num_pages: 138
description: Löbëla is the first volume of poetry written by Justo Bolekia Bolekå, poet, author, and linguist. In these poems, Bolekå expresses his connection to his native land, Equatorial Guinea, the only nation in Sub-Saharan Africa whose language of colonization is Spanish.  Gods, goddesses, adoration of elders, customs, longing for a lost land, and lost way of life are all part of these poetic expressions. Originally in Spanish, replete with songs, expressions, chants, and cadences from his native Bubi language, English readers will now have access to these expressions in this bi-lingual edition.  "Ugarte's translation of Löbëla superbly conveys Bolekå's interweaving of spirituality and sensuality. The empowering poems included in this bilingual volume display a world vision simultaneously grounded on ancient African knowledge and on contemporary African experiences. This is an extraordinary resource for scholars and a delightful read for everyone." --Elisa Rizo, Iowa State University, Ames, IA  "In Justo Bolekia Bolekå's Löbëla, you will discover the mythical world of Bubi goddesses, gods and ancestors; a world that is rendered intuitively relatable through the rhythm and song of Bolekå's masterful verse. This collection of poetry, crafted in Spanish and interspersed with Bubi ballads, is a mosaic that is pleasing to the ears. Löbëla is unreservedly an innovative contribution to Afro-Hispanic spoken word." --Dorothy Odartey-Wellington, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada  Justo Bolekia Bolekå was born in Equatorial Guinea in 1954. He is Professor of French Philology and Linguistics at the University of Salamanca, Spain. He is the author of several volumes of poetry, a dictionary of the Bubi language, and historical essays.  Michael Ugarte is Professor of Spanish language and literature at the University of Missouri-Columbia.
language: English
title: Löbëla
publisher: Resource Publications, an Imprint of Wipf and Stock Publishers