Iracema is one of the three indigenous novels by José de Alencar. It was first published in 1865. The novel has been adapted into several films. The story revolves around the relationship between the Tabajara indigenous woman Iracema and the Portuguese colonist Martim, who was allied with the Tabajara nation’s enemies, the Pitiguaras. Through the novel, Alencar tries to remake the history of the Brazilian colonial state of Ceará, with Moacir, the son of Iracema and Martim, as the first true Brazilian in Ceará. This pure Brazilian is born from the love of nature and innocence (Iracema) and culture and knowledge (Martim), and also represents the mixture (miscegenation) of the native race with the European race to produce a new caboclo race. Iracema is Guarani language for honey-lips, from ira – honey, and tembe – lips. Tembe changed to ceme, as in the word ceme iba, according to the author. “Iracema” is also an anagram of “America”, noted by critics as befitting the allegorization of colonization of America by Europeans, the novel’s main theme. Iracema, along with the novels O Guarani and Ubirajara, portrays one of the stages of the formation of the Brazilian ethnic and cultural heritage.
First Appearance Iracema, a virgem dos lábios de mel (1865)
First Publisher ○
Appearance List Novel: Iracema, a virgem dos lábios de mel (1865), Iracema, The Honey-lips, A legend of Brazil (1886 translation). Film: Iracema (Brazil, 1917), Iracema (Brazil, 1949), etc.
Description Iracema is one of the three indigenous novels by José de Alencar. It was first published in 1865. The novel has been adapted into several films. The story revolves around the relationship between the Tabajara indigenous woman Iracema and the Portuguese colonist Martim, who was allied with the Tabajara nation’s enemies, the Pitiguaras. Through the novel, Alencar tries to remake the history of the Brazilian colonial state of Ceará, with Moacir, the son of Iracema and Martim, as the first true Brazilian in Ceará. This pure Brazilian is born from the love of nature and innocence (Iracema) and culture and knowledge (Martim), and also represents the mixture (miscegenation) of the native race with the European race to produce a new caboclo race. Iracema is Guarani language for honey-lips, from ira – honey, and tembe – lips. Tembe changed to ceme, as in the word ceme iba, according to the author. “Iracema” is also an anagram of “America”, noted by critics as befitting the allegorization of colonization of America by Europeans, the novel’s main theme. Iracema, along with the novels O Guarani and Ubirajara, portrays one of the stages of the formation of the Brazilian ethnic and cultural heritage.
