ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses some political, economic, social, and cultural challenges related to a kind of inversion of the trend of the phenomenon known in Portugal as the “Return of the nationals.” Various ex-colonials, many of whom were born in Angola and who have resorted to obtaining a Portuguese passport when seeking refuge in the old metropolis at the time of independence, have claimed Angolan nationality in order to return to what they affirm as (also) being their country. The scenario of consolidation of peace in Angola after 27 years of civil war (1975–2002), preceded by 13 years of Colonial War (1961–1974), that has given rise to an impressive economic growth and turned this country into an attractive centre not only for investors but also for numerous foreign workers, makes this phenomenon of (des)retorno of (bi)nationals even more complex. Drawing on the novel A casa do rio by Manuel Rui and on personal narratives of memory, this chapter sets out to analyse the circumstances that have led ex-settlers or Portuguese born in Angola to activate from, or include in, their stock of identities, an Angolan identity.
