Livia Natalia is university professor, researcher and poet of the feminin black literature. Her book "black water" deals with familiar themes from the point of view of the African-based religions.
In your book of poetry, "black water", there is a tribute to two mothers, yours and nature.
Livia Natalia: The mother nature of the religions of African origin, Candomblé it is not a very strong religion, or majority, but it is traditional, came to Brazil with the african who were enslaved and the familiar theme of mother and father are very present . I think of poetry as a way for me to understand and represent the universe as it touches me. The presence of these two elements and in "streams" that is my next book where I see it in a stronger way, because in "black water" the mother who appears in a more systematic basis is more than a representation of my mother and my own motherhood I've experienced, it appears an energetic mother who is metaphorically and allegorized by a deity of Candomblé oxum which is mother of all freshwater, owner of fertility and the belly all women, according to this belief all this takes care of children under five years of age.
Would you define your poetry as feminin? Or do you think that the concept does not exist?
LN: My poetry is markedly feminine, because it suggests thinking. I tend to joke by saying that for some things we have to have uterus because it is the female that leads to family and somehow the world. Conceição Evaristo who is a poet that really like it says that the woman is the matrix and driving force of the universe, then I see my poetry very affiliated to it. By thinking this female, this place of women and rethink our relationship with the male, with the body, with the children and with motherhood. So this is something that interests me, because they are things I think about all the time.
The color comes also in your thinking?
LN: Yes, the demand that we have in Brazil and we classify as an ethnic-racial demand because it is political thinking this matter of the race. For me it is important as I frame me like a black literature poet precisely because it is necessary to joint, for example, this religion Candomble as a black majority in Brazil and thinking about all the crossings that all black women make in the course of their life to be considered and recognized apart from its beauty, the body and the stereotypes were built for us. My poetry this all the time thought in one thing that the poet called Miriam Alves says that is african-feminin poetry, it is another way of saying what I do. I do black themed literature with the stamp thought from the feminine view of the world.
Your look has to be feminin, because even within the black community there is a certain male bias on the role of women, that show them someone submissive.
LN: Following the Brazilian Institute of Geography data, the last two or three years show that black women earn four times less that the white man is statistical data landing in the country and in respect of human relationships exist today many discussions in Brazil on the affectivity of black women. How does this woman think this relationship with the male, either with another gay-oriented woman and a man mainly white and black think of. Many times we thought we found a partner who is black and knows about this idea of submission, because he is black and knows what it is to be black, but still men do not know what being a woman is. And because of not knowing what is to be a woman they end up incurring the same clichés and stereotypes we spent centuries on end. I highlight a poet called Akins Kinte, he is from São Paulo, which has a very beautiful poetry about thinking that women beyond that image, he thinks that black woman who is fat, has cellulite, has stretch marks that have belly and for him that is the desire body, but also desired. It is at least that I think about.
And how readers see the Brazilian poets? It is also a biased way? There is still long way to go?
LN: The literature in general I would say anywhere in the world, but I can only speak from my corner and if we think in terms of Brazil, poetry is something very little read and thought. When you think of black poetry even less and is written by women is almost nothing when readers have access to what we write has a very large identification whether white or black Brazilian and it is important to demarcate and there is also a recognition of men compared to what we have to say, it is important what we said. So, there is still a long way to walk, but at the same time we know that we have space and strength to win and the important thing is what has to be done, writing is a form of militancy for a black woman.
Brazil is a country of prose writers?
LN: Yes, because there is a very traditional culture in Brazil that the prose is easier than poetry, because this genre is demanding, poetry does not allow you reading and watching a television program, or doing something else but the poem. At the same time poetry impacts you at once, prose it spreads in space and time as you're walking, will understand and will be hand in hand with the text. Poetry does not, it is a moment only, then there is a resistance in Brazil that poetry does not sell, we had a poet named Paul Leminski, deceased, who said that is more certain you make money with a truck full of bananas than poetry, but only one poem gives you pleasure and gives you a direction.
