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The
Orality of “Great Sertão
Veredas”
Quite
some time ago, my friend and neighbor
Yara Souto lent me the original
text of a these for a p.h.d. of
her sister Teresinha Souto Ward.
Presented at Stanford University,
U.S. A beautiful and wise dissertation
that submitted to the Spanish and
Portuguese Language Department and
the Graduation Committee, in September
of 1981, was worth the approvation
for the degree of a doctorate in
Philosophy, one of the most acclaimed
p.h.d.s in the entire world. An
interesting work about the cultural
reality of our region, the north
of Minas Gerais state, a thesis
about the orality of the languge
used in the book “Great Sertão
Veredas”, of Guimarães
Rosa, our almost neighbor of Cordisburgo,
close to the cavern of the Maquiné.
A research of magnitude, done by
a “student’’ that
demonstates great love for her homeland
and her people, all indicates, completely
involved in the much suffered hinterland
of our Sertão.
Guimarães
Rosa, the sonoro author of “Great
Sertão Veredas” and
more tyhan half a dozen other notable
books, has many impassioned admirers
here in Montes Claros. Luizinha
Barbosa, Yvone Silveira, Zinda Barcala
Jorge, and I, who am writing this…and
more than the rest, three passions
that have no end, Julio Melo franco,
João Carlos Sobreira and
João Lucio da Silva. These
are the three most impassioned people
of the books of Guimaraes, who was
Brazil’s Ambassador in the
time of work, and a cowboy in his
time of rest, here in our state!
João Guimara~es Rosa had
a mysticism of enchantment never
equaled by other writers, even those
that speak closer to our hearts
and feelings of homeland, even those
who register with folego authentic
of those who live directly our sadnesses
and joys, our suave malice, or even
our hillbilly ingenuity! “Great
Sertão Veredas”
Has in the sertao of Montes Claros,
not in the city of Montes Claros,
but in a vast quantity of geographical
influences spread. We are the isolated
north and life is divided and enriched
by our own customs. Guimarães
with his book placed us as the center
of his epopeia , be it with dramatic
nuances, or lyrical traditions.
If
Guimarães Rosa haddn’t
been registered as a son of Cordisburgo,
we could have him entirely to ourselves
as an authentic son of our city
Montes Claros. With all this, Teresinha
Souto Ward stated all there is to
be said about her people and their
customs, of her memories and her
life here in Montes Claros! And
who speaks and writes in this manner,
speaks as a Professor, worthy of
all awards.
I
would like to go back later to the
subject and comment directly the
text of her dissertation, living
with my readers, the gratifying
contact with our local topics subjects;
with names that ring with sonority
of our homeland people: Carrim,
Preto, Francim, Durães, Bindóia.
Not being able to keep quiet also,
the musicality found in the names
Manuelzinho do Juca, João
do Carrapicho and Folia do Bom Jesus!
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