Kristina Gentile Mandala (1856–1919) was an
Arbëresh writer from Italy. An early documenter of
Arbëreshëfairy tales, she is considered one of the first
Albanian women writers.
She was born in 1856 in
Piana degli Albanesi, a village in
Sicily.[1][2][3] Her family was Arbëreshë, an Albanian ethno-linguistic group in Italy.[2][3] She studied at the Collegio di Maria in Piana degli Albanesi.[2]
Mandala is considered a pioneer among Albanian literary women alongside
Dora D'Istrias.[2][3][4] She was also among the first writers to compile Arbëreshë fairy tales.[1][2][3] In addition, she produced two books of poetry: Pugare (1887) and Fatmeni (1887).[2][3][5][6] She wrote for various periodicals, notably the magazine Fiamuri Arbërit and its successor Arbri i Ri.[2][7][8]
Her work was influenced by the Albanian writers
Girolamo de Rada and
Demetrio Camarda.[2] She was supported in her work by her younger cousin, the poet
Giuseppe Schirò, whom she supported in turn in the early days of his literary career.[2][9]
Mandala wrote in
Arbëreshë, though her work was sometimes translated into
Italian.[7]