The Moon Will Not Burn Us

'A tale that deserves to be known far beyond West Africa.' — Ari Shapiro

The untold story of the women who helped win Guinea-Bissau's independence.

At just thirteen years old, Joana Gomes is thrust into Guinea-Bissau's brutal war for independence after the murder of her father. As the conflict intensifies, she joins a growing movement of women who take on vital roles as fighters, organisers, nurses and political leaders. Their work proves instrumental in securing victory against Portuguese colonial rule.

Drawing on years of reporting and firsthand testimony gathered over nearly two decades in the region, Ricci Shryock brings these stories to life with vivid detail and emotional clarity, revealing the courage, complexity and sacrifice behind the fight for independence. At the same time, she shows how the war reshaped not only a nation, but the role of women within it.

A powerful and deeply human account of resistance, The Moon Will Not Burn Us uncovers a vital history, placing women at the centre of one of Africa's most significant liberation movements under the leadership of the PAIGC and Amílcar Cabral.