Terra sonâmbula, de Mia Couto: a perspectiva da infância no contexto de guerra

Abstract

Throughout the 20th century, especially after the independence processes in Portuguese-speaking African countries, literature assumed a central role in affirming national identities and rescuing oral traditions. Countries such as Angola, Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, São Tomé e Príncipe, and Mozambique, which have Portuguese as their official language, developed their literary productions based on the experiences of colonization and the independence process, factors that strongly influenced their writings. In the African context, this literature seeks to reclaim national identity and value cultural memory. In Mozambique, after independence, the country faced a devastating civil war, a scenario in which works emerged that recount historical experiences, such as the novel Terra Sonâmbula (1992), by Mia Couto. This study analyzes the representation of childhood in times of war, considering the narrative construction methods proposed by the author. The methodology adopts a bibliographical and analytical approach to the literary text, allowing for a broader, more critical and sensitive understanding of the chosen narrative, drawing theoretical support from authors such as: Pires Laranjeira (2001), Rita Chaves (2005), Patrick Chabal (1994), Helena Colonna (2006), among others who contributed to the construction of this study. It concludes that Terra Sonâmbula reveals, through the fragmentation of childhood and the loss of innocence in times of war, how the experience of conflict shapes identities and memories. Therefore, Mia Couto's narrative, by articulating elements of orality and African cultural tradition, constructs a profound reflection on resistance, survival, and hope.