Óscar Ribas and the Kimbundu Language: Literary Works Uanga and Missosso

ABSTRACT: Angolan writer Óscar Bento Ribas presented the Kimbundu language as an integral component of Angola´s cultural heritage. This perspective motivated the authors to addresse the following research question: How do Óscar Bento Ribas´s works Spell (Uanga) and Stories (Missosso) function as vehicles for safeguarding and promoting the Kimbundu language and the knowledge systems embedded within them? The aim of study was analysing the linguistic and discursive strategies employed by Óscar Bento Ribas to present Kimbundu as a cultural heritage of Angola.Methods: The methodology adopted consisted of a qualitative textual analysis of the aforementioned works, focusing on the identification, collection and semantic-cultural interpretation of Kimbundu terms.Results: The study revealed the cultural practices and oral traditions of the Angolan people as conveyed through traditional tales, novels, and poetry.Conclusion: These works portray lived experiences transmitted across generations, in which words originating from the Kimbundu language are preserved, recognized and disseminated.