Guiana Epic
Original title: Guyaneida (A)
A satirical mock-heroic poem, never printed, written by several young Funchal men about the mass emigration of Madeirans to British Guiana. It lampooned prominent figures of Funchal society and survives in several manuscript copies.
About eight years ago there was a great emigration of Madeirans to British Guiana. This extraordinary exodus, which threatened to leave the island depleted, inspired some talented and good-humoured young men to write a mock-heroic poem. Although it was never printed, it was popular in its day and much admired at the time. Its subject was the emigration, and it featured some of the most prominent individuals in Funchal society. The poem was extremely caustic and biting, at times even irreverent and perhaps aggressive. It had, however, not the slightest intention to offend, and was simply the frank and cheerful outpouring of young men enjoying themselves while training their hand at poetry. This highly amusing satire was written by several men who later distinguished themselves in various fields of human endeavour. They were Francisco Clementino de Sousa, Maurício Castelo Branco, Gabriel Franco de Castro, Matias Figueira, João José Vieira and Carlos Acciaioli Ferraz de Noronha.
Several manuscript copies of this satire exist, and it would be worth publishing, even though few people are alive today who were contemporaries of those who appear in the poem.
In this article
Place
Places mentioned · 02
Abroad
- British Guiana
Guyana. Destination of the large Madeiran emigration that inspired the poem.
Guiana Inglesa (British Guiana) was a British colony that attracted large-scale Madeiran emigration in the mid-nineteenth century, an emigration that inspired the poem A Guyaneida. It was also the destination of a planned curative voyage by António Nobre.
- Funchal
The poem satirised prominent members of Funchal society.
The capital of the archipelago and seat of the principal captaincy, where settlement began; it was made a vila c.1451–52. Its bay, the widest in the archipelago, lies between Ponta do Garajau and Ponta da Cruz and offers sheltered anchorage, though its harbour had never been studied oceanographically. The Elucidário discusses it as a health resort with climate data and records the January 1906 disturbances, the Danish prince's visit in May 1846 and recent volcanic cones in the area.
People
People mentioned · 06- Carlos Acciaioly Ferraz de Noronha1845–1924
One of the young co-authors of the satirical poem A Guyaneida.
- Francisco Clementino de Sousa1846–1896
One of the young co-authors of the satirical poem A Guyaneida.
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One of the young co-authors of the satirical poem A Guyaneida.
- João José Vieira1844–1928
One of the young co-authors of the satirical poem A Guyaneida.
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One of the young co-authors of the satirical poem A Guyaneida.
- Maurício José de Castelo Brancoc.1842–1910
One of the young co-authors of the satirical poem A Guyaneida.