João dos Santos Albasini

**João dos Santos Albasini**, dem dey call am **Nwandzengele** for Ronga language, (November 2, 1876 – August 15, 1922) na one strong Mozambican journalist, writer, den political activist wey fight for de rights of indigenous Africans under Portuguese colonial rule for Lourenço Marques (wey be de modern-day Maputo). He be one of de founding members of de political group *O Grêmio Africano* ("De African Guild") den editor, director plus regular writer for de group ein political newspapers *O Africano* ("De African") den *O Brado Africano* ("De African Roar").

## Biography

### Family
João dos Santos Albasini born for Magul, Mozambique, one village wey dey southern Gaza Province. Ein poppie be Francisco João Albasini, dem dey call am Nwandywawa for Ronga, den ein poppie ein poppie be Portuguese citizen wey ein name too be João Albasini, wey dem dey call Juwawa for Ronga, den he serve as Portuguese Vice-Consul to de Transvaal. Because of de Portuguese bloodline, ein family get *assimilado* (wey mean "assimilated") status under de racial colonial code, wey give dem more social freedom pass de ones wey dem tag *indígena* (indigenous African). João dos Santos Albasini ein mommie be de granddaughter of de Rongan Chief of de Maxaquene clan of Ka-Mfumo (wey now be Maputo), den she get many names like Facaxanam, Secaxane, Kocuene Mpfumo, plus Joaquina Correia d'Oliveira.

Insyd 1897, João Albasini marry Bertha Carolina Heitor (Nwana-wa-tilu for Ronga) for Lourenço Marques, den dem get two pikin, Beatriz (Minyembeti) plus Carlos Eduardo. But de marriage end for divorce for 1916, den Albasini take ein attention go Michaela Laforte, wey he write plenty love letters give, wey now dem keep am insyd *Livro da Dor* ("Book of Pain"). But Laforte no accept ein marriage proposal.

### Education
João dos Santos Albasini go Catholic school for Lourenço Marques insyd Escola Paroquial de Lourenço Marques (“Lourenço Marques Parroquial School”) under de teaching of Father Antônio Dias Simões.

## Political life

### Public figure
Insyd 1909, dem appoint João dos Santos Albasini as Head of Native Labor Services, wey he hold till he die for 1922. But during dis period, dem suspend am plenty times by Governor-General Freire de Andrade sake of how he dey criticize de colonial rule. He only try go for political office one time for ein life, wey be 1920, wey he contest for Deputy position for Portuguese Parliament as representative for Mozambique; but he lose dis race give Jaime Ribeiro, Portuguese doctor wey, according to de Grêmio ein press, never even step foot for Mozambique.

Wen Albasini dey serve as Head of Native Labor Services, he go do social research for southern Mozambican region wey dem dey call Sul do Save, wey he observe de bad labor condition dem wey de indigenous migratory workers dey face. De tins wey he see for dia open ein eye to de labor den racial injustice dem, wey fuel ein political write-ups for O Grêmio Africano, wey he dey fight make indigenous pipol get political power. As editor for O Brado Africano, he openly attack de “Shibalo Laws” wey talk say every African man wey dey adult level for work 6 months every year for de settlers demma plantation, say dat law na modern-day slavery. But ein political position wey bring am power, later spoil ein reputation as journalist activist, because ein post as Head of Native Labor Services dey pay am share from de profit dem dey make from dis “Shibalo Labor,” wey turn big moral problem for ein political life later on.

Insyd 1914, he become de first den only African wey dem appoint go join 6-man government commission wey dem form make dem study traditional laws plus customs for Mozambique.

#### O Grêmio Africano ("The African Guild")
O Grêmio Africano be one social collective plus political lobby wey dem form for 1908 for Lourenço Marques, Mozambique, by João dos Santos Albasini ein brother, José Albasini (1878–1935), den demma friend Estácio Dias. Dem form dis group as indigenous response to de colonial “Native Laws” wey no dey gree make African natives get citizenship, but rather dey give partial sociopolitical status to small group of mixed-race pipol den clerks. Dis small assimilado (assimilated) middle class be just 0.04% of de whole African population for Mozambique by 1940. So, as de century dey turn, de group mostly get Catholic Afro-Europeans den Protestant African missionaries wey come join together under pan-African nativist spirit, dey push for promotion den education of indigenous Africans. O Grêmio Africano later go join hand plus A Liga Africana, one pan-African political party wey base for Lisbon, wey make dem influence spread go national level. De organization catch de attention of pan-African activists like Marcus Garvey den W.E.B. DuBois, but dem align more plus DuBois ein non-racial tone instead of Garvey ein racialized activism. Both O Grêmio Africano and A Liga Africana play big role for de revocation of de 1917 Assimilation Decree, wey be set of laws wey bring forced labor, land expropriation, den tax burden for indigenous pipol.

De organization publish ein political opinions inside two editorials: *O Africano* (1908–1918) den *O Brado Africano* (1918–1938).

### Journalism

#### O Africano ("The African")
João dos Santos Albasini plus ein brother José Albasini (1878–1935) be de ones wey start O Grêmio ein first editorial, *O Africano*, for 1908. Dis paper be de first for de whole country wey Africans alone write plus produce, wey make plenty pipol dey see João Albasini as Mozambique ein first journalist. E be sana de first publication for Mozambique wey publish articles for both Portuguese den Ronga, wey be indigenous language for de Tsonga pipol wey dey southern Mozambique. Dis bilingual nature make de paper popular for native pipol for southern Mozambique, because e dey easy to reach many African laborers wey dey work along de developing infrastructure from Lourenço Marques go Transvaal insyd South Africa. De paper talk plain against de wicked den unsuitable labor conditions wey migratory workers dey face for Transvaal.

*O Africano talk strong against de Portuguese laws of exception wey divide citizenship between brancos (“white settlers”), indígenas (“natives”), den assimilados (“assimilated Africans”). De paper be one of de main voice wey early nationalism use fight colonial rule, as e condemn de racial hierarchy den de infrastructural failures of de colonial state.*

*João dos Santos Albasini lef ein editor position for 1909, den e give de responsibility to ein friend José dos Santos Rufino, wey continue as editor till 1918.* *Insyd dat year, de Albasini brothers sell O Africano so dem fit start O Brado Africano.*

#### O Brado Africano ("The African Roar")
De secondary phase of O Grêmio Africano ein editorial newspaper be *O Brado Africano*, wey run from 1918 go reach 1938.

*O Brado Africano* be weekly editorial like *O Africano*, but e show more maturity den cover broader range of issues. As e still dey push for indigenous citizenship rights insyd de colonial “Native Laws”, *O Brado Africano* too fight for labor rights of native workers, speak against Portuguese agricultural plantation interest, den call de “Shibalo” labor system slavery straight. De paper too advocate for women den children, den e fight against Portuguese Colonial wine, wey Albasini take see as metaphor for colonialism; e talk say de wine dey cause alcohol abuse plus domestic violence. De paper still promote pan-Africanism through Marcus Garvey ein publications den writings.

*O Brado Africano* get special place insyd Mozambique ein literary heritage. For 1932, e publish de first works of Rui de Noronha, wey later dem dey call de father of Mozambican literature. Ten years later, de paper bring out de first poems of José Craveirinha, wey many people dey see as de greatest Mozambican poet. As e support indigenous art plus political writing, de paper help plenty Mozambican artists reach both transnational den transhistorical audience.

#### O Combate ("The Fight")
Insyd 1919, just before Albasini travel go Lisbon to take care of ein health matter, e write some series of articles for *O Combate*, wey be de paper for de Portuguese Socialist Party.

## Death den legacy
João dos Santos Albasini die from tuberculosis for Laurenço Marques on August 15, 1922. Dem talk say around 5,000 people show up for ein funeral, insyd dem be Portuguese colonial officials plus Queen Sibebe of de Maxaquene clan, wey be Albasini ein maternal cousin.

Insyd de effort wey Albasini take stand against de Portuguese labor laws, one masonry compound for Sul do Save now bear de name Nwandzengele, wey be Albasini ein Ronga name, to take honor ein work plus advocacy for native workers.

One year after ein death, *Escola João Albasini*, vocational school for African women, open ein doors wey dem dey teach literacy, sewing, plus cooking.

Insyd 1925, one collection of Albasini ein personal letters to Michaela Loforte—one lover wey later no gree marry am—dem compile am by ein nephew Luís Albasini den publish am after ein death by Nicanor da Silva under de title *O Livro da Dor* ("The Book of Pain"). People dey argue ein literary value, but e still dey accepted as one of de earliest Mozambican works, wey pave road for future Mozambican writers like Rui de Noronha plus João Dias.

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