Premio Camões

[JCamilo]

When Raduan Nassar received the prize, he made a formal protest against the Governament (because of their cup) during the cerimony. The minister of culture, a third class vampirepolitic Roberto Freyre had the audacity to get up after Nassar speech to attack him and defend his boss. It was a rather embarassing momment and many speculated how long they would award a brazilian writer again. Not long and Chico Buarque is much more related to the "left wing" politicians than Nassar, having made his career with protesting music during the militar dictadorhip supported the by our actual president and is a close friend of former president and political prisioner Lula. Chico have been harassed in public by "right wing" people, so this prize is really a thunder against the attacks against culture and human decency that we have now in Brazil that also target his family legacy (his father and uncle were important intelectuals in early XX century here). Thank you Camões.

 

[Daniel del Real]

I'm glad about the prize going to Buarque. I've read a couple of his books (Leite derramado & O Irmão Alemão) and overall I was satisfied, not to the point of adoring his literature but both very solid novels. What we, abroad readers, are not aware, are the politic affiliations a writer has. Had no idea Raduan Nassar was such a conservative, right wing citizen (I should have supposed after hearing many stories of how despicable he is), but after reading Um copo de cólera, I can confirm I will never read him again; although a short novel, it was endeless in its nonsense and dullness. If on the other side, Buarque is a leftist and speaks against the satrap Bolsonario is, then I'm even happier he won the prize. Hope I can read Budapest soon, but the books is really hard to find in Spanish.

 

[Bartleby]

I'm glad about the prize going to Buarque. I've read a couple of his books (Leite derramado & O Irmão Alemão) and overall I was satisfied, not to the point of adoring his literature but both very solid novels. What we, abroad readers, are not aware, are the politic affiliations a writer has. Had no idea Raduan Nassar was such a conservative, right wing citizen (I should have supposed after hearing many stories of how despicable he is), but after reading Um copo de cólera, I can confirm I will never read him again; although a short novel, it was endeless in its nonsense and dullness. If on the other side, Buarque is a leftist and speaks against the satrap Bolsonario is, then I'm even happier he won the prize. Hope I can read Budapest soon, but the books is really hard to find in Spanish.

Think you're mistaken here... Raduan Nassar was speaking against the (supposed) coup... And if you allow me to say this, if you don't want to engage with art made by people who support things you don't agree with, you'll be losing a lot of good stuff on the way... I myself find lots of artists nowadays supporting despicable things, most of them, specially if you consider where most artists lean to, but I still read/watch/listen to things that are great Art. But then, it's your choice, take this only as a friendly advice

As for the fears of Buarque being attacked in his accepting speech, good thing we have freedom of speech now and it is an encouraged thing...

As for the prize, I prefer to believe it went to his Art, which is great. I don't want this beautiful prize ruined for me because of petty politics.

Anyway, as it appears, the jury decided on him based on the universality of his work, and the range in which he works, covering from lyrics to theater and opera to novels etc...

 

[Daniel del Real]

Think you're mistaken here... Raduan Nassar was speaking against the (supposed) coup... And if you allow me to say this, if you don't want to engage with art made by people who support things you don't agree with, you'll be losing a lot of good stuff on the way... I myself find lots of artists nowadays supporting despicable things, most of them, specially if you consider where most artists lean to, but I still read/watch/listen to things that are great Art. But then, it's your choice, take this only as a friendly advice

I completely agree with you, we need to separete the person and his craft. In this case, whatever Nassar is, left or right, Um copo de cólera was unbearable.

 

[Bartleby]

I completely agree with you, we need to separete the person and his craft. In this case, whatever Nassar is, left or right, Um copo de cólera was unbearable.

I've always heard that Lavoura Arcaica is The one to read, quite like a prose poem. But I still haven't read neither, so can't really argue with you concerning Um copo...

 

[Daniel del Real]

I've always heard that Lavoura Arcaica is The one to read, quite like a prose poem. But I still haven't read neither, so can't really argue with you concerning Um copo...

An Spanish translation by Mexican writer Juan Pablo Villalobos was recently published, but no thanks.

 

[DouglasM]

As for the fears of Buarque being attacked in his accepting speech, good thing we have freedom of speech now and it is an encouraged thing...

I'd say in Bolsonaro's Brazil freedom of speech is hardly encouraged.

As for the prize, I'm glad it was awarded to Chicho Buarque. In short, it's safe to say that Prêmio Camões managed to pick a respectable and popular author, at least in the lusophone world. He's a multitalented artist in regards to literature and music, being a gifted lyricist as well as novelist and playwright. Chico's subjects also vary greatly, which is always good, ranging from ancient Brazilian history (indigenous culture, slavery etc) to Greek/Roman mythology, from inventive political commentaries and social critiques (generally far above the distinction between left and right) to beautiful homages to Brazilian and Latin-American folk traditions. There's also a fair share of love songs, many of which remind me of Rabindranath Tagore (a name that should be more oftenly remembered in literary circles here in Brazil), master among masters.

It's interesting to note that few seem to disapprove Buarque's prize when compared to Dylan's Nobel. The comparison at this moment appears to be inevitable and is being widely commented in the local press. Could it be because Buarque's relation to literature is broader than Dylan's?

 

[JCamilo]

In my opinion, Chico is a more talented and versatile artist than Dylan, but, heck, brazilian, in portuguese. Do they pay attention to us?

Anyways, Daniel, do not worry. Raduan is pretty much a lefty from toe to nose. Basically, the only stuff he wrote after he retired to obscurity were articles defending left-wing leaders or politics and he left his farm only for the same motive. He even donated lands to a Federal University, so they can have a project to develop farming techniques with the notion it should be used to help small farmers and such. But of course he always avoided media, so Chico will atract a lot more of attention. I will not be surprise if our governament ignore this prize and if there are manifestation in the day, if the cerimony is here. Let's see, Chico dont won because of politics (albeit, one can argue, his most creative moment was related to it), but this will add an aspect to the prize and I doubt the jury wasn't aware of this.

 

[Stiffelio]

former president and political prisioner Lula.

Lula is by no means a political prisoner. He has been convicted of receiving bribes and corruption by the highest courts in Brazil. Let's forget about left or right and state the facts as they are.

 

[kpjayan]

I've always heard that Lavoura Arcaica is The one to read, quite like a prose poem. But I still haven't read neither, so can't really argue with you concerning Um copo...

I've read 'A Cup of Rage' few years ago, and did not impress me much. A couple of weeks ago, I read 'Ancient Tillage' and found it much better. His books are short, hence the style holds up to some extend. Had it been a 300 page book, it definitely would have bogged us down.

 

[JCamilo]

Lula is by no means a political prisoner. He has been convicted of receiving bribes and corruption by the highest courts in Brazil. Let's forget about left or right and state the facts as they are.

Good, hence I will edit my post the day we don't have the same Judge that convicted him and preventied him from running the elections sitting in one of the top chairs of the same governament that was elected.

 

[Daniel del Real]

Lula is by no means a political prisoner. He has been convicted of receiving bribes and corruption by the highest courts in Brazil. Let's forget about left or right and state the facts as they are.

A corrupt judge formed and educated by the empire in order to keep defining politics abroad. A man who after being a good pet was rewarded with a good bone in Bolsonaro's office. You´re quite naïve to think that law equals justice in this world.

I'd say in Bolsonaro's Brazil freedom of speech is hardly encouraged.

Bolsonario is a fascist, so no freedom of speech is encouraged. Apparently he had his voters even in this forum. Unbeliveable.

 

[Daniel del Real]

Although politics and literature are topics that many times go hand-by-hand I agree this is not the place to talk about personal beliefs in politics.
Let's move on.

 

[DouglasM]

As someone who's been actively involved in politics and social work for years - most of the time working with refugees and migrant workers, but also children and adolescents in conflict with the law, women victims of violence and other human rights issues, including mental health and education -, I'm really trying my best to refrain from further comments regarding Bolsonaro's government.

For now, let us indeed focus on the most recent recipient of the Camões Prize. I'd like to hear more from you about this:

It's interesting to note that few seem to disapprove Buarque's prize when compared to Dylan's Nobel. The comparison at this moment appears to be inevitable and is being widely commented in the local press. Could it be because Buarque's relation to literature is broader than Dylan's?

 

[JCamilo]

As someone who's been actively involved in politics and social work for years - most of the time working with refugees and migrant workers, but also children and adolescents in conflict with the law, women victims of violence and other human rights issues, including mental health and education -, I'm really trying my best to refrain from further comments regarding Bolsonaro's government.

Ditto.

For now, let us indeed focus on the most recent recipient of the Camões Prize. I'd like to hear more from you about this:

I think I mentioned in the old Dylan thread, Chico would be a good choice, if not better, considering how our literary tradition and musical tradition is so interwoved with Vinicius, Patativa and Chico would represent this quite well, not to mention how he links one popular aspect of our culture (music) with the erudite (his family). Would probally be a shock, but I think that being Brazilian would being even more shocking to outsiders. But really, even Ishiguro wrote lyrics (nothing as main career), so Chico other range of works (novels and plays) would probally smoother the critics.

 

[Stiffelio]

Ok, this is the last time I’ll be addressing this, and just because I see assumptions being made against me that I think would stain my image in people’s mind in this forum.

So, I wish this juvenile tendency to assume all a politician says and thinks is what a voter of him says and thinks as well would not be manifest in such a place of high minded individuals. In the end, unless we are really talking about fanatic supporters (and we can see this from both sides), a political choice is made based on the pondering of the candidates’ propositions, not personal sayings, and that is that. Brazil’s situation was much complex and divided last year, and we had to choose between a party with large histories of verified corruption, or a new start. A compromise choice between the lesser of two evils, so to speak. And up to now we still live in a democracy, and I don’t see it changing. As for the fascism, I suggest members study some history... and what’s unbelievable is again the assumption of a person’s character integrity based on divergences of thought. Imagine if everyone thought the other was a monster because they don’t think the same way as you...

so I apologize for fueling this discussion after reading some initial inflamed post, I should have just let it die in its own terms, not engage with it, that’s something I keep learning and I believe from this time on I’ll adhere to this wisdom.
as for the future, I don’t know the forum rules in its totality, but I suspect it’s reasonable to ask we all get along with each other, respecting each other’s views and not assuming things from others, on the contrary celebrating the multitudes contained in a single person, while sticking mostly to Literature, which is our main goal of discussion here, I believe, diverging into other topics when it is really necessary and called for.
Peace to all.

Well said

 

[Bartleby]

The 2020 winner of the Prêmio Camões is Vítor Aguiar e Silva.

He seems to be mostly a non-fiction writer, having written many literary theory books, including some about, well, Camões himself... seems fitting hehe

He is a critical voice against the most recent Portuguese language agreement.

The jury had this to say about him:

“A atribuição do Prêmio Camões a Vítor Aguiar e Silva reconhece a importância transversal da sua obra ensaística, e o seu papel ativo relativamente às questões da política da língua portuguesa e ao cânone das literaturas de língua portuguesa”

 

[DouglasM]

Never heard of him, but I'm glad they recognized the essay as a literary form, it's rare for a literary prize to do that.

Victor seems to be a very erudite man, I'd like to see what exactly his criticism regarding the recent language reform is. Looking forward to read @errequatro's opinion about him, if he has any.

 

[JCamilo]

I think that wouldnt be hard: We (Brasil) tried to make a reform to make all other countries to spell portuguese like we do, in some sort of unified world portuguese language. It was a dick move.

 

[DouglasM]

I really don't think this matter is as simple as you put it.