Amefricanidade em Catacumbas de Sol, de Élie Stephenson

Abstract

Abstract: This article examines the work Catacumbas de Sol ([1979] 2022) by guyanese Élie Stéphenson, highlighting how the poet constructs and expresses the cultural and historical identity of French Guiana in his poetry. Considering the socio-political and cultural context of the territory, the study analyzes how Stéphenson uses linguistic, thematic and symbolic elements to portray the experiences, struggles and aspirations of the guyanese people. The article investigates how his poetry addresses issues such as African heritage, ethnic diversity, the violence of colonization and the challenges of independence, in addition to the search for a national identity whose colonial crossings report the metropolis as an identity model. Through a critical analysis of poems selected based on the theoretical references of Stuart Hall (2003, 2006) on identity, Lélia Gonzalez (1988) on Amefricanity and Dennys Silva-Reis (2021) on identity and literature in Guyana French, this study seeks to understand the role of Stéphenson's poetry in preserving and celebrating guyanese identity.