Posts - Ecuadorian Literature

Barbara Pregelj

Barbara Pregelj (April 12, 1970) is a Slovenian writer, editor, scholar of Spanish-language literature, researcher, translator, cultural promoter, and university professor. She’s the author of more than 20 scientific articles and 2 books, and has also translated over 40 books from Spanish to Slovenian. In 2001 she translated the Ecuadorian novel, “Huairapamuchcas,” by Jorge Icaza into Slovenian as “Huairapamuške: sinovi vetra” She has organized and coordinated many visits by foreign authors in Slovenia, along with visits by Slovenian authors to Spain, and several international symposia. She regularly presents papers at conferences, symposia and roundtables, both in Slovenia and abroad.

Susana Costales Terán

Susana Costales Terán (Riobamba, March 24, 1960) is a writer and poet. She has twice served as president of the Association of Contemporary Women Writers of Ecuador, Matriz Chimborazo. She is also a member of the House of Ecuadorian Culture in Chimborazo, President of the musical group Rondalla de Riobamba, President of the Los Superstar Club, and President of the Club Antifaz. Her father was the renowned writer Luis Alberto Costales. She is currently a language and literature teacher at Unidad Educativa Jefferson, a school in the Riobamba canton. She also directs a cultural radio program, gives free public speaking classes, and conducts literary workshops and conferences. She owns and operates Café Libro El Zaguán, a cafe which aims to serve as a cultural meeting spot for poetry, art and music; it holds poetry recitals at the end of each month.

Georges Pillement

Georges Pillement (March 23, 1898 — April, 14 1984) was a French writer, translator, Spanish and Hispano-American literature scholar, author of books on art and tourism, and photographer. In 1938, he translated “Huasipungo,” Ecuador’s most famous novel (written in 1934 by Jorge Icaza) into French as “La Fosse aux Indiens” (literally, The Indian Pit). It was the first time “Huasipungo” was translated into another language (it was eventually translated into over 40 languages by other translators, including Russian, Chinese, and English). Moreover, in 1945 he published a French anthology of Ecuadorian short stories entitled “Gens de l’Equateur,” which contained stories by José de la Cuadra, Gil Gilbert, Jorge Icaza, Gallegos Lara, A. Malta, H. Salvador. In his illustrious career, Georges Pillement won the Prix des Deux Magots for his novel “Plaisir d’amour” in 1937, and the French Academy’s Prix Louis Barthou in 1964 and the Prix Georges Dupau in 1975.

Vadim Khazin (Вадим Хазін)

Vadim Khazin, or Вадим Хазін (Kyiv, Ukraine, April 2, 1937) is a Ukrainian translator and a geologist (PhD) who has lived in the United States since 1992. In 1967, he translated Jorge Icaza’s novel “El Chulla Romero y Flores” into Ukrainian as “Лихі пригоди Ромеро-і-Флореса” [literally, The Misadventures of Romero y Flores]. He knows various languages and has translated several works from English, Spanish, Italian and Polish to Ukrainian. He is a certified member of the American Association of Translators, where he initiated the creation of the English-Ukrainian certification of translators and until 2016 headed the relevant section of examiners. Now he heads the English-Russian certification section. He lives and works in New Jersey, USA.

Paul Zech

Paul Zech (February 19, 1881 — September 7, 1946) was a German Expressionist writer of the first half of the twentieth century. His German translation of Jorge Icaza’s famous novel “Huasipungo” was published after his death in 1952 as “Huasi-Pungo. Ruf der Indios,” (literally, Huasipungo. Cry of the Indians). Zech’s prolific literary output included essays, poetry, plays, and translation. In 1933, having garnered criticism and opposition from Germany’s far-right, he emigrated to Buenos Aires, Argentina in the fall of 1933, where he remained in exile from the Nazis until his death in 1946. Known primarily for his translations of classic French works, almost all of his longer works, including seven novels, remained unpublished during his lifetime. These posthumous works were instrumental in finally bringing him the recognition he so richly deserved.

Carlo Bo

Carlo Bo (Sestri Levante, Italy, January 25, 1911 – Genoa, July 21, 2001) was an Italian poet, literary critic, translator, and professor, as well as a Lifetime senator of Italy (since 1984). In 1949, Bo translated the Ecuadorian novel “Cholos” by Jorge Icaza into Italian as “I meticci,” (literally, The Mestizos). In an article titled “Calvino, Pavese, Icaza” published in La Hora newspaper in 2010, María Helena Barrera-Agarwal, wrote this about Bo: “He was a polyglot and man of extraordinary erudition, whose talent was perfectly reflected in the way in which he rendered Icaza’s work into Italian: his version, clean and true, retains the novel’s original qualities.” Among the other Spanish-language authors B0 translated into Italian are: Venezuela’s Rómulo Gallegos, Argentina’s Ricardo Güiraldes, and Spain’s Federico García Lorca and Miguel de Unamuno. Bo served as rector of the University of Urbino for over 50 years (from 1947 until his death in 2001 at the age of 90).

Horacio Mendoza Parraga

Horacio Mendoza Parraga (Portoviejo, 1947) is an Ecuadorian poet, writer, and university professor. He is the author of several poetry collections. He is known as a lyrical, social and romantic poet, and his poems have also been included in various anthologies. In 1971, he won first prize in a national poetry contest organized by the House of Ecuadorian Culture. In 1968, 1972, and 1973, he received honorable mentions in the Ismael Pérez Pazmiño National Poetry Contest. He has served as Councilor of the Portoviejo canton; Director of the Municipal Board of Culture of Portoviejo; President and Executive Director of the Manabí Rehabilitation Center; and has been the President or Director of several private companies. He is currently the Director of Culture at the Universidad Particular San Gregorio in Portoviejo.

Ximena Mendoza Párraga

Ximena Mendoza Párraga de Granda (Portoviejo, January 31, 1951) is an Ecuadorian poet. She’s a member of the Manabi chapter of the House of Ecuadorian Culture, President of the Writers Association of Manabi, and the first Provincial Culture Director of Manabi, named to this position by the Ministry of Culture. Her poems have appeared in various anthologies. She was married to the poet Euler Granda.

Gabriela Ruiz Agila

Gabriela Ruiz Agila (Quito, Ecuador, 1983) is an Ecuadorian journalist, poet, and researcher of mixed Chinese and Ecuadorian heritage, specializing in migration, human rights, and environmental issues. Her heritage is reflected in her work, particularly in Madame Ho. Escrituras de viaje (2017), where she explores themes of identity and migration, drawing from her personal background. She holds degrees in Communication from the Central University of Ecuador and Public Administration from the Autonomous University of Baja California (UABC), where she also earned a master’s in Public Policy. Ruiz Agila is recognized for her contributions to independent journalism and has received multiple awards, including the National Eugenio Espejo Journalism Award in 2017.

Silvia Stornaiolo

Silvia Stornaiolo Witt (Quito, 1980) is an Ecuadorian novelist and short story writer. She is the author of three short story collections and two novels, including: “Tanta Joroba” (2011) and “Tenga” (2012). Her latest book of short stories is “Facilona” (2020). Her father is the renowned painter Luigi Stornaiolo.

Damia Mendoza Zambrano

Damia Mendoza Zambrano (Manta, 1966) is an Ecuadorian poet, singer-songwriter, researcher, and university professor. As a poet, she’s represented Ecuador at international festivals in Taiwan, Mexico, Peru, Spain, Cuba, Canada, Argentina, Morroco, and the United States, among others. Her poetry books include, Sueños de Gaviota (1986), El despertar de Gaviota (2001), Desliz (2002), Tras los Cristales de mi Mar (2007), and Hojas de mi noche larga (2012). Her poems have also been published in several anthologies. Some of her poems have been translated into Italian, English and French.

Josefa Mendoza de Mora

Josefa Mendoza de Mora (Montecristi, March 18, 1917 – Guayaquil, January 26, 2006) was an Ecuadorian poet. She was part of the editorial staff of the magazine Recado Cultural of Portoviejo and was a member of the Manabi chapter of the House of Ecuadorian Culture. She also helped found the Manta Cultural Group in 1965 and served as its president. Some of her poems have been set to music by notable Ecuadorian composers, including Gerardo Arias and Constantino Mendoza. A high school in Manta bears her name.

Joselías Sánchez Ramos

Joselías Sánchez Ramos (Tarqui) is a distinguished Ecuadorian historian, writer, essayist, journalist, and esteemed university professor, renowned for his expertise in the local history of Manabi. As a respected member of the House of Ecuadorian Culture in Manabi, he contributes significantly to the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage. Sharing his vast knowledge, he teaches at the prestigious Universidad Laica Eloy Alfaro of Manabi. Notably, among his remarkable body of work stands the acclaimed publication titled “Manta, 1.500 años de vida histórica y la racionalidad de la identidad manabita,” [Manta, 1,500 Years of Historic Life and the Rationality of the Manabite Identity] a profound exploration of the historical tapestry and the profound essence of the Manabite identity.

Family.

With his wife Cecilia he has 4 children and 9 grandchildren.

Works

Manta, 1.500 años de vida histórica y la racionalidad de la identidad manabita

José Viliulfo Cedeño Sánchez

Dr. José Viliulfo Cedeño Sánchez (Manta, January 21, 1928 – Manta, February 27, 1986) was an Ecuadorian writer, poet, historian, archaeologist, and university professor. He was a founder and secretary of the Manta Cultural Group, he wrote various textbooks on philosophy, Ecuadorian territorial rights, literature and ethics. His poems were published in, “Itinerario del hombre” and “Voces Manabitas.” In 1985, his most notable book was published, “La Confederación Manteña,” a historical study of Manta’s roots. Two schools in the Manabi province bear his name.

Jorge Cevallos Calero

Jorge Cevallos Calero (Portoviejo, December 2, 1898 – August 20, 1968) was an Ecuadorian poet. In the 1920’s he formed part of the ”Argos” generation, an important literary group from Portoviejo. In 1950, he became a member of the Ecuadorian House of Culture in Manabi. In 1965, he created and presided over the Grupo Cultural Manta [Manta Cultural Group], which was very active in those years. He was bestowed the Flor Natural for his “Canto a Portoviejo” [Song to Portoviejo]. The poet Horacio Hidrovo Peñaherrera, being Mayor of Portoviejo, erected a bust in Cevallos’ memory, recognizing him as a universal poet “always attentive to the great events of humanity.” Today a school in Manta bears his name, as well as a park and garden in Portoviejo.