain me,
Unable to see the sun I saw in you.
There is no sadness like this...
They tell me there is a God – and you died!
They tell me He has mercy – and here am I!
The late Senator Jorge Kalume, an important Acrean citizen who created the Federal University of Acre, honored Francisco Mangabeira many times, in many different occasions, including the Brazilian Senate. In 1981 he made a conference to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Acrean University. The title of his conference was: “Francisco Mangabeira: Physician, Poet and Hero.”
And this is what he was: a physician, a poet, a hero.
* * *
I am grateful to my nephew Eduardo for reprinting my father’s book. He not only honered Francisco Mangabeira, but also my father, who told us, with much emotion, the life of an uncle that he did not meet but that his family almays remembered and honored.
We are immortal when we are cherished and remembered. The short life of this great poet did not prevent him from becoming immortal.
* For those who can read Portuguese, the Brazilian Literary Academy“ honored Francisco Mangabeira by publishing, in 2010, his “Tragédia Épica” The link is:
http://www.academia.org.br/abl/media/CAA-030-Tragedia%20Epica-Francisco%20Mangabeira-MIOLO-PARA%20INTERNET.pdf
** Dr. Consuelo’s blog can be found in http://consunovais.blogspot.com.br/2012/11/francisco-mangabeira-poeta-da-guerra-de.html
Interessante essa história. Estou organizando uma antologia literária, e gostaria de incluir um trecho do livro A Tara, de Francisco Mangabeira Albernaz. Imagino que seja seu arente? Se for o caso, saberia quem são os detentores dos direitos autorais?
ReplyDeleteobrigado, César Braga-Pinto (cbpinto@rcn.com)