Gioconda Belli (born December 9, 1948 in
Managua
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, Nicaragua) is a
Nicaraguan
Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Managua is the countr ...
author, novelist and poet.
Early life
Gioconda Belli
grew up in a wealthy family in Managua.
Her father is Humberto Belli Zapata and her brother is
Humberto Belli.
She attended boarding school in Spain,
graduated from the Royal School of Santa Isabel in
Madrid
Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...
, and studied advertising and journalism at the
Charles Morris Price School of Advertising and Journalism in
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
. She married
and had her first daughter at 19 when she returned to Nicaragua.
Career
Belli began her career at
Pepsi-Cola
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by PepsiCo. Originally created and developed in 1893 by Caleb Bradham and introduced as Brad's Drink, it was renamed as Pepsi-Cola in 1898, and then shortened to Pepsi in 1961.
History
Pepsi was ...
as liaison to the company's advertising agency, Publisa, which then hired her as an account executive.
Through one of her colleagues at the advertising agency, Belli met
Camilo Ortega, who introduced her to the
Sandinistas
The Sandinista National Liberation Front ( es, Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional, FSLN) is a socialist political party in Nicaragua. Its members are called Sandinistas () in both English and Spanish. The party is named after Augusto Cé ...
and asked her to join the group.
In 1970,
Belli joined the struggle against the
Somoza
The Somoza family ( es, Familia Somoza) is a former political family that ruled Nicaragua for forty-three years from 1936 to 1979. Their family dictatorship was founded by Anastasio Somoza García and was continued by his two sons Luis Somoza D ...
dictatorship
A dictatorship is a form of government which is characterized by a leader, or a group of leaders, which holds governmental powers with few to no limitations on them. The leader of a dictatorship is called a dictator. Politics in a dictatorship are ...
, sworn into the movement by Leana Ortega, Camilo Ortega's wife. Belli's work for the movement led to her being forced into
exile
Exile is primarily penal expulsion from one's native country, and secondarily expatriation or prolonged absence from one's homeland under either the compulsion of circumstance or the rigors of some high purpose. Usually persons and peoples suf ...
in Mexico in 1975. Returning in 1979 just before the Sandinista victory, she became
FSLN
The Sandinista National Liberation Front ( es, Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional, FSLN) is a socialist political party in Nicaragua. Its members are called Sandinistas () in both English and Spanish. The party is named after Augusto Cé ...
's international press liaison in 1982 and the director of State Communications in 1984. During that time she met Charles Castaldi, an American
NPR
National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...
journalist, whom she married in 1987. She has been living in both
Managua
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and Los Angeles since 1990. She has since left the FSLN and became a major critic of the
Ortega government.
Writing
In 1970, Belli published her first poems in the literary supplement of Nicaraguan newspaper ''
La Prensa ''La Prensa'' ("The Press") is a frequently used name for newspapers in the Spanish-speaking world. It may refer to:
Argentina
* ''La Prensa'' (Buenos Aires)
* , a current publication of Caleta Olivia, Santa Cruz
Bolivia
* ''La Prensa'' (La Paz ...
.'' In 1972, she won the Premio de Poesía Mariano Fiallos Gil award from the
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua.
1988, Belli's book ''La Mujer Habitada'' (The Inhabited Woman), a
semi-autobiographical novel
An autobiographical novel is a form of novel using autofiction techniques, or the merging of autobiographical and fictive elements. The literary technique is distinguished from an autobiography or memoir by the stipulation of being fiction. Beca ...
that raised gender issues for the first time in the Nicaraguan revolutionary narratives, brought her increased attention; this book has been published in several languages and was on the reading list at four universities in the United States. The novel follows two parallel stories: the indigenous resistance to the Spanish and modern insurgency in Central America with various points in common: women's emancipation, passion, and a commitment to liberation. In 2000, she published her autobiography, emphasizing her involvement in the revolutionary movement, ''El país bajo mi piel,'' published under the name ''The Country Under My Skin'' in the United States; it was a finalist for the
Los Angeles Times Book Prize
Since 1980, the ''Los Angeles Times'' has awarded a set of annual book prizes. The Prizes currently have nine categories: biography, current interest, fiction, first fiction (the Art Seidenbaum Award added in 1991), history, mystery/thriller ( ...
in 2003. Belli continues publishing and maintains that poetry is her most important work. Belli was the recipient of the
Premio Casa de las Américas
The and its twin the are Sedan (automobile), sedans sold in Japan from 2001 to 2021 by Toyota. The sedans are designated as a compact car by Vehicle size class#Japan, Japanese dimension regulations and the exterior dimensions do not change wi ...
in 1978. In 2008 Belli received the
Premio Biblioteca Breve
The Premio Biblioteca Breve is a literary award given annually by the publisher Seix Barral (now part of Grupo Planeta) to an unpublished novel in the Spanish language. Its prize is €30,000 and publication of the winning work. It is delivered in ...
for her book ''El infinito en la palma de la mano'' (Infinity in the Palm of The Hand), an
allegory
As a literary device or artistic form, an allegory is a narrative or visual representation in which a character, place, or event can be interpreted to represent a hidden meaning with moral or political significance. Authors have used allegory th ...
about
Adam and Eve
Adam and Eve, according to the creation myth of the Abrahamic religions, were the first man and woman. They are central to the belief that humanity is in essence a single family, with everyone descended from a single pair of original ancestors. ...
in paradise.
Belli's books have been published in numerous languages.
Her 2010 book was submitted with the title "Crónicas de la Izquierda Erótica", but had to be changed to "El País de las Mujeres", since the previous title was too similar to that of a 1973 book by
Ana María Rodas
Ana María Rodas (born 1937 in Guatemala City) is a Guatemalan journalist and poet, and an outstanding figure of the Central American literary panorama.
Biography
Rodas published her first book of poems in 1973. In 1990, she received an honora ...
: ''Poemas de la Izquierda Erótica''. The book tells the story of a world governed by women. In the novel, she portrays a group of women that take power by means of a Political Party named "Partido de la Izquierda Erótica". This is the same name as a movement formed by women during the 80s, to which Belli belonged, which had been named as a tribute to Rodas´ work. His novel El intenso calor de la luna was released in August in Latin America, and in September 2014 in Spain.
Political activity
Belli opposed the dictatorship of
Anastasio Somoza Debayle. From 1970, when she began writing her poems and like many intellectuals of her generation, she joined the ranks of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN), at that time a clandestine and persecuted organization whose aim was the overthrow of the Somoza regime. She was a clandestine courier, transported weapons, travelled around Europe and Latin America obtaining resources and spreading the word about the Sandinista struggle. She became a member of the FSLN's Political-Diplomatic Commission.
In 2018, Belli took a stand against the government of
Daniel Ortega
José Daniel Ortega Saavedra (; born 11 November 1945) is a Nicaraguans, Nicaraguan revolutionary and politician serving as President of Nicaragua since 2007. Previously he was leader of Nicaragua from 1979 to 1990, first as coordinator of the ...
, which emerged from the 2016 elections, and became an active member of the Sandinista renewal movement.
Awards
* XXVIII "City of Melilla" International Poetry Award
* "Mariano Fiallos Gil de Poesía" award, Nicaragua 1972
* "Casa de las Américas" award, Cuba, Poesía 1978
* Award of the "Fundación de Libreros, Bibliotecarios" and "Editores Alemanes de la Fundación Friederich Ebhert" in 1989 for ''La Mujer Habitada'', the "best
political novel
Political fiction employs narrative to comment on political events, systems and theories. Works of political fiction, such as political novels, often "directly criticize an existing society or present an alternative, even fantast ...
of the year"
* "Anna Seghers de la Academia de Artes de Alemania" award, 1989
* "Luchs del Semanario Die Zeit a su libro" award for ''El Taller de las Mariposas'', 1992
* Medal of recognition of the
National Theater of Nicaragua for 25 years of cultural labor
* "Internacional de Poesía Generación del 27" award, 2002
* "Pluma de Plata" award, Bilbao, 2005
* "Biblioteca Breve Award", 2008
[
* "Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz Award" for "best novel", International Book Fair in Guadalajara, 2008
* "]Oxfam Novib/PEN Award
Oxfam Novib/PEN Award for Freedom of Expression is a literary award made in collaboration with PEN International Writers in Prison Committee, the PEN Emergency Fund, and Oxfam Novib (the Dutch affiliate of the international Oxfam organization). ...
" 2019, Winternachten festival in the Hague
The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital of ...
(with Palestinian poet Dareen Tatour
Dareen Tatour (born 16 April 1982 in Reineh) is a Palestinian poet, photographer, and social media activist from Reineh, Israel, who writes in Arabic, her mother tongue. She was tried, convicted, and sentenced to five months in prison by an Israe ...
) Winternachten festival opens with Oxfam Novib PEN Awards ceremon
y
Bibliography
*''Verse Sobre la grama'' (1972)
*''Línea de fuego'' (1978)
*''Truenos y arco iris'' (1982)
*''Amor insurrecto'' (1985)
*''De la costilla de Eva'' (1987)
**''From Eves Rib'', translated by Stephen F. White.
Northwestern University Press
Northwestern University Press is an American publishing house affiliated with Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. It publishes 70 new titles each year in the areas of continental philosophy, poetry, Slavic and German literary criticism ...
(1995)
*''La mujer habitada'' (1988)
*''Poesía reunida'' (1989)
*''Sofía de los presagios'' (1990)
*''El ojo de la mujer'' (1991)
*''Sortilegio contra el frío'' (1992)
*''El taller de las mariposas'' (1994)
*''Waslala'' (1996)
*''El país bajo mi piel'' (2001)
*''El pergamino de la seducción'' (2005)
*''El infinito en la palma de la mano'' (2008)
**''Infinity in the Palm of Her Hand'', translated by
Margaret Sayers Peden
Margaret ("Petch") Sayers Peden (May 10, 1927 – July 5, 2020) was an American translator and professor emerita of Spanish at the University of Missouri. Prior to her death in 2020, Peden lived and worked in Columbia, Missouri.
Early life and ed ...
.
HarperCollins
HarperCollins Publishers LLC is one of the Big Five English-language publishing companies, alongside Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, Hachette, and Macmillan. The company is headquartered in New York City and is a subsidiary of News Cor ...
(2009)
*''El país de las mujeres'' (2010)
*''El intenso calor de la luna'' (2014)
References
External links
Gioconda Belli's Official WebsiteBlackbird's Nest — "Decorated Poet to Speak on Campus"Blackbird's Nest — "Gioconda Belli Talks About Forbidden Fruit"The Times Online review*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Belli, Gioconda
1948 births
Living people
20th-century Nicaraguan poets
People from Managua
Nicaraguan people of Italian descent
Sandinista National Liberation Front politicians
21st-century Nicaraguan women politicians
21st-century Nicaraguan politicians
Nicaraguan women poets
Women in war in Central America
People of the Nicaraguan Revolution
Women in warfare post-1945
Communist women writers
20th-century Nicaraguan writers
21st-century Nicaraguan writers
21st-century Nicaraguan poets
Nicaraguan novelists
20th-century Nicaraguan women writers
21st-century Nicaraguan women writers
Nicaraguan women's rights activists
Nicaraguan women activists