Uanhenga Xitu

Agostinho André Mendes de Carvalho (Known as "Agostinho Mendes de Carvalho")

Novelist, Political Prisoner, Diplomat, Author of Mestre Tamoda and Manana

Born 1924-08-29

Calomboloca, Angola

Passed Away 2014-02-13 Luanda, Angola

Lifespan 89 years old

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Notice / Correction

"Even inside the darkest prison cell, humor and the living folklore of our people keep hope alive."

Archival Overview

Master Angolan satirical novelist and nationalist hero who was imprisoned for eight years in Tarrafal concentration camp, where he began writing beloved classics like Mestre Tamoda.

Biographical Record

Agostinho André Mendes de Carvalho, writing under his Kimbundu name Uanhenga Xitu, was born on August 29, 1924, in Calomboloca, Icolo e Bengo. Working as a nurse in Luanda, he was arrested by colonial police in 1959 during the 'Trial of the 50' for political agitation.

Sentenced to the brutal Tarrafal concentration camp in Cape Verde from 1962 to 1970, Xitu secretly began writing humorous, vernacular fiction on scraps of cement sacks. His masterpiece novel Mestre Tamoda (1974), portraying a witty village rogue who mangles Latin legal terms to confound elders, is a beloved cornerstone of Angolan literature. Following independence, he served as Minister of Health, Ambassador to Germany, and deputy in the National Assembly.

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Rest in Peace Forever remembered and cherished Your legacy lives on in all of us With deep gratitude for your life and light

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Final Resting Place

Perpetual Memorial

Alto das Cruzes Cemetery
Luanda, Angola

                         GPS: -8.8144, 13.2306                    

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