Lastenia Larriva


Lastenia Larriva y Negron de Llona was a Peruvian poet, writer, and journalist.
Larriva was born and died in Lima, but lived for several years in Guayaquil, Ecuador, where she did most of her writing. Together with Carolina Freyre de Jaimes, she was among the first generation of Peruvian female writers who overcame the criticisms and prejudices of society of her time, who believed that women should be traditional housewives and not have professions. Upon her death it was said of her: "She was a watchtower of feminism in America. Of advanced ideas, of noble and delicate features, of exquisite culture, of innate goodness and of a warm heart.” Lastenia Larriva outlived her husband, the Ecuadorian poet Numa Pompilio Llona, who was one of the most popular and well-read poets in Ecuador in his time.

Literary works