The translations of the original Portuguese poems were carried out by key individuals, namely Irene Silveira Almeida and Elisabeth Defrain for French, Loraine Barreto Alberto for English, Aditya Sinai Bhangui for Hindi, Naresh Naik for Konkani, and Purva Pandit Vasta for Marathi while Shusha Oliveira has meen the design editor of this exquisite compilation.
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Irene Silveira Almeida, the editor of the book ‘Songs in the Sun’ and Silvia’s niece, has had a close relationship with her for many years. She has observed Silvia’s profound passion for poetry and art, often witnessing her spontaneously recite verses or jot down poems. Particularly moved by the struggles of those in distress, Silvia aimed to shed light on their hardships through her poetry. While watching news reports from areas affected by conflict, she would create poems that emphasized their suffering and called for peace. In light of the current global resurgence of war, Irene felt compelled to reconnect with her work and share it through translation, reflecting her desire to utilize language as a means to bridge divides.
Irene notes, “These poems explore a variety of themes, including conflict and peace, enslavement and freedom, as well as the universality of nature and human solidarity. The poet’s perspective conveys allusions to the historical context of the 1970s and 1980s, including Portugal’s Carnation Revolution, the conflicts in Mozambique, and societal racism, as she experienced these events firsthand.”
