Maria Amélia Gomes Barros da Lomba do Amaral, known as Amélia Da Lomba or Amélia Dalomba (born 23 November 1961 in Cabinda) is an Angolan writer and journalist. She also served as Secretary of the Missão Internacionalista Angolana. Da Lomba was awarded a presidential medal from

Cape Verde , national_anthem = () , official_languages = Portuguese , national_languages = Cape Verdean Creole , capital = Praia , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , demonym ...

in 2005.

Schooling

Da Lomba graduated with a degree in Psychology from a Moscow university. A journalist, she worked for the Emissora Provincial de Cabinda, the

Rádio Nacional de Angola Rádio Nacional de Angola is a national radio station in Angola. It is based in the capital of Luanda. The station broadcasts in Portuguese, English, French, Spanish, and major local languages and is operated by the Government of Angola The Cab ...

, and the ''

Jornal de Angola ''Jornal de Angola'' was the only daily newspaper in Angola until 2008 and after the independence of the country in 1975. The newspaper's executive editor is Diogo Paixão. The organization uses wire feeds from ANGOP, Agence France-Presse, Reuter ...

'' in

Luanda Luanda () is the capital and largest city in Angola. It is Angola's primary port, and its major industrial, cultural and urban centre. Located on Angola's northern Atlantic coast, Luanda is Angola's administrative centre, its chief seaport ...

Writing and music career

According to Luís Kandjimbo, Da Lomba belongs to a group of contemporary female writers in Angola such as

Ana Paula Tavares Ana Paula Ribeiro Tavares (born 30 October 1952, Lubango, Huíla Province, Angola) is an Angolan poet. Tavares began her undergraduate degree in history at the University of Lubango Institute of Sciences and Education (ISCED), before moving to L ...

, Ana Santana and

Lisa Castel Lisa Castel (born 22 December 1955 in Quela, Malanje Province Malanje is a Provinces of Angola, province of Angola. It has an area of 97,602 km² and a 2014 census population of 986,363. Malanje is the provincial capital. Geography The ...

, which he refers to as the "Generation of Uncertainties" ("Geração das Incertezas")—writers who typically display anguish and melancholy in their works, expressing disappointment with the political and social conditions in the country. Her works include ''Ânsia'' (1995), ''Sacrossanto Refúgio'' (c.1995) and ''Noites ditas à chuva'' (''Nights' Speeches to Rain'', 2005), a poetry book published by the UEA. Her poetry is included in anthologies and books such as ''Antologia da Poesia Feminina dos Palop'' (1998), ''Antologia do Mar na Poesia Africana de Língua Portuguesa do Século XX'' (2000), and ''Antologia O Amor tem Asas de Ouro''. Da Lomba is a member of the Angolan Writers Union (União dos Escritores Angolanos; UEA). In addition to her published poems and articles, Da Lomba has recorded CDs of Angolan music.

National notability

Da Lomba served as Secretary of the Missão Internacionalista Angolana. She was awarded the Medalha da

Ordem do Vulcão Ordem do Vulcão (Portuguese for the ''Order of Vulcan'' or ''Order of the Volcano''), also named as the Medal of the 1st Class of Ordem do Vulcão is a national award that is done each year by the President of Cape Verde, it is awarded to the great ...

(Order of Vulcan) by the president of Cape Verde in 2005, and is the only non-Cape Verdean to have been awarded this honor to date.

Selected works

* ''Ânsia, Poesia'' (1995), UEA * ''Sacrossanto Refúgio'' (1996), Edipress * ''Espigas do Sahel'' (2004), Kilomlombe Publishers * ''Noites Ditas à Chuva'' (2005), UEA * ''Sinal de Mãe nas Estrelas'' (2007), Zian Editora (Publishers) * ''Aos Teus Pés Quanto Baloiça o Vento'' (2008), Zian * ''Cacimbo 2000'' (2000), Patrick Houdin-Alliance Française de Luanda * ''Nsinga - O Mar no Signo do Laço'' (2012), Mayamba * ''Uma mulher ao relento'' (2011), Nandyala Publishers

CD

*''Verso Prece e Canto'' (2008), N’Gola Música

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Da Lomba, Amelia 1961 births Living people People from Cabinda (city) 20th-century women writers 21st-century women writers 20th-century Angolan poets 21st-century Angolan poets 21st-century Angolan women Angolan women journalists