The Great Kilapy
Joãozinho (Little Johnny) was a phenomenon in his time.
As a promising young Angolan of mixed blood, he studied engineering in Lisbon, where he picked up the social skills of the power elite in the fascist government, then suffered a broken leg for two-timing a ministerÂ’s daughter.
The secret police also had it in for Joãozinho because he was popular with fellow students working to incite revolution. They get nothing from interrogation but pack him out of Lisbon and home to Angola.
His father calls in a favour to place him at the Colonial Tax Office in Luanda, where Joãozinho artfully pockets money skimmed off transactions to fund a luxury lifestyle and support his friends in the growing liberation movement, even as he takes no part in it.
He frequents the best tailors, drives a fancy car, steps out with beautiful women and develops a reputation for always buying drinks for everyone in the house.
Joãozinho’s recklessness remains unflappable; but his prestige in the community grows only to the point where his behavior becomes intolerable to the establishment old guard.
In the Angolan language of Kimbundu, kilapy means scheme, fraud or swindle.