João dos Santos Albasini

João dos Santos Albasini, also named in Ronga as Nwandzengele, (November 2, 1876 – August 15, 1922) was an influential Mozambican journalist, writer, and political activist who advocated for the rights of indigenous Africans under Portuguese colonial rule in Lourenço Marques (modern-day Maputo). He was one of the founding members of the political group O Grêmio Africano ("The African Guild") and editor, director and frequent contributor to the organization's political newspapers O Africano ("The African") and O Brado Africano ("The African Roar"). Biography

Family João dos Santos Albasini was born in Magul, Mozambique, a village in the southern Gaza Province. During this period, however, he was suspended on several occasions by the Governor-General Freire de Andrade due to his criticisms of colonial rule.

During his time as Head of Native Labor Services, Albasini went on social research expeditions to the southern Mozambican region of Sul do Save, taking notice of the poor labor conditions of the indigenous, migratory workers. It formed as an indigenous response to the colonial "Native Laws" which barred citizenship to Africans natives, and offered partial sociopolitical status to the small, mixed-race and clerical population.

João dos Santos Albasini left his post as editor in 1909, passing the responsibility to his friend José dos Santos Rufino who remained editor until 1918 when the Albasini brothers sold O Africano to begin O Brado Africano. A decade later, the paper would introduce the first published poems of José Craveirinha, who is recognized by many as the greatest Mozambican poet in history. Its literary value is disputed, however it is accepted as one of the earliest Mozambican works, paving the way for future Mozambican writers such as Rui de Noronha and João Dias.