Rogelio Sinan

Rogelio Sinán (born on Taboga Island in 1902; died in 1994) was the pseudonym of Panamanian writer Bernardo Domínguez Alba. He went to universities in Chile and Italy before becoming a consul to Calcutta. He has written plays, short stories and novels, but is best known for his poetry. His work has been termed Avant-garde and he is a winner of the Premio Ricardo Miró.

Early life and education

Sinán was born as Bernardo Domínguez Alba on April 25, 1902, on the island of Taboga, Panama. He grew up in a large family and spent his early childhood on the island before moving to Panama City, a transition that exposed him to both insular folklore and urban intellectual life.

During childhood, Sinán suffered from chronic asthma, a condition that restricted physical activity and contributed to his early immersion in reading and writing as sustained intellectual pursuits.

Literary beginnings and pseudonym

Upon returning to Panama, Domínguez Alba adopted the literary pseudonym Rogelio Sinán as part of a conscious effort to construct an independent artistic identity distinct from his civil name.

His first major publication, the poetry collection Onda (1929), written and published in Italy, marked a decisive break with earlier poetic conventions and is widely regarded as the foundational text of literary avant-gardism in Panama. The memorial functions both as a documentation center for researchers and as a cultural venue for literary workshops, readings, and awards ceremonies.

In his honour, Panama established the Rogelio Sinán National Literature Prize, awarded for lifetime achievement to distinguished Panamanian writers, reinforcing his enduring influence on the country’s literary identity.

Works

Poetry Onda (1929) Incendio (1944) Semana Santa en la niebla (1969) Saloma sin sal o mar (1969) Poesía completa de Rogelio Sinán (2000)

Short story collections A la orilla de las estatuas maduras (1946) Todo un conflicto de sangre (1946) Dos aventuras en el lejano oriente (1947) La boina roja y otros cuentos (1954) Los pájaros del sueño (1957) Cuna común (1963) Cuentos de Rogelio Sinán (1971) Homenaje a Rogelio Sinán: poesía y cuento (1982) El candelabro de los malos ofidios y otros cuentos (1982)

Novels Plenilunio (1947) La isla mágica (1979)

Theatre La cucarachita mandinga (1937) Chiquilinga (1961) Lobo go home Comuníqueme con Dios El nuevo pecado original

Essays Los valores humanos en la lírica de Maples Arce (1959)