Four years after her death and on what would have been her 100th birthday, on August 20th, 1989, the Cora Coralina House Museum was opened to the public, celebrating the life and legacy of the prominent Brazilian poetess Ana Lins dos Guimarães Peixoto Bretas, known by her pseudonym Cora Coralina. Born on August 20th, 1889, Ana grew up in this house by the river, owned by her family since 1825. She attended school only till the third grade and started writing stories and poetry in her teenage years; only in her mid-seventies did she publish her first book of poetry ‘Poemas dos Becos de Goiás e Estórias Mais’ under the pseudonym Cora Coralina, a nickname she came up with as a teenager. This long-awaited debut followed decades of raising six children in São Paulo while working as a baker and confectioner. After her husband’s death, 50-year-old Cora underwent an empowering “loss of fear,” found renewed inspiration, and wrote poetry. Her lyrics wove together the country’s diverse cultural influences, giving poetic voice to ordinary women, Afro-Brazilian rituals, and the vibrant mythologies of her childhood home, which served as her muse. Her powerful, authentic narratives brought her great popularity and acclaim, including the Ana Néri Medal from the Brazilian Society of Education and Integration in São Paulo in 1977, the Order of Merit Anhanguera was awarded to her by the Government of the State of Goiás, and being named the Brazilian Writers Union’s “Literary Personality of the Year” in 1984. Several months after Cora passed away in 1985, relatives and friends founded the Cora Coralina’s House Association (Associação Casa de Cora Coralina) and the Cora Coralina’s House Museum (Museu Casa de Cora Coralina) aiming to preserve, educate and celebrate the the life and work of Cora Coralina. The family donated many items for the collection, including personal objects, household utensils, books, furniture, manuscripts, typescripts, newspapers, photos, and letters. The museum offers guided tours and a research library and organizes special events. Outside the museum stands a bust of Cora. A copy of this bust stands in São Paulo. The historic center of the city of Goiás is one of the 23 World Heritage Sites in Brazil, and Cora Coralina’s House Museum is the most visited destination in Goiás. Read more...