Reading Latin America: Weaving words into poems", celebrating the work of Aida Cartagena

Reading Latin America: Weaving words into poems", celebrating the work of Aida Cartagena

Speaker: Ambassador of Dominican Republic to India, H.E. Francisco Comprés H

Discussants: Rosa Silverio, Eminent Dominican Republic poet, Minu Bakshi, esteemed Urdu poet, former professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University

Moderator:  Prof. Noorin Khan, Professor and In-Charge, Spanish and Latin American Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia

Aída Cartagena Portalatín was a Dominican poet, novelist, literary critic, and educator. She was an important member of Poesía Sorprendida, an influential literary movement that emerged in the Dominican Republic during the 1940s. Writers associated with the movement expressed political dissent and challenged the oppressive dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo, employing complex systems of symbolism to evade state censorship and persecution. Her poetry reflects this surrealist tendency, while also encompassing philosophical, historical, political, and feminist perspectives, reflecting a universalist worldview. Her notable works include Una mujer está sola, Yania Tierra, and Escalera para Electra.

(Collaboration: Embassy of Dominican Republic)