Amilcar Cabral: Pedagogue of the Revolution

Abstract

I would like, from the outset of our conversation, to make a point or two more or less clear. In the first place, I feel great satisfaction at being here today. Since my return from exile in 1980, this is the first time, or rather the second, I have come to the University of Brasilia for a meeting of the Board, but it is the first time I have come, for a conversation such as this one, legally, without any camouflage. Venicio de Lima brought me here in 1981, I believe, along with others, but I came without anyone’s knowledge, went into some mysterious room because I was simply forbidden. So, I would like to say how pleased I am to be here with you this morning. Now, the second point I want to stress is that by accepting the invitation to come here to have a conversation about Amilcar Cabral,² I do not want to give the impression that I consider myself an expert in his work, thought, or practice.

This chapter by Paulo Freire (1921–1997) is a transcription of a lecture that Paulo Freire gave on November 8, 1985 at the School of education at the University of Brasilia (UNB), and it was originally recorded, transcribed, and organized in Portuguese by Professor Venicio Arthur Lima. It has never been published in English. Its publication in this book has been made possible by the generosity of Professor Nita Freire, the late Paulo Freire’s wife and the executor of the Paulo Freire estate, for which I am eternally grateful. In addition, we would like to extend a special thanks to Alex Oliveira for his technical assistance with this translation.