Percursos de memória: uma análise de A costa dos murmúrios de Lídia Jorge e Terra sonâmbula de Mia Couto

O estudo comparatista incidirá nas representações da Guerra Colonial e Civil em Moçambique nas ficções A Costa dos Murmúrios (1988), de Lídia Jorge e Terra Sonâmbula (1992), de Mia Couto, explorando a noção de literatura de testemunho. A memória é o mecanismo de construção da identidade cindida e processo de crítica histórico-social e cultural, sublinhando os silenciados e os não-ditos da História Oficial. Em ambos os romances, analisaremos os choques de identidades culturais das principais personagens desde o período da colonização até à independência de Moçambique, insistindo nas personagens que assumem um papel de denúncia e de testemunha da História, construindo uma contra-leitura do História oficial. Refletiremos como as personagens centrais – Eva Lopo e Kindzu – denunciam o poder hegemónico ao ironizarem o papel dos anti-heróis. A narração de Eva Lopo e Kindzu reescreve as parábolas dos gafanhotos, o dilúvio, insistindo nos relatos do fim do mundo e nos testemunhos do inumano. Eva Lopo e Kindzu representam o regresso de Xerazade, dado que narram para criar consciência crítica e diferir a morte da memória numa perspetiva regeneradora da escrita.

Integrated valorization of Anona Cherimola Mill. seeds

Agricultural and agro-industrial residues are often considered both an environmental and an economical problem. Therefore, a paradigm shift is needed, assuming residues as biorefinery feedstocks. In this work cherimoya (Annona cherimola Mill.) seeds, which are lipid-rich (ca. 30%) and have a significant lignocellulosic fraction, were used as an example of a residue without any current valorization. Firstly, the lipid fraction was obtained by solvent extraction. Extraction yield varied from 13% to 28%, according to the extraction method and time, and solvent purity. This oil was converted into biodiesel (by base-catalyzed transesterification), yielding 76 g FAME/100 g oil. The obtained biodiesel is likely to be incorporated in the commercial chain, according to the EN14214 standard. The remaining lignocellulosic fraction was subjected to two alternative fractionation processes for the selective recovery of hemicellulose, aiming different products. Empirical mathematical models were developed for both processes, aiming future scale-up. Autohydrolysis rendered essentially oligosaccharides (10 gL-1) with properties indicating potential food/feed/pharmacological applications. The remaining solid was enzymatically saccharified, reaching a saccharification yield of 83%. The hydrolyzate obtained by dilute acid hydrolysis contained mostly monosaccharides, mainly xylose (26 gL-1), glucose (10 gL-1) and arabinose (3 gL-1), and had low content of microbial growth inhibitors. This hydrolyzate has proven to be appropriate to be used as culture media for exopolisaccharide production, using bacteria or microbial consortia. The maximum conversion of monosaccharides into xanthan gum was 0.87 g/g and kefiran maximum productivity was 0.07 g.(Lh)-1. This work shows the technical feasibility of using cherimoya seeds, and materials as such, as potential feedstocks, opening new perspectives for upgrading them in the biorefinery framework.