São Paulo – Brazilian writer Wiana Kell (pictured above) lives in Dubai. In the emirate, she has a small garden in her condominium, buys flowers every week, goes to the desert to observe the moon, and experiences closely the lunar calendar followed by Muslims and the symbolism the moon has for them. There, she wrote the book “O Jardim da Lua” [The Garden of the Moon], a poetic prose narrative about gardens and the moon.
The book was written in Portuguese and launched in March. It tells the story of the moon that watches over the gardens from the sky and, from a deep desire sent to the universe, manages to live in one of them. In the new abode, the moon makes friends with dragonflies, flowers, and animals, though later realizes something is missing up there. “She decides to go back to the sky, which is actually her garden, but with different colors and shapes,” explains Wiana.
The work is for children, but it is also suitable for adults, as it reflects on existence, people’s roles in the world, the courage to make decisions and reconsider them. Kell believes the interpretation will differ with age. “It is a book full of layers,” says the author. This is the second work released by the Brazilian. The first, also for children, was the poetry book “Pepa & Keca – Quem viu rimas por aí?” [Pepa & Keca – Has Anyone Seen Rhymes Around Here?]
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The new book had as its starting point Kell’s studies on haiku, a style of poetry originating in Japan, in which the themes are focused on subjects of nature and the universe. Rereading one of the poems about the moon and flowers made her realize an idea to explore further. And so the book was conceived. The writer’s drawings while studying haiku served as inspiration for the work, which award-winning Ana Matsusaki illustrates.
The publication is not about Dubai, but Kell has in her daily life in the emirate the presence of the main elements of the book. “We miss the nature of Brazil; this is a way to connect,” says Kell, about her efforts to continuously remain surrounded by greenery and flowers. Many houses in Dubai have indoor gardens. “I live in a condominium; we have a lake, birds. I moved here because of the landscaping,” she says.
life abroad
Wiana Kell has lived in the United Arab Emirates for 14 years. Before, she lived in Bahrain and Canada. Born in the Brazilian state of Ceará, but with much of her childhood spent in Pará, she graduated in Tourism. The path of an expatriate was embraced to accompany her husband, who works in the airline industry. Abroad, the Brazilian also studied foreign languages, marketing, and hospitality. The work in the communication area of an airline in the UAE reconnected her with the Portuguese language after a long time of daily life based on English.
In addition to working with communication, the birth of her daughters brought Kell closer to literature. Helping with schoolwork, reading books, and participating in storytelling with the girls brought her closer to this universe. Kell left her job two years ago and, since then, has been doing voluntary activities, such as collaborating with the blog “Diário de uma expatriada” [Diary of an expatriate], in which about 50 women share their life experiences around the world. She also distributes books from the Brazilian children’s book subscription club A Taba to the Brazilian community in the UAE.
The book “O Jardim da Lua” has 31 pages and was released by Tigrito, a Rio de Janeiro, Brazil publishing house. Presently, it is only available in Portuguese, but the author is in talks to publish it in English and Arabic. The book can be purchased in some bookstores in Brazil or online. In the UAE, orders can be made directly to the writer.
Quick facts:
O Jardim da Lua
Pages: 32
Format: 17×23cm (hardcover)
Price: BRL 50 (AED 60)
eBook: BRL 20
Translated by Elúsio Brasileiro
