A Dutchman’s Brazilian experience as Gaeilge
By Kernan Andrews
FOREIGNERS COMING to Ireland and becoming ‘more Irish than the Irish themselves’ is a phenomenon that has been occurring since Norman times.
It is often people from the Germanic nations who embrace Irish culture fully or make a significant contribution to it - in different ways Joe Boske and Ludwig Bieler are good examples of this. Another such individual is Dutchman Alex Hijmans.
Alex will be well known to many Galwegians as a prominent Gaelgoir, the owner of Café Bananaphoblacht which was once on Dominick Street, and as a reporter with Nuacht TG4 and Foinse. However for the last two years he has been living in Salvador, the third largest city in Brazil - an experience which has led him to write his first book.
Favela, published by Cois Life and written as Gaeilge, is Alex’s personal account of what it is like to be a European living in a Brazilian slum.
The slum, located on the outskirts of Salvador is populated by the descendants of African slaves, and is rife with poverty, racism, and drug gangs. In the book Alex’s reveals the dreams and aspirations of the people of the favela as they struggle for dignity against the odds. And he embarks on a quest to find the answer to an intriguing question: how come the people of the favela are so happy?
Favela will be launched in Charlie Byrne’s bookshop on Wednesday October 7 at 6pm. All are welcome.
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