|
|
|
||
o que é a
aja
|
|
||
A.J.A. is a civic, cultural association - neither confessional nor political, created upon José Afonso's memory and example, evokated on the day of its public presentation, November 18th 1987, as an engaged artist, an exponent of open and worldwide culture, a fighter for all true solidary causes, as a man, after all. Not only in his exterior dimension, but also in the privacy of his walls, considering his active brotherhood with the humiliated, his way of being with the people's aspirations to total freedom, that fight he never neglected; or his critical alert against the subtlest ways of intelligence exploitation. His effort towards creative overcoming, his horror against intellectual and general hypocrisy, his great fraternity, his supreme tolerance as a restless, discontented, wondering mind. "To transmute this legacy, which belongs to all those people who admired and still admire him - the same presentation document added in concret aims which can go on with the Association activities, will be a daily task, to which we join the efforts of everyone who is really interested in its role and destiny", still emphasizing that Associação José Afonso is an open door. It is not supposed to be anyones's fief and the fulfilment on its aims is not compatible with a limited circular concept concerning only its adherents". general aims To
make José Afonso's personality and role known in his multiple
features to divulge his work, contributing to the protection of its
integrity and quality; To
create a documentation centre about José Afonso's life and work, a
record and video collection;
To organize and
support worthy initiatives in a cultural, artistical and
recreational view, mainly those of a popular, regional and
local
nature and, whenever possible, to make use of inter-associative
cooperation; To
support a development of folk music, giving prominence to the
Portuguese music and to make every effort in order to raise its
status, quality and divulgence; To
act close to the youngsters trying to stimulate or help their
critical participation and commitment according to the mentioned
cultural or solidary aims; To
stablish cooperation plans with centres, groups or people, who carry
on similar aims around José Afonso's image abroad; To
set up a physical, moral and cultural meeting place sharing one's
experience and common ideals. at your disposal
Detached pamphlet members
Who
can be an effective member and how to apply for it: Every individual or collective member, with residence or seat in portuguese territory, who feels identification with A.J.A.'s ideals and targets excluding any organization with a confessional, political or party, or profitable purpose (6th art. no. 2 from the statutes). Admission as an effective member depends on subscribed porposal by the interested person supported by two members, at least.
Who
can be a supporter and how to apply for it: Supporter
can be any national or foreign, individual or collective member,
with or without residence in national territory, admitted as so.
Supporters have no deliberative power. It means they can attend the
General Assembly Meetings, but they can not vote. Concerning
everything else, they have equal rights to effective members (12th
art. nos. 1 and 2 from the statutes) and are subject to identical
conditions.
Aplication is
accomplished through
subscription
of the respective form or any other way recognized by A.J.A.'s
leadership.
biographical note
|
José Manuel Cerqueira Afonso dos Santos was born on
August 2nd, 1929, in Aveiro.
He spent most of his childhood in Angola and Mozambique (where his
father had begun his career as a magistrate) except for the first
four years, spent in his hometown, with his mother's family.
He attended the High School and the University in Coimbra having
taken a degree on Historical and Philosophical Sciences.
He began singing serenades and in more or less bohemian or academic
parties since his 6th form in High School (1949). From then on, he
didn't stop touring the countryside, singing and joining the people.
He was a teacher, first in private and then in state schools in many
places: Mangualde (still before his graduation), Aljustrel, Lagos,
Faro, Alcobaça and Faro once again.
From the Fado of Coimbra, he gradually turned to what is
conventionally called the ballad (Menino d'Oiro - 1962) and thence
to the protest song (Menino do Bairro Negro - 1963), surpassing,
however, theme and music frontiers but without neglecting, as a
singer-composer, his political commitment connected with the
exploited and oppressed people. From 1964 to 1967 he was a teacher in Mozambique, in Maputo (at the time Lourenço Marques) and in Beira.
Returning to Portugal, he settled down with his family in Setúbal.
There he taught till he was expelled from state schools for
political reasons (1968). So, as a resort, he turns to private
lessons and music composition, which will circumscribe his
"professional activity".
He founded, toghether with others, "Setúbal Cultural
Centre".
1969: participation in the meeting "La Chanson de Combat
Portuguaise" in Mutualité in Paris.
During the five years before the fall of fascism he carried on, by
means of singing and word pedagogy an activity of political
agitation and consciousness in cultural and recreational centres,
students' unions and popular organizations and, among the
immigrants' colonies abroad. He was arrested and incarcerated for a while in the political prison in Caxias, on 29.04.1973, after a period of persecutions and detentions by PIDE. After the 25th April 1974 revolutionary coup he spent his time supporting popular organizations by singing at rallies for residents' associations, workers' councils, agricultural co-operatives, etc. In several tours over Europe he tried to raise funds for co-operatives and other centres. Last concerts in 1983: Coliseu de Lisboa and O'Porto, Beja and Caldas da Rainha. He recorded 14 "LPs" altogether and several "Singles", not to mention recomposition and later re-editions. In 1983 his compilation of "texts and songs", most of them set to music, was published.
He died in Setúbal, on February 23rd,1987.
He was 57.
|
