Porfirio Barba-Jacob
Encyclopedia
Miguel Ángel Osorio Benítez (July 29, 1883 – January 14, 1942), better known by his pseudonym
, Porfirio Barba-Jacob, was a Colombia
n poet
and writer.
Born in Santa Rosa de Osos
, Antioquia
, to parents Antonio María Osorio and Pastora Benítez, he was raised by his grandparents in Angostura
. In 1895 he started his travels, first through Colombia, and from 1907 to Central America
and the United States, before finally settling down in 1930 in Mexico City
.
Around 1902 in Bogotá
, he founded the literary magazine "El cancionero antioqueño" (The Antioquian songbook), which he managed under the pseudonym Marín Jiménez. Short after, he wrote the novel "Virginia", which was never published because the original manuscript was confiscated by the mayor
of Santa Rosa for alleged immorality.
In 1906 he moved to Barranquilla
where he adopted the pseudonym Ricardo Arenales. He continued to use this pseudonym until 1922, when in Guatemala
he adopted a new pseudonym which he would use for the rest of his life: Porfirio Barba-Jacob. Around 1907, still in Barranquilla, he wrote his first poems, such as "Árbol viejo", "Campiña florida", and his most famous work, "Canción de la vida profunda" (Song of the deep life).
During his journey through Central America, Mexico
and the US, he contributed to many magazines and journals. He befriended Porfirio Díaz
, which led to his fleeing to Guatemala, then to Cuba
, for disagreeing with Manuel Estrada.
In 1918 he returned to Mexico, where it is said that he wrote a biography of Pancho Villa
. In 1922 he was expelled by Álvaro Obregón
and fled again to Guatemala, from where he was again expelled in 1924 by Jorge Ubico
. Barba-Jacob then went to El Salvador
, and after being deported by Alfonso Quiñones, travelled to Honduras
, New Orleans and Cuba. In 1927 he returned to Colombia and, after some recitals and contributions to the Colombian journal El Espectador
, he left Colombia on what would be his last trip.
He died in 1942 of tuberculosis
in Mexico City. Four years after his death, on 11 January 1946, his ashes were claimed by the Colombian government, and were returned to the Rotonda de los Hombres Ilustres.
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
, Porfirio Barba-Jacob, was a Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n poet
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
and writer.
Born in Santa Rosa de Osos
Santa Rosa de Osos
Santa Rosa de Osos is a town and municipality in the Colombian department of Antioquia. Part of the subregion of Northern Antioquia. Colombian poet Porfirio Barba-Jacob was born in this town.-External links:* http://dsro.org...
, Antioquia
Antioquia Department
Antioquia is one of the 32 departments of Colombia, located in the central northwestern part of Colombia with a narrow section that borders the Caribbean Sea. Most of its territory is mountainous with some valleys, much of which is part of the Andes mountain range...
, to parents Antonio María Osorio and Pastora Benítez, he was raised by his grandparents in Angostura
Angostura
Angostura may refer toPlacesThe Spanish word Angostura means "narrows" and so often refers to a narrowing or crossing on a river.* Angostura, Sinaloa, a municipality in northwestern Mexico.* Villa La Angostura is a mountain town in Neuquén, Argentina....
. In 1895 he started his travels, first through Colombia, and from 1907 to Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
and the United States, before finally settling down in 1930 in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
.
Around 1902 in Bogotá
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
, he founded the literary magazine "El cancionero antioqueño" (The Antioquian songbook), which he managed under the pseudonym Marín Jiménez. Short after, he wrote the novel "Virginia", which was never published because the original manuscript was confiscated by the mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Santa Rosa for alleged immorality.
In 1906 he moved to Barranquilla
Barranquilla
Barranquilla is an industrial port city and municipality located in northern Colombia, near the Caribbean Sea. The capital of the Atlántico Department, it is the largest industrial city and port in the Colombian Caribbean region with a population of 1,148,506 as of 2005, which makes it Colombia's...
where he adopted the pseudonym Ricardo Arenales. He continued to use this pseudonym until 1922, when in Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
he adopted a new pseudonym which he would use for the rest of his life: Porfirio Barba-Jacob. Around 1907, still in Barranquilla, he wrote his first poems, such as "Árbol viejo", "Campiña florida", and his most famous work, "Canción de la vida profunda" (Song of the deep life).
During his journey through Central America, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and the US, he contributed to many magazines and journals. He befriended Porfirio Díaz
Porfirio Díaz
José de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz Mori was a Mexican-American War volunteer and French intervention hero, an accomplished general and the President of Mexico continuously from 1876 to 1911, with the exception of a brief term in 1876 when he left Juan N...
, which led to his fleeing to Guatemala, then to Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, for disagreeing with Manuel Estrada.
In 1918 he returned to Mexico, where it is said that he wrote a biography of Pancho Villa
Pancho Villa
José Doroteo Arango Arámbula – better known by his pseudonym Francisco Villa or its hypocorism Pancho Villa – was one of the most prominent Mexican Revolutionary generals....
. In 1922 he was expelled by Álvaro Obregón
Álvaro Obregón
General Álvaro Obregón Salido was the President of Mexico from 1920 to 1924. He was assassinated in 1928, shortly after winning election to another presidential term....
and fled again to Guatemala, from where he was again expelled in 1924 by Jorge Ubico
Jorge Ubico
Jorge Ubico y Castañeda was a Guatemalan dictator who held the title of President of Guatemala from 14 February 1931 to 4 July 1944.-Early years:...
. Barba-Jacob then went to El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
, and after being deported by Alfonso Quiñones, travelled to Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
, New Orleans and Cuba. In 1927 he returned to Colombia and, after some recitals and contributions to the Colombian journal El Espectador
El Espectador
El Espectador is a newspaper with national circulation within Colombia, founded by Fidel Cano Gutiérrez on 22 March 1887 in Medellín and published since 1915 in Bogotá...
, he left Colombia on what would be his last trip.
He died in 1942 of tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
in Mexico City. Four years after his death, on 11 January 1946, his ashes were claimed by the Colombian government, and were returned to the Rotonda de los Hombres Ilustres.
External links
- A detailed account of Barba-Jacob's life (in SpanishSpanish languageSpanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
)