Juana Manuela Gorriti

Pioneering Latin American writer and activist for indigenous rights in 19th century South America

Juana Manuela Gorriti (1816-1892) was a Peruvian writer and journalist whose work challenged colonial norms and advocated for indigenous rights during the 19th century. Born in Yungay, Peru, she became one of the first Latin American women to earn a living through writing. Her 1847 novel La hija del Inca celebrated pre-Columbian Andean culture and criticized Spanish colonial oppression.

Gorriti's journalism exposed social injustices through her influential newspaper El lamparón. She campaigned for education access in rural areas, establishing schools for indigenous children in Bolivia and Argentina. Her 1858 essay La mujer en la sociedad argued for women's intellectual equality, influencing early feminist movements in the region.

As a political exile, she became a key figure in the Uruguayan Colorado Party's reform efforts. Her translations of European literature into Spanish helped spread liberal ideas across South America. Modern scholars like Marisol de la Cadena credit her with creating the first Andean literary tradition. Her legacy is honored in the National Library of Peru and through the annual Gorriti Literary Prize awarded by the Argentine Academy of Letters. Recent biographies include Juana Manuela Gorriti: Vida y obra (2018).