Audiovisual Post-colonial Narratives: Dealing with the Past in Dundo, Colonial Memory

Resumo

In recent years there has been increased interest in the debate regarding colonisation and the enduring negative consequences of the colonial wars. The subject, taboo for three decades, has now entered the Portuguese public sphere. Autobiographical documentaries that focus on the recent events of the post-colonial period allow for the analysis of the narratives of those who live and have lived “within and between cultures” - due to the processes of colonisation and enforced migration.
This paper centres on the filmmaker, Diana Andringa and her efforts to come to terms with the past. She directed the documentary Dundo, Colonial Memory (2009), in order to deal with her memories and experiences of racism and segregation in Dundo (Angola) during the colonial period.
This paper will analyse this documentary and an autobiographical interview with Diana Andringa. The outcomes of this research have led to three central themes: memories of racial segregation in Dundo; migration processes; and, finally, feelings of guilt and shame, and the ambivalence in her identity narratives.