Brazzil - Year 12 - Number 174 - July-August 2000

Year 12 - No.174

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There is more than bad news on the children's front these days. Brazil is using the occasion of ECA's 10th anniversary to celebrate that pioneering legislation and also to ponder what has been done and all that's left to be done. ECA is the Children and Adolescent Statute, a piece of legislation born of the new Brazilian democracy, which has been imitated all over Latin America.

For President Fernando Henrique Cardoso, ECA is thriving and well. According to him, if the situation seems sometimes unsustainable it has to do with "the dimension of the problems, which stem from centuries ofneglect and injustice." The child challenge is not just a case of government unresponsiveness anymore. Children's welfare as well as so many other problems are a question to be dealt with and taken care by society as a whole.

Good news is that ECA has spawned hundreds of non-governmental organizations, all interested in making life more livable and worthwhile for our kids. Both, the private and the public sector together, can and have already started to make a difference.

RAi To catch up on our lateness, Brazzil will be covering two months this issue. This is the July/August issue. Advertisers and readers can rest assured that they will get all the issues they paid for.

Thanks for your understanding.

Send mail to: P.O. Box 50536 - Los Angeles, CA 90050-0536 Ads/Editorial: (323) 255-8062 Subscrip.: (323) 255-4953 Fax: (323) 257-3487 Brazzil on line: http://www.brazzil.com E-mail: brazzil@brazzil.com Publisher and Editor: Rodney Mello Assistant Editor: Leda Bittencourt Art&Design Director: Marina Yoshie (marinayoshie@hotmail.com) Entertainment Editors: Sam & Harriet Robbins Book Review: Bondo Wyszpolski Music Editor: Bruce Gilman Brazil Bureau Chief: Marta Alvim E-mail: mItdalvim@yahoo.com TIME TO RENEW? Sorry, we don't send reminders. Look at the label to know when your subscription ends.

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BRAZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

Cover Ten years of kids rights

10

Cover byAyien Male

Contents 11

Sex Brazilians are again the winners

11

Goodbye Simonal, the king of swing, dies bitter

11

Memory Barbosa Lima Sobrinho, a century of inspiration

11

Politics Corruption: getting closer to the President

11

Opinion Too many Brazilians

21

Environment Managing the trash

21

People In the streets, against violence

23

Book The Brazilian 1984

21

Short Story "Fabula" by Maria Helena Whately

21

Short Story "0 Vampiro" by Marcia Denser

34

Travel Walking through Rio

31

Impressions Lagoinha: it's all they say it is

31

Music Too many notes in Jaques Morelenbaum

41

Music Chico Science lives through Naga° Zumbi

54

History There was never someone like Jose Bonifacio

Departments 09 Rapidinhas 14 letters 49 Cultural Pulse 51 Classifieds 52 That's Brazilian

5

Hands Down Brazilians have been chosen once again as the world champions of sex. The latest title was given by an unsuspected source: the Penguim's Atlas ofHuman Sexual Behavior. The data were compiled by British doctor Judith Mckay, a member of the Britain's Royal College of Physicians, who says that Brazilians won because "they seem to have abetter sense ofhumor and the ability to amuse themselves while having sex."

According to the study, Brazilians, besides being more tolerant with their partner's infidelity, have a larger number of sexual partners, have sex more frequently and spend more time in preliminaries when in bed. Brazilians spend an average of 30 minutes doing it. By comparison, Thais don't spend more than 10 minutes in the act and Italians despite their fame, take an average of 14 minutes to make love. McKay's work has also found that Brazil has at least 600,000 prostitutes who are younger than 18. And surprise: 44% o f Brazilian women admit that they fake their orgasm just to please or to impress their male partner.

VS Many Brazilian experts do not 0 EFEITO VIAGRA agree with the rosier side ofthe results • . ••••81.ffe 09.0 MO do mrstrr attributing them more to the national • .• So. ..•••••••••r lb mob habit of lying and flaunting about sexual prowess than to facts. In an interview with weekly news magazine /sto E, which dedicated a recent cove: story to the theme "Is the Brazilian Good in Bed?", sexologist l'iloacir Costa took exception to the British study: "We have to 7ake into consideration the fact that it's common to lie a lot when the matter is sex even when responding to a researcher. I believe Brazilians are always telling to a friend what they do in bed. It is their way to assert themselves in the group. And this is male phenomenon. Women may even broach the subject. but in general they don't gloat over this."

A national study conducted at Sao Paulo's Hospital das Clinicas showed that 75 percent of women being treated in the so-called Sexuality Project had problems reaching orgasm.

From this total 30 percent have the sexual desire but are not able to get to the "Big 0," another 35 percent don't feel any desire, and 10 percent are not able to get excited despite feeling the sexual desire According to data from Sociedade Brasileira de Sexualidade Humana (Brazilian Society of Human Sexuality), 35 percent of — Brazilian male suffer from some sexual dysfunction.

For Nelson Vittielo, president of Sociedade Brasileira de Sexualidade Humana (Brazilian Society of Human Sexuality), Brazilian sexuality is still in pre-historic times with men and women victims of macho prejudices: "Women still have the obligation of seducing men as a proof of their femininity while men are supposed to know it all."

To the question "Are you good in bed" that /sto E asked in its website. 81.4 percent answered that they were. And what is it "to be good in bed?" the inquiry continued. For 35.5 percent it is to dedicate plenty of time to foreplay, for another 31.4 percent is to follow the rhythm of the partner, 19.3 percent stress the importance of accepting the other's fantasies, while 8.9 percent think the most important is to have intercourse slowly, 4. I percent believe having sex several times is the ticket to be considered good in bed. Only 0.7 answered that having several sexual partners is the ultimate word in good sex.

APIDINHAS

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BRAZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

He started his career in the early sixties singing rock in a radio program hosted by Carlos Imperial, a talent scout who has discovered many other musical entertainers. His swing and ability to make the public sing with him made Wilson Simonal de Castro, better known as Wilson Simonal, a huge success on TV and in always packed live shows. His work spanned 37 years and 19 albums, but after being accused of being an informant for the military regime—an accusation that was never substantiated—Simonal was blacklisted by the media in the early seventies and never was able to recover from this. , He died on June 25, at age 62, from cirrhosis before his wife, Sandra Manzini Cerqueira, a lawyer and talent manager, was able to finish her work to prove the singer was never a collaborator of the military dictatorship. Recently she was able to access documents from the Justice Ministry and the presidency's Department of Strategic Affairs showing that Simonal's name does not show in any list of informants for ' the military.

He was born of a mother who washed clothes for a living, on February 28,1938, in Agua Santa, a suburb ofRio. His name was a tribute to Sim onard, the doctor with a French last name, who used to help the poor woman. The official preparing the birth certificate didn't know how to write the name and spelled Simonal.

He started singing in the late '50s and was taken to Rio's renowned Beco das Garrafas in 1961, where he was heard by Sergio Mendes, Luis Carlos Miele, and Ronaldo Boscoli. But he would not be linked to the bossa nova. In 1962 he released the album A Nova Dimentho do Samba, a mix of samba and black American pop music. He would soon adopt a more popular approach.

The singer became a national idol using a style that became known aspilantragem (mischief) and singing tunes like "Pals Tropical," "Sá Marina," "Meu Limo Meu Limoeiro," and "Mamde Passou Acucar em Mint."

The album Tern Algo Mais was released in 1963 and had an instant bit: Tito Madi's "Balanco Zona Sur. "Meu Lima°, Meu Limoeiro" was a Carlos Imperial adaptation of the American folk song "Lemon Tree".

As for Jorge Ben's "Pais Tropical," Simonal would not say pals tropical (tropical country), but pa tropi, and patropi became a national way to refer to Brazil during a time in which people had to be very careful when referring to the country in order not to incur the ire of the military.

In 1966, the musician started hosting Show em Si Monal, a musicl.I show on TV Record. Simonal had no political preference, but had some friends in the police when, in 19 , 1, he found out that Rafael Vivani, his bookkeeper, was embezzling from him. Instead of taking the man o the justice he called those friends _ in the police to give the swindler a lesson. He was condemned and latr sent to jail for having helped in the kidnapping of the employee. At the time he was cited as saying that he :eft comfortable about the kidnapping because he had friends at DOPS (Departamento de Ordem Politica e Social—Department of Political and Social Order), the police arm of the military regime that took over B -azil from 1964 to 1985.

The story leaked and from then on his carer went into a sharp decline. He would soon be banned by recording companies, his vvn singing colleagues and by radio and TV. Even today the big recording stores 4n 't carry any titles by him. Simonal himself and others preferred to attribute his 0 tracism to racism. After all, he was the only black singer who was a big star in his time, drove expensive foreign cars, was always dating beautiful blonde womer and sold more records than almost anybody else.

Talking about the importance of Simonal for the Brazilian music, music expert Zuza Homem de Mello declared soon after the singer's death: "Simonal was one of the most modem singers of Brazilian music history. He certainly was one of the most representative singers during the '60s and. it was a tremendous injustice to link his name with the military dictatorship. Whatever sin he committed he paid too steep a price. There was a lack ofhumanity, people transformed him into a monster. There's no certainty that he collaborated with the dictatorship, but the case was presented as if it were the truth. He suffered a lot with all these stories."

Mello visited the singer in the hospital a week before his death: "Despite still being very hurt by this story of having his name connected to the military dictatorship he was in good spirits."

Blacklisted Bird

BRAZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

Obituary 100 Years of Passion He has been called the country's father. An intransigent nationalist and defender of democracy and still very lucid and active at age 103, journalist Alexandre Jose Barbosa Lima Sobrinho died in Rio on July 16 after a short stay at Casa de Safide Sao Jose where he had been taken due to respiratory problems. He never was shy or afraid to defend what he thought was right, so he was very vocal against the military dictatorship that started in 1964 and dragged for 21 years; he also was on the streets with the caraspintadas (painted-faces) when these students demanded the impeachment of former president Fernando Collor de Mello; and he has been fighting against privatization of state companies despite the fact that this is not a popular cause nowadays.

Until his last days, with the help of a magnifying glass, Barbosa Lima Sobrinho loved to read newspapers and books, mainly Brazilian novels. He also kept writing one article a week for Jornal do Brasil. The journalist stopped going to the ABI headquarter (Associacao Brasileira de Imprensa—Brazilian Press Association) in 1999 after an accident in which he broke a leg. He did not want to use a wheelchair, telling a friend, "I will never be so old as to drag my feet." Since 1937 he was a member of the Academia Brasileira de Letters (Brazilian Academy of Letters) whose 40 associates are called immortals. "Don't bury me in the Academy's uniform lest the worms won't eat me."

He was born in Recife, capital of the state of Pernambuco, on January 22, 1897. His father was Francisco de Cintra Lima, a notary public and his mother was Joana de Jesus Barbosa Lima. From a traditional northeast family he was named after an uncle who was Pernambuco's governor. At 13 he wrote his first article for the school paper and at 15 was writing for Recife's A Provincia.

He graduated in Law from the Recife Faculdade de Direito in 1917 and soon after started working as prosecutor for the state of Pernambuco. By this time he also worked for such dailies as Dian() de Pernambuco, Jornal Pequeno and Jornal do Recife, until April 1921 when he moved to Rio going to Jornal do Brasil where he started as a reporter and then became a political commentator. In 1923 he became the paper's editor in chief and dedicated his next ten years exclusively to journalism.

On the day of his death Jornal do Brasil published his last contribution: "The middle-class exclusion." In his last article he once again defended nationalism, a theme so dear to him all his life. At the end of the piece he asked: "Wouldn't it be better, mainly as an obligation from the majority of those, who form public opinion, that we start to react and to defend the legitimate national interests?"

In 1937, when Getulio Vargas established the Estado Novo (New State), a dictatorship that would last eight years, he was in favor of the coup alleging he was backing his friend Agamenon Magalhaes, the Labor Minister at the time. That's a time he did not like to talk about although he justified his position by saying: "Genilio was the president who fought the most for nationalism." From 1948 to 1951 he was Pernambuco's governor through the PSD, a party created by big farm owners. This didn't prevent , him from occasionally fighting the farmers.

The military decision to open three enquiries against him in 1964 to investigate his alleged involvement with the Joao Goulart administration (the one the 1964 military coup toppled) made Barbosa Lima Sobrinho even more determined to fight against the military dictatorship. This experience was traumatic and caused him a heart attack, the first and only one he had throughout his life.

In 1974, in a gesture filled with symbolism, since the government controlled the electoral machine at the time Lima Sobrinho presented himself as anti-candidate vice-president together with Ulysses Guimaraes who ran as candidate to the presidency.

A defender of freedom o f the press he used to say, The freedom of the press does not exist without the freedom of information, which is not a right of the journalist, but of the public. For the journalist, freedom of the press is a duty."

8

MAUL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

"I want for someone to find in any of the articles I wrote even a single word that has not been in defense of Brazil,' he declared in 1997 during the 'Celebration of his 1001 birthday.

"The Brazilian people haveto walceig). How cantheyelect people who fight against theirfuturer December , 27,1996.

I never bad another be-SS that wasn'tB

7.

Rio Dace a state-ownea'ng y something criminal. he people were not consulted " Ap eQ nl 30, 997. at MOC11, what! really like is to fight. January 22, 1999, cornchosen,as theme for a escpla de samba parade. at in the next century Brazil can We belie 'd Continue working„ so th'January loba,e a country more just with t sons and ically 22?.„ 199 • er-Bencdo,iii no:t conk!give4' YadV01:cc people wouldn t live, beyon forIaw ilotilldthre Jan thc° eanit,v7lewonld There is too much 0 , (19, ‘buteaml : °tidnt*to 42'20 d 0.

Adeus, mestre do Brasil 0 Pais perdcu einem, aos 103 anus, Barbosa Lima Sobrinho.

0 jornalista dedicou sua vida as causas nacionais

She arguably was the oldest woman in the world. The Guinness Book of Records, however, refused to list 129 010, Too Old year-old Mariado Carmo Jer6nimo because she could present only a baptism certificate, not a birth certificate, to prove her age. And she did not have the required document for being too old, having being born as a slave six months before the Lei do Ventre Livre (Free Womb Law), legislation from 1870, which assured freedom to all children born ofslave parents.

According to the church paper, Maria do Carmo was born on March 5,1871. She died June 14 following several strokes that kept her in bed for the last two years. Since 1942, when she was hired as maid and babysitter by renowned writer Bernardo Guimaraes— he is the author of Escrava Isaura (Slave Isaura) among other t) books—Jeronimo has lived with the Guimaraes's family. She helped t raise the family's 12 kids in the small town of Itajuba, state of Minas Gerais, where she died.

Maria do Carmo was at Itajuba's Santa Casa de Misericordia, the hospital where she had been taken at the beginning of the year when heavy rains destroyed the furniture at the Guimaraes's home, including the former slave's wheelchair, bed, and much of her mementos including pictures of her with famous people. It was Bernardete Guimaraes, who was taking care of Maria do Carmo in recent years.

One of these notables was Pope John Paul II, who met her in Rio in 1998. Three years earlier, when celebrating her 124th birthday, she had been invited by then Rio's mayor, Cesar Maia, to visit the city and seethe sea up close. Seeing the ocean was one ofher dreams and she was thrilled with her Rio trip. She walked barefoot into the sea and even tasted the salty water and approved of it. But she didn't like the taste of the water-filled green coconuts sold at the kiosks by the beach.

As a slave, Jeronimo used to work on a sugar cane plantation as long as 18 hours a day. She was 17 when the Lei Aurea (Golden Law) freeing all slaves was signed. At bat time Maria do Carmo started to work in different houses in exchange for food and lodging. The illiterate exslave did not receive a salary before she was 72.

BRAZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

9

Ii and Shadow Ten years ago Brazil had no public policy towards its youth. This July the country celebrated the le anniversary of a federal statute that defends the rights of minors and is considered model legislation worldwide.

ALESSANDRA DALEVI

On July 13, the Estatuto da Crianca e do Adolescente (Child and Adolescent Act) celebrated its 10th anniversary. The legislative piece that deals with 60.1 million Brazilians—those who are younger than 18—is one ofthe crown jewels of Brazil's new democracy and a direct result of the 1988 Brazilian constitution in which it was inspired. It also became an inspiration to Latin American countries (Venezuela and Peru used the Brazilian model to create their own child code) and got effusive accolades from Unicef, the United Nations Children's Fund.

The date was not forgotten in Brazil. There were billboards across the country reminding the population about the legislation, and the postal service issued a special commemorative stamp. For many educators and social workers, however, the moment is more for reflection and debate than for congratulatory celebrations. Among the measures established by the Act, also known as ECA, were the end of child labor and better chances of education and health care for all of those between the ages of 0 and 18.

Ten years after ECA's introduction, however, child labor is still a serious problem, and education and health care are far from universal. Institutions dedicated to children inspired by a model that stresses punishment and repression are still thriving and hiding thousands ofminors inside their walls. And public defenders continue without resources and infrastructure to do what the law asks them to.

Despite all the shortcomings, however, ECA has contributed for a better life for millions of youngsters who since the introduction ofthe legislation started to be considered as someone with rights and not merely troublemakers who had to be reined in when they went astray. ECA replaced the C6digo do Menor (Minor Code), which had been adopted in 1979. "In the last ten years, there has been a collective effort by society and by some governments to understand ECA, but there are still some people who can't get rid of the old Minor Code," said Olga Camara, from the Justice Ministry's Child and Adolescent Department, in an interview with daily 0 Estado de S. Paulo.

Like Camara, other experts believe ECA has contributed to alleviate the problem of the minor. To make their point they list a series of mayors, entrepreneurs, and other leaders who have 10

BRAZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

used the legislation with good results. One such example is CASE (Comunidade de Atendimento SOcio-Educativo—Cornmunity of Socio-Educational Care), a service maintained by the Labor and Social Action Secretariat from Bahia state and directed by Carlos Alberto Ferreira da Silva.

Created in June 1998, CASE, has been recognized by UNICEF as a good example of what can be done to solve the problem of kids caught in criminal activities. The place, which has 86 youngsters at the moment, looks more like a house than a prison as most of similar institutions do. There, the kids receive a formal education, practice sports and learn the arts, besides learning a profession. Among several courses offered, they can learn about computers, graphic arts, horticulture, and how to make bread.

A Different Approach To reduce the number of working kids the government created PET! (Programa de Erradicacao do Trabalho Infantil— Program for the Eradication of Child Labor) a program that, among other measures, offers $14 monthly to each kid who goes to school. For Wanda Engel, the coordinator of PET!, thanks to ECA the Brazilian government now has many of the same goals envisioned by the NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) dealing with children's interests. "The statute transformed the government into a protagonist ofNGOs revindications," says Engel. "When the new legislation was approved, the government had no public policy towards childhood."

While incarceration has been a common practice for criminal youngsters, the Child and Adolescent Act calls for imprisonment only as a last resort. There are several steps to be taken— starting with a warning—before the child can be placed into custody. The new law contemplates the obligation of restitution and repair of damages as well as community services, but also determines that before being confmed, the youngster should have a chance to be in a regime of semi-liberty and what is called "assisted freedom". Internment should be reserved only for those cases in which the child committed a grave crime and there is recidivism.

According to the Justice Ministry, contrary to the public perception, only 10 percent of the crimes in Brazil are committed by a minor. For Anselmo Carvalho from the Justice Ministry's Program of Social Reinsertion of the Adolescent in Conflict with the Law it is a misconception to think that youngsters are treated less severely by the law. "Often the law is even more severe with adolescents," says Carvalho. "A primary adult who has served one third of his sentence, for example, may be released from prison, but not a minor. It also happens that an adult in some cases can post bail and leave jail, but not a minor."

Of all the changes brought by the introduction of ECA no one was as dramatic as the proliferation of NGOs exclusively dedicated to children's problems. From a handful of them ten years ago they have grown to hundreds—it is not possible to know their exact number. And they were created in response to specific complaints of society, complaints that started after the introduction of ECA, which gave a frame of reference for what to fight against and what to revindicate. These NGOs today have the role of guaranteeing that some policies of ECA can be implemented, mainly in those sectors that are not covered by the state.

"Before the statute's creation, children who were victims of violence in their families were doubly punished," says Mario Volpi from UNICEF. "Most of the time they were taken to an BRAZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

11

institution. Today, the aggressor—and it might be the father or the mother—can be taken away from the family."

For Claudio Augusto V ieira da Silva, president of Conanda (Conselho Nacional dos Direitos da Crianca e do Adolescente— National Council for the Rights of Children and Adolescents), the statute was a big step in the right direction: "ECA was able to weaken the power of the Judiciary thanks to the creation of tutelary councils. This is the biggest example we have of a participatory democracy."

Ten Years in Numbers

0

A study conducted by UNICEF for daily newspa*Fo/ha de S. Paulo concluded that 14 million Brazilian kids or 23 percent of Brazilians under 18 are not getting the benefits of ECA. These are children whose families' monthly salaries are less than one fourth of the minimum wage ($84). The magnitude of the problem becomes clearer when we know that 24 percent of the Brazilian population lives in families that make less than the equivalent to $42 a month.

The UNICEF report found out some good effects from the adoption of ECA 10 years ago. During this period, the number of 5 to 14-year-old kids who work fell from 4 million (in 1993) to 2.9 million today. In one decade, the rate of minors going to school increased from 86 percent to 95.8 percent and illiteracy among black kids fell from 31.5 percent in 1992 to 22.2 percent in 1997, the last year for which there are data. On the other side, there are still 1.1 million children who should be going to fundamental school and are not going and 22.2 percent ()Think kids and 9 percent of white children are still illiterate As for child mortality it also fell from 115 children for 1000 in 1960 to 36 per 1000 today, but this is still considered too high a number. Another disquieting piece of information is that there are almost 30,000 kids between the ages of 10 and 24 who have AIDS, representing 13.4 percent of all AIDS cases in the country. The Health Ministry estimates that there are 12,000 pregnant women with the AIDS virus and that 30,000 kids have become orphans due to the disease.

Confinement in jail-like institutions is a reality for 30 thousand adolescents every year. It is believed that this imprisonment would not be justified in 60 percent of the cases ifthe statute of the minor were to be observed.

Among other widespread violations is the fact that every year one million Brazilian kids don't get their birth certificate and that every five minutes, the death of infants who never reach the age of one occurs. The statute is not being observed when 2.9 million children younger than 14 are still working and when 580 thousand girls between the ages of 15 and 17 work as servants and, worse still, when 45,000 kids live near garbage dumps where they daily collect trash for a living.

For Reiko Niini, who represents UNICEF in Brazil, despite the real gains for the children brought by ECA, there is what she calls a "silent tragedy" involving deaths from newborns: "Every year there are 56,000 babies who die before being 7 days old."

Among the most common criticism directed against ECA is that that the legislation limits its punishment to socio-educational measures that cannot last more than three years. According to some critics, this opens the doors for minors to do whatever they wish since they know they will never get time in jail.

Well aware of this reality, drug dealers and all kinds of criminals prefer to work with minors. Last June, an 18-year-old boy from Rio Grande do Sul state who was responsible for three murders was freed thanks to ECA, even though the judge wanted

to sentence him to prison.

Much to Be Done!

With 3700 youngsters confined in 43 units, Sao Paulo's FEBEM (Fundacao Estadual do Bem-Estar do Menor—State Foundation for the Minor's Well-Being) is often presented as an example of what should not be done when caring for juvenile delinquents. There have been so many escapes (hundreds of them) and so many rebellions (dozens of them) at FEBEM this year that the institution lost count of them.

The institution has been criticized for treating its kids as adults in a prison-like atmosphere where there is torture and children have their own slang, tattoos, gangs and "jungle law."

Torture and other violations at FEBEM have called the attention of Amnesty International, which has included the institution among violators of human rights.

The situation is hot better in Rio. From the 2800 juvenile delinquents under* care of the state of Rio, 800 are confined.

Rio's Centros de Redursos Integrados e Atendimento ao Menor (Centers of Integrated Resources and Minor Care) have some model institutions and some that have become a school of crime.

Among the former there is the Joao Luis Alves School, which shelters 120 youngsters between the ages of 12 and 15. There they have classes, learn about computers, are taught a profession, and have the chance to swim and play soccer.

Not far from the JoAo Luis Alves school we have the Instituto Santo Expedito, which is part of the Bangu penitentiary, a highsecurity jail for adults. The place, which has room for 160 youngsters, is housing 340 of them at the moment. In May during a rebellion, an intern was killed. In July a group ofk ids escaped after getting a hold of two firearms and a grenade. In Rio, according to educators, most of the kids start their life of crime selling drugs.

ECA brought a new light to the drug question, turning what was considered a police matter into a public health problem. As Mario Volpi, from UNICEF, told 0 Estado de S. Paulo, "The statute took away drug consumption by kids and adolescents from the legal sphere and brought it to the health field. Instead ofjailing, confininiand punishing, the idea now is to force the state to create prograins specialized in three main areas: prevention, pedagogical work with the kid being involved in cultural and leisure activities, and the therapeutic sector for those who need services of health and detoxification."

Volpi also stresses that the government has been better at waging campaigns and creating catchy slogans to combat drugs among the youth than in creating centers to assist those youngsters who are already drug addicts. "There is a great concern about building rehabilitation clinics. What's lacking are intermediate-level work, which when done well can solve a great deal of problems."

at The President's Thoughts

President Fernando Henrique Cardoso admitted that there is still much to be done concerning Brazil's youth, but attributed the deficiencies to what he calls "historical problems".

Cardoso sees the Child and Adolescent Act as very positive contribution to solve Brazilian injustices: "The most important thing, the way I see it, is the change of mentality. Since the 1988 Constitution and the Act there was a change in the way we see children and adolescents, who became people who have rights, who are persons in development.

"I have a very positive evaluation for ECA, although, in such BRAZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

matters we can always do more, especially in a country like ours, where the historical heritage is one of social inequality and the child suffers a situation of injustice because it is the most vulnerable.

"In these ten years, we've started programs, services and the agencies needed to guarantee the defense of the children and adolescents rights. We still have a long way to go, but the statute defmed courses and norms that were indispensable.

"The federal government is investing R$4.25 billion (US$2.36) to guarantee that the children and adolescents have their rights assured. Everybody who follows what the government does knows hOw children's education and health are a priority. The same can be said about our programs to eradicate child labor."

The Good Example Inspired by ECA, Santos, a beach town 45 miles from So Paulo, has become a model city in its treatment of minors. Last year, the city released Sem Dtividas (No Doubts), a 128-page booklet that in plain language explains to its residents what the Child and Adolescent Act means and what is expected from the population in order to make the legislation work.

In 1996, the UN included Santos in its list of 100 cities in the world with the best social programs. Government officials and NGOs' leaders from Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Venezuela have visited Santos to learn with the Santista experience.

Santos has implemented eight main programs. They are according to an article published by Folha de S. Paulo: 1. Casa de Acolhimento (Sheltering House)—Open 24 hours, this is the place where the child comes first when he or she enters the system after being abandoned or after becoming a victim ofviolence or sexual exploitation. It's a temporary place with room for 20 kids.

2. Abrigos ( helters)—These are two houses, one for girls and another for oys. Another temporary place for those kids whose parents e incapacitated to care for them for a short period. Respons bility is one of the things children learn here.

3. Nossa Fa ilia (Our Family)—This is not a space, but a program that mo thly gives away $28 to needy families for every kid they mainta at school. The idea is that the kid is seen by a health profess • nal and receive vaccination and other necessary health care when the parent comes to collect the money.

4. Familia colhedora (Sheltering Family)—Volunteer families help to ake care of kids who are up to six years of age.

Once again this is temporary care for cases in which the kid guardian canno care for the child. Often they are parents who are in prison or e going through some program of drug rehabilitation.

5. Medidas Socioeducativas (Socioeducational Measures)—This is program that helps those kids who had some problem with t e justice and are going through some kind of reparation arra gement, generally under parole. A team of experts is in ch rge.

6.Centros d Convivencia (Sociability Centers)—They are part-time space for 7 to 14-year-old street kids or those from very poor fami ies who can here learns a profession such as carpentry or g dening. They also get classes on painting and theater, are abl to practice sports and eat a nutritious meal.

7. Casa to T em (Train House)—For youngsters—mainly street kids who e drug-addicts—this program intends to keep the kid off the s eets for as long as possible. Among the offerings are works ops dealing with hip-hop, street dance, and theater. Kids als can learn gardening and how to fix surfboards.

8. Espaco eninas (Girls Space)—A house for prostitutes with ages rang' g from 10 to 21. The place is in the heart of Santos red light istrict. Here the young prostitutes get a chance to learn a profe sion.

'Gilberto Leila Ftheirq

r, \brcos Stvgi: (otorrioldrifigigistil LAO* No COD's heyOrias CastisChed Checks US$25.00 Payable to: GWCJR P.O.Box 23006 Ja1. Fl. 32241-3006 inctuae: Name Address City State Zip-code 4-6wks Ddivery i_e_i@hotmaitcom Tr (5521)579: 22 BRAZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

13

chat site, and I came across John Miller's "Postcards from lively discussions. Keep up the good work!

Dennis Sauers Brazil," which I enjoyed reading immensely. In 19741 was Cypress, California an exchange student in the state of Sao Paulo...hence my 11.11=M1 E1211.1.1.1111111 interest. I have not kept in contact with the families I knew Dear Bruce Gilman, at last I have a short summer there unfortunately, and as we have just connected to the break with an opportunity to catch up with my correspon- Internet I decided to look for some sites on Brazil. I visited dence and I thought it only fair to write to you first. lam sorry Rio for about three weeks during the year I spent there, that after the brief thank you note I never had time to tell you and from your 'postcard' it sounds as though not a lot has properly how I appreciate your article on my son Suba changed. It was a great experience for a teenager and it ("New World Sonority"). I cannot begin to tell you what it left me with a multitude of memories, thoughts and feelings meant to me to read such a thorough and in-depth presen- that have remained over the years I have traveled quite a bit, but the time I spent in Brazil will always be unique. tation of my son's work.

Barbara Croghan It is very rare in our profession to read an article such Via Internet as yours in which a reader can feel the genuine interest and respect for the subject under the journalistic skill. Not only .1111111111111IILIAiliamaimm I am the editorial coordinator of Cristina magazine in is your article far from an impersonal collection of superficial information, it also shows profound understanding of Miami. I saw in your Webpage an article on Thais Arabjo.

Suba's music and character. For this I am profoundly She was on the cover of Manchete magazine. I've been grateful. trying to contact them but no one ever answer. Is there I do hope that one day I will have the chance to meet anyway that you can help me locate them. We will like to you and who knows, it could even be here in this crazy purchase the picture on the cover.

Sonia Albarracin country. As I consider you to be a great friend of my son's, Miami, Florida you will be most welcome.

Ruza Subotic Brazil I want to say that Cardoso is another Bill Clinton who jaliall.1111111111 seeks to disarm the good people and make them helpless Bruce Gilman, your interview with Canon Malta stirred before thugs and renegade government agents. This is me deeply. Mind you, he did the talking but you had the gift the way Clinton does things with executive orders; so has of drawing him out by asking the right questions and Cardoso done this evil deed to the good people of Brazil. listening intelligently, so to speak. Chapeu, senhorl All of As was reported in the AP story of June 22n° "This is that got me thinking about my old friend Ronoel Sim6es in not a six-month ban," Sprovieri said by phone. "It's going Bixiga, Sao Paulo. Back in the 80s, during one of his to last forever, because the government can and will You are invited to participate in thisdialogue. famous Saturday open houses I had been doing some renew the decree until the law (on gun control) is passed."

Write to. Letters to the Publisher Norman Gall, executive director of the Fernand trading of guitar records from that great collection of his. He P 0 Box 50536 mentioned on one of the last visits that someone from Braude! Institute of World Economics, a sao Paulo-based Los Angeles, CA 90050-0536 California was arranging for his collection to go to Univer- think tank that has studied violence, agrees the decree or send E-mail to: sity of California (I think). Could that have been you by "will have absolutely no impact on diminishing crime." brazzil@brazzil.com chance?Once again, thank you for your fine work. Now, I "Legally purchased weapons are not the problem," Gall said. 'The illegal ones, mostly bought on the contraknow I am going to have to read everything you write...

David G Anderson band market are the problem."

In reference to Brazzil's article "Brazil 101", anybody Ontario, Canada He said the ban could even increase the demand for who even needs to ask this question, "Is Brazil all it's Emma, illegal weapons "like prohibition did with booze in the cracked up to be," shouldn't go there. It doesn't matter who Dear Bruce Gilman, thank you for your article on United States." your friend happens to be or the CD's you like; if you asked Cardoso is a good for nothing. this ridiculous question you don't get it. As for your wife, if Suba: "New World Sonority." I just found it last night. I was Cici da Costa she watched a TV documentary about the youth of this happy to see transcriptions of the lyrics from the album cici2000@nightmail.com country particularly the treatment of Native American, Also, thanks for the links.

Michael A. Lahue Black and Latino youth she'd wonder why she's got her Via Internet My family and I are hoping to adopt a son (infant up foot in this one. We have more African American young men in jail than South Africa. I'm not Black or Brazilian, but 111.1111111.111.11.1aliali111111111111 to 6 year old). Is it possible to find someone in Brazil to help?

Can we adopt without using an American agency I'm looking for information on Antonio Houaiss's work I love Brazil and I go there once a year. Thank you for a as a translator, mainly on his translation of Joyce's Ulysses. that charges a lot of money? We want to legally adopt great magazine.

Can you help me? It's difficult to get hold of this kind of without paying a high agency fee. We hosted an exchange Liza Vosbigian information in Portugal. Thank you very much for your help. student from Brazil recently and we have contacts in his Via Internet city, but we need someone who knows about adoptions Graga Margarido liii1:11III Iii It ill 1 and will be able to advise us, etc. greermargarido@maiLtelepac.pt I just read an article in Brazzil about foreigners workTammy Portugal ing in Brazil. I am an American that is going to be visiting hopeforbaby@juno.com Brazil in a few weeks and I must say lam outraged at those Kansas City, Missouri I have just been searching the Internet for a Brazil people that don't take the time to learn about their host country. I myself have been in a few foreign countries and FOR MORE LETTERS AND ENTIRE I have found that if I were to take the time to learn some of Can't you find Brazzil at your Brazilian LETTER SEE: that country, the people there enjoy it and are friendly. I feel consulate? http://www.brazzil.com as though I have to say something about this because it Don't ask us why, ask the consulate. isn't right to just go there knowing nothing. I have learned a lot about Brazil and I am still learning, But Brazil is a Allow 5 to 7 weeks to receive your first issue. No back issues sold. No subscriptions by phone. wonderful place from what I see and I have a hard time Make check to Brazzil and mail it to: reading this and I feel as though I must apologize for these BRAZZIL - P.O. Box 50536 - Los Angeles, CA 90050-0536 people. I hope that some people read this and if only one Ill take 1 year (12 issues) person takes the time to learn about another country, then writing this is worth it.

El NEW RENEWAL Daniel Henderson Via Internet

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For info: (323) 255-4953 E-Mail:brazzil@brazzil.com

lam renewing my subscription and will put a check in the mail today. I think you magazine is great, and since lam trying to Improve" my Portuguese, I especially like the fact that some articles are written in Portuguese as well as English. I also think your articles 'tell it like it is" (giving both sides to the story), and that's fantastic. Many other countries face similar problems, but I sometimes wonder if the issues are addressed as candidly.

I would take exception though, to your suggestion (on-line "About us"), that your magazine is primarily for those who know little about Brazil. In your Letters to the Publisher department I see contributions from many Brasileiros, and I personally think Brazzil is for anyone who is interested in world affairs. My wife is from Teresina, Piaui and we spend a great deal of time there. She also finds the articles very interesting, and many of them contribute to

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Assessing the Damage: More On the Way. Although a definitive piece of evidence against President Fernando Henrique Cardoso has yet to surface, the opposition has decided to force the issue. They'll be seeking a congressional inquiry after the July recess.

ADHEMAR ALTIER1

16

July was decidedly a bad month for the Brazilian government, and personally for President Fernando Henrique Cardoso. Everything the government wanted to avoid took place, in rapid succession, on the heels of statements made by former top presidential aide Eduardo Jorge. A newspaper interview in which Jorge, once Cardoso's right-hand man, admits to questionable relations with Judge Nicolau dos Santos Neto—currently on the run from police, and recently expelled former Senator Luiz Estevao, set off something of a race in the Brazilian media. Everyone is clearly out to prove what the statements and their aftermath would seem to imply: that the President may have been involved in the corruption scandal that led to Estevao's expulsion, and drove Judge Nicolau into hiding.

New details and accusations surfaced continually, at times by the hour, widening the scope of this dangerous sidebar to the ongoing scandal: the diversion of over R$169 million (about US$93 million) meant for the construction of a new Labor Court headquarters in Sao Paulo. The runaway Judge is accused of being the mentor ofthe money-siphoning scheme, while Estevao, a wealthy developer, is accused of being the behind-thescenes owner of the construction company handling the project. Several high-profile names were pulled into the fray, from cabinet members to prominent entrepreneurs and sitting members of Congress. The issue has ballooned to become headline material throughout the media—precisely what the government tried to prevent, when all high-ranking officials were ordered not to "fan the flames" by commenting on the matter. It didn't work.

A major reason for the issue to grow as it did was a somewhat flawed approach by the media early on. Most news outlets failed at developing an accurate timeline, and as a result, too much was made of certain developments that turned out to be of less importance than they seemed to have at first. The top example of this is a document uncovered by the Sao Paulo daily, Folha de Sao Paulo, which many in the media tried to portray as the proverbial "smoking gun". Not quite. The document, signed by President Cardoso, did authorize additional funds for the ill-fated courthouse, to the tune of R$25 million (about US$ 14 million). But all everyone saw was Cardoso's signature on a supposedly damning document. Later, it was clarified that he signed the document in 1996, two years before there was any indication of corruption surrounding the project.

Similar allegations were made about Planning BRAZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

Minister Muftis Tavares, and a number ofmembers of Congress, because they were also involved in pre-authorizing supplemental funds for the same project—again, before there was any sign oftrouble. Pressure on Tavares became so intense that by Thursday, July 13, he was considered as good as out the door. That evening, at a meeting with President Cardoso and other highranking governmentmembers, it was decided that if Tavares left, iiwould be tantamounito an admission of guilt. He stayed on, and came out swinging the next day, emphasizing the date discrepancies in several interviews.

That Thursday, in fact, was the month's pinnacle oftension.

Early in the day, the newsmagazine 1st° E announced it was anticipating the week's edition, normally out on Saturday. It would be out that day, featuring exclusive recordings of conversations between Judge Nicolau and unidentified "others".

The government braced for what was coming, but again, the material raised more questions than it answered, and did not provide a "direct hit" on the President. First problem with the tapes: the person speaking to Judge Nicolau on the recordings is not identified, and seems to conduct the dialogue to try and get the Judge to say certain things, and involve specific people.

Second, the conversation was quite up to date, with references to names and topics that only made the news in the past few days—an indication the recordings may be recent. Finally, the magazine claims the tapes were made by the Federal Police and Al3IN, the federal intelligence agency. Both deny any involvenient.

•; The end result from the government' s perspective was more of a sigh of relief. Some government members actually speculated that EstevRo might be behind the surfacing of the tapes, Since their content was suspiciously helpful to the Senator's Cause because it points an accusing finger at other possible involvements in the scandal. In its Saturday prime-time network newscast, TV Globo reinforced that theory by suggesting that a well-known media executive in Brasilia may be the "other" person speaking to Judge Nicolau on the tapes. The person is the General Manager of a Brasilia radio station owned by former Senator EstevAo. If indeed someone "produced" the tapes, that person may khow the whereabouts of Judge Nicolau, who disappeared on April 18 when an order for his arrest was issued. The Justice Ministry has now ordered the tapes investigated, and warned that whoever produced them may face charges for aiding a fugitive. On Saturday, July 15, any strength behind the /sto tapes fizzled even further, when the Judge's wife and attorney questioned their authenticity.

Although the government hoped and prayed this whole matter would die down, it made several mistakes that helped produce the opposite effect. For example, when news of the President's signature on the authorization for extra funds became public, the presidential spokesman's response to reporters was bizarre, along the lines of "the President doesn't read everything he signs". Brazil's largest labor association, CUT, aligned with the left-wing PT party, immediately jumped on this.

A statement by its president, Kjeld Jakobsen, said "maybe we should be glad it wasn't a declaration of war".

Although a defmitive piece of evidence against President Cardoso has yet to surface, the opposition has decided to force the issue. They'll be seeking a congressional inquiry after the July recess. Party leaders aligned with the government have said they will not support the request, but that's not likely to stop anything. This is a municipal election year, and the President's approval rating is at a very low 13 percent—that's where the opposition wants Cardoso ' s rating to stay, in effect eliminating any chance the President might have of favoring governmentsupported candidates in the October ballot.

BRAZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

The speed with which new details have surfaced since Eduardo Jorge's remarks were made public, disavows any guesswork as t where all of this might lead. What's known so far, as concrete facts go, is not as indicting against President Cardoso as som would make it seem, but it does ask a lot from Brazilian socie . Essentially, Brazilians are being asked to believe that Pre ident Cardoso had no idea what his trusted aide, Eduardo Jorge, as up to in the office next door. No matter how one slices it, thi is a tough pill to swallow. Consider that in the 1998 general e ctions, Cardoso supported the current governor of Brasilia, Joaquim Roriz, at Jorge's request, and against a candidate fro ii his own party, the PSDB. And the top supporter of the Roriz c paign was none other than the now-expelled former Senato from Brasilia, Luiz Estev5o.

Daily 0 Est do de S. Paulo quoted a former driver employed

by Judge Nico au in Miami, at the million-dollar-plus condo where his neig bors reportedly include singer Whitney Houston. The driver laims the Judge and Eduardo Jorge exchanged phone calls fre I uently, and were "obviously very close". To accept that all f this means nothing require a severe stretch, along the line of believing that President Cardoso' s I.Q. is comparable to hat of a dummy in a store window.

Meanwhile the person who got all of this started, Eduardo Jorge, has bee out of circulation, apparently answering the government pl a for silence. A theory emerged as to why Jorge decided to gra t the original interview to the financial daily Valor. Unnam d government sources told various newspapers Jorge did it ass'mething of a pre-emptive strike, because he was blackmailed eatened with the prospect ofgrave revelations in a series of ta ed conversations about to be made public (presumably theta es released by /sto magazine). Jorge's attempt to stay a step ead of this worked in reverse. Instead of defusing the issue, is interview immediately raised the possibility of direct invol ement by the President—the angle now being pursued vigor usly by the news media.

Finally, th media reaction is a story in itself. Government opponents in razil frequently complain that the news media lets the gove ent, and President Cardoso in particular, offthe hook much to • easily. The claim is that the media doesn't pursue topics that can ake life difficult for the President or his adininistration. This is just so much whining: hardly a day goes by without serio exposes in print and broadcast, and this sidebar to a scandal i further proof that when there is, indeed, something to pursu , it will be done. The media's track record in the past few years is sufficient proofof its vital influence, at a level never before en in Brazil. For now, details are being dug up and the pieces put together. While nobody knows what exactly is at the end of his tunnel, one thing is certain: every news outlet worth its salt n Brazil is trying to fmd out, whether the President likes tha or not.

The /sto recordings are available on the magazine's website: http: /www.terra.com.bilistoe Adhe ar Altieri is a veteran with major news outlets in Brazil, C nada and the United States. He holds a Master's Degre in Journalism from Northwestern University in Evan ton, Illinois, and spent ten years with CBS News reporting fr m Canada and Brazil. Altieri is a member of the Virtual In elligence Community, formed by The Greenfield Consulting roup to identify future trends for Latin America.

He is also the editor of InfoBrazil (hftp://www.infobrazil.com), an English-I nguage weekly e-zine with analysis and opinions on Brazilia politics and economy. You can reach the author at editors@infobrazil.com 17

On April 22, 1500 Brazil was discovered by a Portuguese "Today some people wonder why there is so much crime in explorer named Pedro Alvares Cabral, and Brazil became a Brazil and why its civil system is breaking down. People look colony of Portugal. for simplistic answers to the problems. They consider drugs, or "In other parts of the world colonies were used as trading something else, as the reason for the breakdown. However, the posts to facilitate the commerce and trade of products between obvious reason ( population explosion) is never understood as the mother country and that particular region. Since Brazil did being the cause of the problems. not have products for trade with Europe, it was necessary to "In the United States, Americans built an economic system develop agricultural production for the benefit of European in which the economy has to grow, grow and grow, and can't commerce. Brazil came into being as a producer of goods for be allowed to stagnate. Growth, growth, and more growth is the international trade with the plantation system (fazenda) as the mindset of Americans. The United States had only five million basis for its economy to produce people around 1800, when its Constitution and Bill of Rights sugar and other agricultural commodities for trade with Europe." ' were drafted and put into effect.

To develop this agricultural sysThe United States population had increased to 76 million people by tem they started using slave labor; first they tried to use the slave labor 1900, but they had new lands, which they had bought or conof the native Brazilian Indians. This did not work well for the Portuquered since 1800. The United States could still afford to conguese. Later they started bringing Brazil started the century with 17 mtlllon tinue growing at that point in its black slaves from Africa with a somewhat better result. people and ended it with an estimated total history." 2 Today there are many studies _ The Brazilian economy was population of 170 million people. Whe4 the estimating the optimum populabuilt and developed using slave labor. Slavery was abolished in Brapopulation of a Country grows ten fold dur- tion the United States can support based on its resources, wealth, zil only in 1888. This is a period in ing a period of 100 years, that count is location, environmental considBrazilian history which we should erations and type of economic be ashamed of. That is, ifwe analyze asking for social trouble, as is happeni In structure.

"Among these studies it from a humanistic point of view. is one by David and Marcia "Before the importation of AfBrazil.

Pimentel, professors at Cornell rican slaves, the main suppliers of CARDO C. ANIARAIr University. They suggest the Indian slaves were the Paulistas— United States should aim at a the people from the Captaincy of population of less than 100 milSao Paulo. The Paulistas were a lion people. University of Marynew people; a mixture of Portuland professor Robert Costanza guese and Native Brazilian Indian. reaches a more pessimistic estiThe Paulistas were a major force in mate of 85 million people." 2 the development of the bandeiras Based on the various studies movement. This group of people it seems that up to 150 million called the bandeirantes were to be people can be an acceptable limit the chief pioneering element in of population for the United Brazil. They did more than any other group to push the line of deStates. Above this number Americans are looking for trouble. marcation westward until Brazil The United States reached the included half of the South Ameri151 million people mark in 1950; can Continent." ' (In 1494 Portugal by 1970 the US had increased its and Spain had agreed to a line of depopulation to over 200 million marcation by the Treaty of Tordepeople. The country again insillas.) creased its population to an estimated 275 million people by the Brazilian Population Growth year 2000.

The population in Brazil grew as follows: POPULATION Is it really surprising that the prison population started exYEAR 1500 0 ploding in the United States since 1970, after the optimum popu1600 100,000 lation for this country of 150 million continued growing in num1700 300,000 bers?

1800 3,250,000 With the accelerated advances in technology and automa1900 17,000,000 tion which we have today in the United States, the optimum 170,000,000 population for the United States probably should be reduced to 2000 an even lower amount ofpeople. Maybe the country should not "Brazil started the century in 1900 with a total population have a population larger than 120 million people.

Most people don't understand and don't give much thought of 17 million people. Brazil ended the century with an estimated total population of 170 million people. When the population of to the power of geometric progression (exponential growth) and a country grows ten fold during a period of 100 years, that its effect on population growth. For example, to show the power country is asking for social trouble, as is happening in Brazil. of exponential growth, in the 1980's more than 10 million legal It does not matter which system a country has: capitalism, and illegal immigrants arrived in the United States. This group communism, or socialism; this magnitude of population growth of people will grow in numbers to approximately 25 million is a prescription for disaster. people by the year 2035.

18

BRAZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

To give another example, the estimated 25 m illion total legal and illegal immigrants who came to the United States during the 20-year period from 1980 to 2000, will grow to approximately 60 million people by the year 2040.

Government officials and the business community only think of their immediate needs of keeping labor costs down.

They never think about the consequence of a growing population on future generations and its impact on the future of the country.

Governments such as the United States and Brazil have learned nothing from the past. They brought slaves from Africa to accommodate their needs a long time ago, never giving much thought about the consequences of their actions on future generations. Today the United States is making the same mistake again regarding its immigration policies. The US is still letting one million people immigrate to the US per year, even though today the United States has a population of 275 million people; a number which is probably double the optimum population.

The limit to population growth in Brazil If we do the same type of analysis for Brazil, we might come to a similar result. Brazil probably should not have a population larger than 80 to 100 million people as its limit. Today, Brazil might have twice the population which could be considered an optimum and desirable number of people for the country based on its natural resources, size, location, type of economy, etc.

Population explosion is, in my opinion, the most important problem in Brazil. It is the cause of all other problems in Brazil today, including poverty and destitution for a large segment of the population, drugs, crime, corruption, etc.

There are two policies, which the Brazilian government should adopt immediately to put Brazil on the right path for its future. First, the Brazilian government should put in place a policy to reduce its population from its current 170 million people to a target of 100 million people by a certain attainable date.

Second, the Brazilian government should adopt the "Euro" as its new currency. The adoption of the "Euro" by Brazil would help the country to move economically into the 21St century. These would be the major two steps, which Brazil could take today which could have the most beneficial result for its future.

These policies would have a positive impact not only socially but also economically. These policies would help update the Brazilian economy and move it in the right direction in the new millennium.

Notes: Note (') are quotes from the book Jose Bonifcicio deAndrada BRAZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

e Silva - The Greatest Man in Brazilian History by Ricardo C. Amaral C 1998' Note (2) are q.lotes from the book Jose Bonifacio de Andrada e Silva - The final chapter to end slavery in the Americas by Ricardo C. Amaral C 1999 RicardU C. Amaral was born in the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil He attended Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, New Jersey, USA, where he received a BA degree in Economics and later an MBA degree in Finance.

He continued his Academic studies towards a PhD degree in Economics at Fordham University, but then elected to immerse himself totally into a professional corporate career.

You can contact Mr. Amaral at the following address: Ricardo C. Amaral P.O. Box 110302 Nutley, New Jersey 07110 Email address: amaral@alpha.fdu.edu

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Dirty Business Staggering amounts of computers, batteries, televisions and other appliances, so-called technology trash, are filling dumps. Experts say that toxic substances such as led from television screens are entering the earth and may be seeping into the food chain KATHLEEN BOND During the summer rains of 1999, frequent flooding caused chaos in the megacity of Sao Paulo. Scenes of drivers stranded on top of cars and highway backups stretching for hundreds of miles because ofthe heavy rains appeared almost nightly on the news. Many blamed nature, but accumulated street garbage that clogged up sewage and water drainage systems was the main culprit.

Brazil produces 240,000 tons of trash every day, more than double the 1982 figure, according to the leading weekly Veja.

Only 70 percent of Brazil's garbage is collected. "Thrown in the streets, trash can cause a number of diseases including typhoid fever, leprosy, and skin infections," says professor Jose Luiz Muici of the University of Sao Paulo's Environmental Health Dept tment.

Lack of proper waste disposal can lead to more serious health hazards. Brazil's worst nuclear disaster occurred in 1987 when two paper collectors opened an obsolete x-ray apparatus in an abandoned building which turned out to be the former headquarters of the Goiania Radiotherapy Institute. The resulting radiation exposure killed eight people and contaminated more than 250.

Higher purchasing power of a segment of the population coupled with growing industrialized product consumption are filling up Brazil's garbage sites at an alarming rate. On average, every Brazilian produces over two pounds oftrash per day.

According to the Brazilian Association of Public Waste Companies, Brazilians are producing more trash since the 1994 introduction of the Plano Real, a fiscal and monetary program to curb inflation. With an increase of 14 percent since the Plano Real, Sao Paulo is facing serious garbage disposal dilemmas.

Five of seven dumps are full, with optimistic estimates giving the remaining sites only four more years.

While some Brazilians are consuming at the rates of industrialized country counterparts, effective disposal methods including recycling have not kept pace. Because of high costs, a mere 1 percent of Brazil's waste is recycled. Dumping in open trash sites is 15 times cheaper than recycling but decomposition takes more than 400 years.

In addition to the space crunch, Brazil's heaps of junk are creating ecological and health risks. Staggering amounts of computers, batteries, televisions and other appliances, so-called technology trash, are filling dumps. Experts say that toxic substances such as led from television screens are entering the earth and may be seeping into the food chain.

20

The garbage glut has created a source of income for thousands of poor Brazilians including Paraibanc. Kelson Galdino de Santos, His workweek begins every Monday at 7 am and ends around 3 pm on Saturday. A workweek similar to other northeastern Brazilian workers except for the fact that Kelson does a 24-hour shift on most Mondays and Fridays, sifting through trash for plastic, aluminum, glass, and white paper in Joao Pessoa's city garbage dump.

"You have to put in a lot of hours to make it when the resale price for most materials is less than 6 cents a kilo," de Santo's says. "If I work hard I can usually make $45 a week."

Just in Joao Pessoa, more than 500 men, women, and children work daily in the dump. Last year in an attempt to improve working conditions, de Santos and a small group of collectors organized ASTRAMARE, the Association of Recyclable Material Workers of the Roger Garbage Dump.

With the help of the Catholic Church and a university student, 40 Association members drew up a list of demands for the mayor in early 1999. That list included a large shed and better access to health care. When the mayor refused to meet with the collectors and implement the improvements, ASTRAMARE organized a march to his office in May of 1999. The mayor quickly agreed to a meeting in order to disperse the noisy crowd.

The success of the protest also attracted new members to the organization.

Pressing for higher resale prices continues to be one of the major objectives of the Association. White paper, glass, and plastic only garner 6 cents per kilo with aluminum at 60 cents.

"Prices were a lot higher three years ago," says ASTRAMARE leader Fatima de Santos (not related to Kelson), "We suspect that the six firms who buy the material are jointly setting the lower prices."

The birth of the Association was along, difficult process with many dump collectors doubting the value of working together.

Without a convenient space to meet, gathering workers is a challenge. "Our first demand continues to be a shed, "says de Santos. "Despite numerous promises, the mayor's office has not started the building."

The large shed is also needed for storing materials and equipment. Currently collectors use makeshift shacks, ineffective for keeping white paper dry, to store materials for resale.

A building would facilitate access to health area, another high priority of the Association members.

Even though ASTRAMARE's major demands have not been met yet, small victories have been won along the way. The Association secured a two-year contract to collect cans at the Camaval parties in Joao Pessoa. They are negotiating another contract to recycle at the Federal University of Paraiba. Leaders participated in citywide meetings with other social movement representatives to coordinate efforts. Attempts to get their message in the media have been successful including a campaign against dump truck workers who were illegally sorting out recyclable material for resale before reaching the dump.

"The Association is important because members see that is possible to improve things by working together, "adds Maryknoll Lay Missioner David Kane who has accompanied the dump dwellers for the last four years. "There is a great deal ofpessim ism and apathy in this group—more than I've ever seen before. Leaders take a lot of flack from nonbelievers. But as we win more and more victories, those critics are seeing the value of the Association and even joining in some cases."

Kathleen Bond is with the Maryknoll Mission Association of the Faithful. You can reach her at katiaflavio@uol.com.br BRAZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

Not Taking It Anymore Angry citizens were deciding to express frustrations and demand accountability. A growing Carioca constituency against violence had adopted 213' century tactics to organize and schedule a Sunday rally.

PHILLIP WAGNER

e bronco, corn colas nas mitos e nas janelas, As 19h, o Rio fez silencio pare dar um baste violencia e a inseguranca. 0050 mobilizou milhoes de pessoas ern nave estados, e ate o presidente Fernando Henrique yestiu a bronco da paz. No Centro do Rio, 20 mil rezaram ao lado de parentes de vitimas da vrolencia em manifestacao marcada pela emocao.

Clique aqui e leia as mensagens do Mural da Paz

BRAZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

As daylight faded on 23 J ly, 1993, dozens of homeless children returned to "roost" on the steps of the ossa Senhora da Candelaria cathedral in Rio's fmancial district. The childr n's "work day" had consisted ofrifling through garbage for bits of food, sni ftng glue to dull the senses, stealing from tourists and begging for money t intersections where their presence could not be avoided. Any one of then might exhibit violence or unpredictable behavior, and society largely ought to avoid them. All that remained in their 24-hour cycle of tormented xistence were the darker hours of their desperation and hunger. With luck, those hours might melt into worlds that could only be known to such chiliren in dreams.

But on this night the cyc e was broken. As if to emphasize that suffering can never find a lowest leve , the relative silence of sanctuary was ruptured by chaos and blood. In prem ditated retribution for an earlier incident several masked men, all but one latei identified as policemen, leapt from an unmarked car and fired indiscriminatelY into the gathering. One child was gunned down as he fled, two others and a young adult were abducted and murdered. By the time the violence subsid d 7 children and the young adult had been killed.

Brazil's Isto E (from ist4 é, or "this is") magazine recently reported that 39 of 62 survivors have since that time been killed, mostly by the police.

Most reports at the time of he massacre suggested that the number of children at Candelaria was actually 50. Amnesty International's annual report on police abuses in Brazil also gave this number. There was a second police assault on street children in another district of Rio on the same night but the Isto E article makes no ention of it. According to Isto E's figures, the I mortality rate for the "chil en of Candelaria" is about 10 percent per year; approaching 70 percent o er a 7-year period. It could actually be higher, nearly 80 percent over the ame period, since no one can seem to account for another 8.

But the whole world nows where at least one of them, Sandro do Nascimento, was on 12 Ju e of this year. Sandro commandeered a bus in the 'nice' Jardim Botanic° ommunity adjacent to both Rio's exclusive south beach zone and the infamo s Rocinhafave/a (shantytown) where he lived.

Nascimento was clearly a itated and desperate; and probably in a drug induced stupor. After all, t e juvenile courts in Rio have seen a 1,600 percent increase in the number s f drug trafficking cases involving children since 1991. Drug use in the fave as has become culturally institutionalized, and the nation that was forged i the furnaces of sugar slavery seems locked into a cycle of self-perpetuatin , self destructive, karma.

A Call to Action Any rational assessme t must concede that the Brazilian government, and a majority of its citiz ns, are striving to join in the waltz of nations pursuing progressive econ mic and social development. But the actions of Nascimento on 12 June re urrected the agonizing legacy of Candelaria and moved people in Rio to e press outrage and despair.

20-year-old Geisa F. o Goncalves, the girl killed by police when they tried to end the bus inciden ,instructed school children and lived in the same Rocinha favela as Nascim nto. She'd followed her husband from the hot, dusty, dry regions of nort eastern Brazil hoping for a better life. Geisa was an idealist whose journey ymbolized the hardships of impoverished Brazilians who seek to escape seemingly preordained fate. She also represented the extraordinary compas ion they exhibit by working with the most vulnerable among them.

Geisa had struggled to .urvive in the harsh environments of two regions in Brazil, and on 12 June s i e struggled to survive a horror that unfolded live before all of Brazil on CN . After 4 1/2 hours of uninterrupted terror Geisa died in a hail of bullets; no all of which were fired by Nascimento. June 12th, ironically, was also the pr ted release date for an issue ofNewsweek magazine whose cover trumpet ad the debate over capital punishment in the United States. The irony was corn ounded by the fact that the death penalty appears to have significantly less upport in Brazil, where an upward trending increase in violent crime co trasts with consistently falling violent crime rates in the US. Contrasting violent cr e trends in the US and Brazil against a backdrop of North American supp rt for a death penalty can be misleading. Highly publicized discussion in he US has suggested that economic prosperity, rather than harsh penalti s, is the primary reason that violent crimes have diminished there. Additi • nal data has suggested that a significant number of innocent individuals • the US may have been executed for crimes they I did not commit.

The murder rate in Ri has now reached 24.1 per 100,000 inhabitants, 21

compared with 8.5 in urban areas worldwide. And, before sunrise on 13 June, Nascimento himselfjoined the growing list of victims. Although media images had shown an apparently healthy Nascimento being apprehended, he was somehow asphyxiated while in police custody.

Cariocas, as residents of Rio are called, were outraged.

Seventy one percent ofresidents responded to a poll conducted

by Brazilian media giant 0 Globo by indicating a lack of confidence in the police. The fact is that many Brazilians consider the effects of severely marginalized existence to be largely responsible for spawning an abundance of desperate individuals who commit crimes.

A common perception is that Brazilian police are insensitive to the effects of marginal existence on the lives it produces.

This is the environment that spawned the children, and the bloodletting, of Candelaria. Veja magazine quoted Luanna Guimaraes Belmont, an acquaintance of Geisa and a fellow hostage on the bus, as responding to the apparent extra-judicial execution of Nascimento by saying, "I never wished for his death. I only wish he had never existed."

Public outcry over the handling of the hijacking precipitated the firing of the state's Secretary of Security (Secretaria de Seguranca do Estado do Rio de Janeiro) and the resignation of the head of the Battalion of Special Operations (Batalhao de Operacoes Especiais), or BOPE. (BOPE units are equivalent to American SWAT teams, and the development ofBOPE training included consultation and assistance from US law enforcement representatives.) But the violence continued. On 13 June, businessman Carlos Bessa and lawyer Monica Lopes were also murdered in the vicinity of Rio. March Against Violence Computer keys began to click and messages flashed from monitor to monitor around the city. Angry citizens were deciding to express frustrations and demand accountability. A growing Carioca constituency against violence had adopted 21" century tactics to organize and schedule a Sunday rally. They would gather on the Avenida Vieira Souto that parallels a beach made famous by Tom Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes in their bossa nova anthem "The Girl from Ipanema."

State Deputy, Carlos Minc, a member of the Partido dos Trabalhadores (Workers' Party) and representatives of Viva Rio—an organization dedicated to the reduction of violence in Brazil's "glamour city"—accompanied the procession as it solemnly proceeded at a mournful pace to the haunting cadence of drum beats. A banner at the head of the procession read LUTO PELA PAZ, or "mourn for the peace".

The northbound lane of Ipanema's divided beach front Avenida closes to automobile traffic on Sundays. This allows joggers, cyclists, skate borders, in-line skaters and casual strollers an opportunity to stretch muscles and relieve tensions before taking on a new week. But on 17 June it seemed to be print journalists and television crews darting about at the head of the procession commandeering the lane that most benefited from the fresh salt air and exercise.

Many befuddled tourists were apparently unaware of the proceedings and their purpose. 'They joined with local residents in sidestepping the throng of placard wielding protestors who inched forward like a lava flow methodically consuming the territory that lay in its path. The crowd was generally well disciplined and peaceful, a boon to the many vendors who profited from extra attention as curiosity seekers swelled normal beach attendance.

There were brief interruptions punctuated by heated discussion when a group concerned about homeless children in the adjacent beachfront community of Leblon twice unveiled a large banner in front of the march. The group from Leblon argued that the overwhelming legacy of marginal existence and suffering can't be separated from what threatens the security of Rio's middle and upper classes. But protest organizers angrily replied that the march needed to remain tightly focused 22

on only the issues of violence and police conduct. In the midst of all this anger and frustration an outsider looking in could easily fail to recognize the more positive signs of growing public pressure for concerted effort to resolve probjems.

In the days leading up to the march, Isto E seemed to offer the most even handed coverage among print media, including the personal profile of a member ofBOPE who had participated in the June 12 proceedings at Jardim Botanic°. The story revealed that BOPE units, although representing the "elite" of Brazilian law enforcement, are woefully underpaid and function under pressures that can hardly be imagined. A postCandelaria government proposal to seriously adOress the issue of police salaries had never been acted on. kw E also reported that the distraught policeman responsible por Geisa's death is now undergoing psychological counseling.

In further response to the national outcry, President Fernando Henrique Cardoso and Minister of Justice Jose Gregori unveiled an aggressive plan to reduce crime by at least 10 percent in the coming year. Another national campaign to combat the rapidly expanding trafficking of drugs was also announced. But these strategies, while perhaps necessary, leave important questions unanswered. Is the escalating violence in, and around, Rio symptomatic of the fact that problems are not being effectively addressed because political and business priorities are being allowed to supercede the national interest?

And is there really sufficient focus on eliminating the social conditions that spawned the children of Cande laria and Sandro do Nascimento?

Special Footnote: Long time residents and social activists who congregated under a bright yellow sun in Ipanema around midday on 17 June included Vasda Landers, a friend of N orth America's preeminent Brazilianist Thomas Skidmore. Vasda received a doctoral degree in Brazilian and Latin American Literature, and is a professor at Colombia University in New York.

Originally from Rio, Vasda has for 35 years shuttled to and from the United States where she lives with her American husband Clifford. She was accompanied by activist lawyer Maria do Carmo and environmental activist Marisa Jurberg.

Jurberg has been prominently involved in efforts to forestall commercial development on one ofthe great landmarks in Rio; the Dois Irmaos, or "two brothers" promontory.

Dois Irmaos defines the end point of Leblon, the southernmost stretch of beach along Rio's famed south zone. Marisa believes that a succession ofenvironmental issues and ecological near disasters have awakened the consciousness of local residents. She asserts that this is contributing to a growing propensity of Cariocas to step forward and "draw a line in the sand". Evidence supporting her conclusion includes a recent massive polluting of the Freitas lagoon, the proposed opening of a tunnel to the Barra de Tijuca district, the break in a submerged sewage pipeline off Ipanema beach, and proposed development of Dois Irmaos.

And, as if to underscore her point, serious fires in Tijuca National Forest broke out following Festa de Sao Joao celebrations on 24 June. Tijuca, nestled in and around the city of Rio, is the world's largest urban national forest. The fires there were precipitated by a dangerous Brazilian tradition. Each year, during the festival of St. John, Brazilians in some regions release balloons with small baskets containing lit candles. There have been years when these "fire balloons" have been considered a threat to air traffic in and around the world's third (or is it second now?) largest city, Sao Paulo.

Phillip Wagner is a free-lance photojournalist, a frequent traveler to Brazil and a regular contributor to Brazzil magazine. Phillip is graduate of Indiana University and hopes to one day pursue'post- graduate study focusing on Brazil. Visit Phillip's Brazil websites at http://www.ielnet/ —pwagner/brazilhome.htm . Phillip may be contacted at pwagner@iei.net .

BRAZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

The film Brazil remains a cult classic and proby the best cinematic version of a dystopia—the osite of a perfect world "utopia"—ever proed. But, as is often noted, it is set in some fuistic British-prototype future world that has thing to do with the country, Brazil, but rather ws implicitly upon the myth of the exotic land portrayed in an anglicized version of the 1939 Barroso hit Brazil. It might be said that the real azilian dystopia is actually a novel published not ch earlier than 1984 (ironically, given the staof George Orwell's 1984 as the quintessential stopian novel) and set appropriately in a future azil.

In this Brazil, the "System" has taken control nearly every aspect of life beyond closed doors der the guise of protecting Brazilians against the ourges of overpopulation, environmental degration, scarcity of food and water, and an unbeara le sun. Ignacio de Loyola Brandao's Não Vercis Pais Nenh m (You Will See No Country) is a dystopia as shocking a Brazil and 1984 but more foreseeable than both.

Brandao ' s work does not shy from the controversial; indeed, his novel Zero was banned in the 1970s for it satire ofthe oppressive Brazilian military. Released in an English translation as And Still the Earth by Avon/Bard during the Latin literary craze of the mid-1980s, Nab Veras Pais Nenhum is an amazing forecast of a Brazil to the extreme, environmental degradation galore, oligarchic capitalism in overdrive. Brando takes the dominance of the "North" in global markets to its seIn Nao Veras Pais Nenhum, the crime problems of today pale in vere logical end—Brazil has sold comparison to the daily shootouts and home invasions. In Ignacio off the best parts of the Northeast to de Loyola Brandao's future Brazil, a small minority upper class "multinationals"—Germans, Japanese, British, French, Americans. advances protected by the military in gated communities isolated TheNordestino(northeasterner)nafrom the suffering masses who go for days without food. tives have been forced to leave their own land, flooding the outskirts of JOE JARAMILLO Sao Paulo and other large cities. To ensure a stable market economy within Brazil, the System requires every citizen to consume a set quota of goods from the weekly government-run market. The failure to do so is punished by fine.

The environmental situation in this future Brazil is also shocking. All of the trees in the Amazon have been cut down, causing an accelerated global warming that ends all rainfall in Brazil for years and creates deadly pockets of heat at ground level that will melt whatever enters them instantly. All the rivers and lakes of Brazil have dried, and waste and pollution from the cities are piped into the ocean.

Water, food, and alcohol—all scarce resources— are rationed by coupon. The System produces synthetic food because the climate is too hot to harvest vegetables and most animal life has perished due to the heat, toxic contamination, or rampant poaching.

Overpopulation causes the System to enforce NIL

BRAZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

23

sterility and restrict the buses and the neighborhoods in which one can travel, and automobiles are outlawed. Migrants unable to make it into the cities are held at bay in encampments where they face the grueling sun and toxic pollution and produce offspring without limbs, hair or skin. Even the relatively better off city-dwellers with apartments suffer from new forms of cancer, birth defects, and deformities.

The System itself is symbolically led by a president who everyone knows is senile and has no power, but is really led by different rival military factions, all with the official seal of the government. The System is a government structure that is so right wing it has become the extreme left form of government— totalitarian socialism. To secure its power, it has taken control of all major sectors of soc iety under the guise of protecting Brazilians from the brave, new world in which they live. Sadly but realistically, the people by and large acquiesce, too concerned about maintaining a steady source of water, food, shelter, and safety from the migrating Nordestinos to rebel.

Citizens must carry their identity cards with them at all times so that the civil guard can make sure they are staying within their designated pedestrian and residential zones. Shoot outs between the civil guard and "suspects" on the street have become such a common occurrence that pedestrians are accustomed to "hitting the dirt" to avoid gunfire on a daily basis. The System's control extends into the minds of Brazilians as well. It prohibits "bad news," meaning speech critical of the government, and controls all media outlets, constantly pumping propaganda about government-produced goods and the coming "Marquee" which will cover the sky and protect Brazilians from the scorching sun. The government-produced synthetic food is laced with tranquilizers so the public will be less apt to protest the increasingly harsh conditions of life.

The Smell of Grass Amidst this setting in Sao Paulo, we find our protagonist, Souza, a fifty year-old history professor who loses his post because he reveals too much ofthe pre-System past to his students and is forced into a monotonous, useless, number-shuffling job, much like Sam Lowry's in Brazil's Ministry of Information or Winston Smith's in 1984. Unlike Lowry or Smith, Souza is married. Like Winston Smith he leads a life of habit and monotony that manages to persist despite increasing scarcity of food and water, restriction on freedom of travel, and the suppression of all news critical of the government.

Souza recognizes the desperation ofthe situation, but trudges on until one day he notices an itching in the palm of one of his hands. He scratches and scratches until eventually the irritation becomes a hole that goes straight through the hand. His wife Adelaide, who has adapted with even less protest to the System's controls, tells him to have it checked by the doctor. But Souza hides it, fearful of be ing sent away in isolation and skeptical that the state-run medical system would actually offer a viable cure in this world of mutants and deformities.

Yet, the hole in his hand spurs Souza on to think about his past, the smell of fresh cut grass, his lumberjack grandfather, and swimming in a pool of water—an impossible situation in the water-scarce Brazil. This hole in the hand becomes a symbol for Souza's alienation with the System, jerking him out of passive resistance to its totalitarianism into active skepticism.

Where Souza is so skeptical and critical of the System that he simply "drops out," not caring of whether he loses his alienating job, his nephew is a total pragmatist. The nephew joins the "new army," the Mili-Tech, and uses his privileged position to sell Northeastern migrants the right to invade apartments, 24

including eventually Souza's own. Souza proceeds virtually unfazed as his wife leaves him because he refuses to have the hole in his hand treated and he loses his number-counting job.

His nephew shuttles four bald men into his house and asks that he let him stay there as they stockpile food rations, and the neighbors grow skeptical. But things change one day as he meets an old professor colleague, Tadeu, turned elevator operator and they venture off into forbidden zones to witness crying mutants settled underneath piles of aluminum cans, an abandoned highway full of vandalized cars. Tadeu takes Souza to a secret plant and animal refuge that he and a few friends have started. Souza can hardly believe there are animals left in Brazil, and he knows only the very rich can afford plants, for which they trade fine works of art. Unfortunately, when they arrive at the reserve, it is ablaze in a fire and little animals lie on the ground half-eaten and torn apart. The mutants had invaded it.

Separated from his colleague after this incident by restricted bus and pedestrian zones, Souza must fend for him self when his bald houseguests murder suspicious neighbors who have eyes for Souza's relatively spacious four-room apartment and the stockpile of food his "guests" have accumulated. He ruminates about his relationship with his wife, progressing from not missing her at all to wishing she were there. Throughout it all, he curiously never takes any action to find out where she is. He asks his nephew, who pretends not to know, but eventually divulges that she is fine and he cannot reveal here whereabouts.

From his nephew and his neighbors, Souza eventually finds out Adelaide was not the woman be thought she was. When he would go to his number-crunching job, she came alive, playing piano and dressing in revealing clothes he never saw until her personal trunk, which he is forced by the bald men to dump, is ripped open by deformed migrants who put on the low tops and short skirts. It seems that Souza's alienation from the System ran so deep that he even alienated himself from the person most close to him.

Brandao portrays a harsh, dog-eat-dog world that is the logical consequence of unfettered global capitalism in a country like Brazil, that teeters on the edges of the "first" and "third" worlds. What for many today are unfortunately the faceless hordes of thefavelas and sertiio become the bald and deformed mutants of the future struggling for water, food, and a place hidden from the lethal sun. What is today an endangered Amazon forest, is a desert—heralded misguidedly by the System as the eighth wonder of the world. What is today a Brazilian economy dominated by foreign multinationals, is in Nelo Veras Pais Nenhum, a Nordeste (Northeastern Brazil) that is literally sold to them.

Worse Everyday The crime problems of today pale in comparison to the daily shootouts and home invasions of the future Brazil. In Brandao's future Brazil, governments symbolically rise and fall, but a small minority upper class advances protected by the military in gated communities with swimming pools, abundant food, and water, isolated from the suffering masses who go for days without food and value water more than gold.

Like the other great modern dystopian novels, Brandao presents this chilling world through a protagonist that is ordinary, harmless, and in denial of the oppression of the System until they are virtually pushed up against its wall. In 1984, Brazil, and Nei() Veras Pais Nenhum, the lead character unravels the fabric of the dystopia and seeks for some way to escape its clutches and find a better life. He even gets a brie f and shocking glimpse of an elite who lives behind a large wall and have BRAZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

swimming pools and probably natural food as well, in the face of the severe water and food shortage.

However, in Brandao's tale, life never gets better, as Souza ends up beneath the fable Marquee, protected from the sun but not much else.

Brandao provides a nice counterpoint when Souza, wandering aimlessly, runs into Elisa, a nineteen year old former university student (the university shut down during a student strike), whose only goal in life is to avoid heat stroke and survive. As Elisa explains to the mucholder Souza, "Maybe the world looks like ruins to you because you're a relic from the past, you see things in comparison to the way things were. For me, this is the world.... It's all I've got, the only thing to do is live in it." Elisa, who Souza notes looks like a former Miss Brazil from Bahia, is the new Brazilian. She is a survivalist, finding food, shelter, and sex where she can, but not letting the heat get to her. In this new Brazil, the trick is to keep moving, to improvise, and to adapt to an ever-worsening situation.

This is the real, quintessential modern dystopia. It captures the inequality of the North-South dynamic, the injustice of the elite rich exploiting the rest of society, as well as the unfortunate tendency of the masses to struggle on without organized rebellion in the face of grueling oppression. This is the real Brazil. More realistic, hard-hitting, and disconcertingly relevant than Terry Gilliam's cinematic dystopia, Brandao's disturbing vision of a future Brazil, which could be a future "any country," is eerily close to George Orwell's presentation of the future in 1984: a world in which power is not simply the means but an end in and of itself, "a boot stomping on a human face—forever."

Joe Jaramillo is an attorney in San Francisco who loves Brazilian music, culture, and literature. He has too much faith in Brazil to believe that Ma Verds Pais Nenhum could ever come true, but he recognizes that the novel has lasting value as a critique of authoritarianism and unfettered capitalism.

He can be reached at j jaramillo0 1 Asprynet.com

BRAZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

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Excerpt from And Still the Earth (Ndo Verds Pais Nenh um), 1985 Avon/Bard Edition: It was a sort of low scream. Or one low scream added to another until they became just one sound. Painful, but almost artificiallt must be the wind in the dunes, I thought to myself. But a wind that (literally) wails? I stopped and stared at the piles and piles of green cans, oxidized, practically soldered together.

But there was no wind. If there were, the dust on the road wouldn't be so still, smooth, and flat like a newly made bed. I look behind me and see the neat furrow my body has made as I crawled along. I keep moving. Finally the sound reaches me, loud and clear. Now there's no mistaking it: human moans.

—Do people live there?

— Thousands of them, yes. There are caves inside the mountains of cans.

—But during the day, with the sun, it must heat up in there something awful. The must roast to death.

—But they don't. It's the "Brazilian miracle.'

—I can't believe it.

—There's some sort of mechanism they haven't figured out yet. Apparently, the <.-•• cans get so cold overnight that it takes a long time for them to heat up again. Just )o, when they're beginning to, the sun's already on its way down, so it's actually pretty • cool in there. Or at least that's the hypothesis. Everything changes so fast these days you can never be sure you understand what's going on. eivii/x4.,-.*Amt.44-0146V —How did you fmd out about them?

• —A couple of members of our group work at the first aid station nearby. I've • never been there myself, I just read the reports they:or;.

10.Th;:w aj,:rity 4.14,41 oft1 ; te people • , under there are crazy.

—Crazy? You mean out of their minds?

—Yes, basically. They're semi-imbecilic. Incapacitated. Living in a prone po- • sition. They scream because they 'rein constant pain—they never sleep, they're always : nervous, irritated, in a state of unbel evable tension.

—But who are they?

—No one in particular. Migrants, ostly. The majority ofthem from Pernambuco , •• slum dwellers who lived in swampy areas subsisting on crabs.

—That sounds harmless enough.

— Except that the crabs were contaminated with high doses of DDT—public health's idea of how to clean up the area. There's nothing we can do for them now, they're condemned.

—The System should do something to help them.

—Are you kidding? Why should the System lift a finger? These people pose no • danger, they're completely passive, they don't even get up off the ground. The dead • ones are carted off by the dozens. That's the only thing the System does take care•. of. Think about it, why should these unfortunate people interest them? They're hardly • • potential consumers. At the most, they represent just another social problem. a • —What's your group doing for them?

• • —We bring them food when we can. A little water. Not much help, really, but • we're experimenting, giving them vegetables, trying to detoxify them. No positive • • .4 A" ,-rt.,. , t • results so far.

0 • —You're feeding them vegetab es? .0 • —Uh-huh. Lettuce, tomatoes, sqyash. What's the matter, you look like you never • • • heard of them?

• • • —Fresh ones or synthetic?

• —Souza! Surely you know that synthetic food is just a slower form of poison.

--Sure, but without it we'd all be dead already.

—Don't you know what they're up to with the stuff that comes out of the labs?

6, —Money, I suppose, another kind of power over us.

• —Sure, but in this case, that's Tt all.

—What do you mean?

•• •—They put chemical additives in the food, tranquilizers. Minute doses which • ,• affect the organism in subtle ways, slowly eroding individual will, making us more •• • accommodating. Why do you think people are so passive, so calm? Because ofthreats, • •• Civil Guards, or this whole business of spies and inspectors? No, Souza, the system : . doesn't have to worry, they've found an infallible method of getting people to • • conform. Just introduce tranquiliz rs directly into the bloodstream.

• • (pages 111-113) • • • • 46.4:41(44'

•

• 25

—I never make a mistake.

—Then it was the hooded ones' mistake.

—Not possible.

—Weren't they getting orders from you?

—They were—command 3549 scratched his head.

—They never get mad or rebel themselves?

—Never.

—Why? —Because they were born underground, I've already told you that.

"Alguem certamente havia caluniado Josef K, pois uma manila ele foi detido sem ter feito mal algum".

Franz Kafka Certanoite os encapuzados tocaram a campainha da casa do homem, e perguntaram a empregada que lhes abriu a porta: --Onde estao seu patxdo? 0 que ele esta fazendo?

—No escritOrio, pensando—respondeu ela.

—Entao no tern erro. Va e chame—comandaram.

0 homem chegou A porta e, educadamente, cumprimentou os encapuzados.

—Nosso ar condicionado pifou—falou urn deles.

Os outros em eco.

—Pifou, pifou, pifou.

—Ndo estou entendendo —Nem precisa. Vamos.

— Mas ndo sou tecnico de ar condicionado, e ir para onde?

— Nosso ar condicionado pi fou—repetiram, seguraram ohomem, colocaram um a venda nos seus olhos, e partiram de carro, levando-o.

Depois de uma longa viagem, o carro estacionou em frente a um castelo. Os encapuzados empurraram O homem para uma salabranca enorme, com janelas altas, tiraram a venda dos seus olhos, e disseram ao gordo sentado a uma mesa comprida circundada p or cadeiras vazias: —Aqui esta ele. A empregada falou que estava pensando.

0 homem dirigiu-se ao gordo.

—Boa noite, deve ter havido urn engano. Quem 6 o senhor?

—Como, ndo sabe quem eu sou?—respondeu o gordo, que suava em bicas e se abanava corn uma folha de jornal.

26

BR,AZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

—Tenho certeza que nunca fomos apresentados.

—Agora já me conhece.

—Mas gostaria de saber o seu nome.

—Comando 3549.

— Houve um engano, comando 3549, nao entendo nada de ar condicionado.

—Nao houve, é voce mesmo o homem. A sua empregada disse que estava pensando.

—Mas todo mundo pensa. 0 senhor ndo pensa?

—Claro, mas penso diferente, de acordo corn eles.

0 homem apontou os encapuzados, de p6, em volta da mesa.

—Corn eles?

—Claro que lido! Corn os comandos mais altos.

—Entdo o pensamento ndo 6 seu, é deles.

—Mas é meu tambem.

—Por que the disseram ou porque o senhor acha?

— Porque me disseram. Esta querendo me ofender?

—De modo algum, querendo me esclarecer. isso que atrapalha.

—Esta sugerindo que eu fique nas trevas?

0 comando deu urn murro na mesa.

— Estou dizendo que ndo seja imbecil, e coopere.

—Mas... cooperar em que?

— Consertar meu ar condicionado.-0 suor descia pelo seu rosto balofo, molhava a sua camisa.

—JA disse que ndo entendo do assunto.

—Mas devia porque estou precisando. NA° estava pensando?

—0 que tern a ver ar condicionado corn o que eu pensava?

—Entao diga uma coisa—comando 3549 colocou uma fita no gravador.—Que lingua d essa?

0 homem ouviu atentamente.

—Ndo conheco.

—Como nao conhece? Ndo estava pensando?

—E para pensar 6 imprescindivel conhecer todas as linguas? 0 senhor disse que pensava etambem nao conhece.

—Claro, penso o que estou pensando.—Parou a fita, olhou o homem, sacudiu os ombros--Ignorante!

0 senhor pinta?

—Ndo. — E se pintasse, o que pintaria?

—Se eu fosse urn artista talvez soubesse.

—Por que talvez?

—Porque urn artista nao é obrigado a saber o que vai fazer.

—Se ndo é urn artista, como sabe?

—Porque conheco varios, já Ii muito, vi muito, ouvi muito.

—E isso basta para conhecer o artista?

—Nao, mas cid algumas informacoes importantes.

—Por que s6 algumas?

—Porque ndo sou pretensioso.

—Nao poderia pintar coin essas informacoes?

—Ndo se pinta corn informacoes. E necessario alguma coisa mais, algo que nasce corn a gente mas nem sempre se descobre logo, muitas vezes fica em estado latente.

—Estado latente... claro! Claro! E comando 3549 6 urn posto muito importante, ndo sabe?

— Evidente—disse o homem sentindo que a situacdo piorava.

—0 senhor já descobriu o seu estado latente? Ja BRAZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

devia saber.

—Ndo sei o que ndo fOco, o que ndo aprendi, o que ndo Ii. S6 sei o que sei, no mais ndo me intr meto e quando quero me informar pergunto respeitosamente. Posso f er uma pergunta?

—Depende, pergunt e correr risco.

—Eu corro. Quem sã • eles?-0 homem apontou para os encapuzados que continuavam em pe, urn ao lado do outro, em volta da mesa.

—Pergunta inteligen Sdo meus homens.

—Por que os capuze ?

—Porque nao resiste a luz, nasceram debaixo da terra.

—E os olhos mostr ?

—Para cumprir minh s ordens, de mais ninguem—disse comando corn empafia.

—Por que lido se sent m A mesa, tao grande, cercada de tantas cadeiras vazias?

—Porque o comand sou eu. Eles ndo precisam sentar, esti° s6 para receber ordens.

0 homem irritado.

—Foram feitos em f brica?

—Como feitos em f brica?

—Preparados em al uma fabrica especial?

—Esta sugerindo qu sou burro?—Comando 3549 deu um murro na mesa.

—Absolutamente!

—Ndo sabe que ho ens lido sdo fabricados?

—Bem... no inicio o.

—Como no inicio?

0 homem se contev —Ignorancia minha —SO ignorancia me mo. E eu que determinei que eles o trouxessem por ser inteligente... Ag ra duvido.

—Devia duvidar, ter erteza—falou o homem esperancoso.-0 senhor se enganou.

—Nunca me engan —Entdo o engano f i dos encapuzados.

—Tambem nao.

—Ndo estavam rec bendo ordens suas?

—Estavam—coma do 3549 cocou a cabeca.

—Nunca se initam • u se revoltam?

—Nunca.

—Por que?

—Porque nasceram debaixo da terra, já disse.

0 homem voltou a sistir.

—Por que, entdo, a mesa comprida e tantas cadeiras vazias?

—Porque sendo s6 minha, em cada momento sento na cadeira que quiser.

—Existem outras esas grandes assim, corn cadeiras vazias?

—Ndo—falou o co ando orgulhoso, sacudindo a panca.

—Entdo tudo tern 4 ver corn o nnmero 3549.

—Como?

—Questa° de cad stro. Na medida em que o Tinnier° do cadastro diminui, diminui tamb m o tamanho da mesa, o ninnero de cadeiras. Acho que entendi.

—Entendeu o que.—comando 3549 estava curioso.

—Que a mesa do rOmero 1 ndo precisa ser grande, mas tern que ser especial.

—Ndo entendi, ex lique rapid°.

—Que os encapuz dos somente estdo em volta da mesa maior, e que ao chegar aos nirmero menores a situacdo se modifica. 0 amen° 1 ndo pode matar diretamen e—o homem parou, corrigiu.—Ndo pode poluir diretamente. Conhece o numero 1?

—Conheco.

—JA falou corn el ?

—Por enquanto nã , é muito ocupado. Por que tantas perguntas? Quem faz as perguntas sou eu berrou comando 3549, martelando de novo a mesa corn as mdos fechada —0 runner° 1 nap pode poluir ostensivamente—repetiu o homem mesmo sabendo que c perigo aumentava.

27

memoria curta!

Comando 3549 nao entendia de poluicao.

—ELM) como sabem a resposta das charadas?

—Nao sou o niimero menor, sou comando 3549. Minha mesa —Porque eu ensinei, charada é muito importante. Se muito major porque sou muito importante. Ndo ye quantos eles sabem poi que o senhor nao sabe nenhuma? encapuzados estdo as minhas ordens?

—Exatamente por isso.

— Claro que sim, claro que sim, posso perguntar onde o senhor — Mas é tao simples! nasceu?

— xatamente por isso—repetiu o homem.

—Por que?

—E assim tdo burro? Entdo, como estava pensando?

— Questa° de curiosidade. Eu nasci nesta cidade... bem... bem....

— Sou burro mesmo, urn asno, e vai ver nem estava = na verdade ndo sei onde estou. E o senhor? pensando o homem sentiu ser aquela a sua ultima chance.

—Eu sou de Paralapiacopeba. Conhece?

—Vou lhe dar as respostas : é branco, é passa, é choco—Ndo. late.

—Nunca ouviu falar?

— E se ndo for?

—Nunca.

—Mas so tern que ser.

—Se é inteligente, como ndo conhece Paralapiacopeba?

— E se eu disser que nem sempre o cavalo é branco, a —Especialmente. passa a velhinha, e o choco chocolate?-0 homem estava — Especialmente por que? consciente que deixara passar a sua Ultima oportunidade.

— 0 numero 1 do cadastro conhece?

— Mas tern que ser, já esta determinado.

—Claro que sim.

—E se existir outra verdade, a que esta por tras do —Tern certeza? cavalo, da velhinha, do cachorro?

—Claro porque 6 claro, e tenho certeza porque tenho. " —Ndo pode, eu determino, e determino aos enca— Eu ndo teria. Os encapuzados conhecem, rid° é verdade? puzados, ao senhor—comando 3549 levantou-se bufando, — Evidente, eu contei, sdo obrigados a saber. sacudindo o corpo, os bracos. Voltou a sentar.

—Paralapiacopeba e longe demais.

—Mas isso é falta de lOgica. kV 011.410.

—Como sabe se disse que ndo conhece?

— E lOgica porque eu determino, quero e posso —Se o senhor esta aqui agora, se é cadastro 3549, e sua mesa 6 a major de todas, significa que a situacdo é inversamente proporcional determinar que é lOgica.

—Mas lOgica é coerencia. ao niimero 1 do cadastro, e diretamente proporcional a distancia de — Esta duvidando da minha cultura? sua terra natal. Ou seja, se o senhor esta aqui agora, e que —Claro que ndo. E uma questao de conhecer o terreno Paralapiacopeba deve ser tdo pequena e tao longe, que nem consta do mapa. 0 numero 1, na certa nasceu au na esquina—o homem deu antes das estacas serem plantadas.

—Isso é verdade—comando 3549 levantou-se de novo, uma gargalhada, depois p6s as mdos no rosto, sentindo que o cansaco e o absurdo da situacdo comecavam a interferir em sua sanidade dando pulinhos de satisfacdo.—E isso mesmo, conheco engenharia e jamais plantaria meus pes em terreno mental.—Entendeu? movedico. LOgica é nunca errar.

—Claro que sim, nao sou burro.

—Ndo é assim. Pode errar sem perder a logica, e pode — Entdo por que ndo aceitar? perder a lOgica sem errar.

—Ace itar o que?

—Se errar num campo de batalha, perco a lOgica.

— Que nao posso consertar seu ar condicionado.

— Se errar num campo de batalha, pode perder é a vida.

—Mas pifou—comando enxugou o suor do rosto na manga da Num campo o que existe é a tecnica comandada, o resto cam isa. atrapalha.

0 coro repetiu: Comandos sdo muito sensiveis a envolvimento, por —Pifou, pifou, pifou. isso 3549 continuou aceitando o absurdo do interrogatorio —Mande chamar urn tecnico, é a melhor solucdo.

— Mas quem estava pensando era o senhor, e precisamos, invertido.

—Por que atrapalha? tambem, de alguem que entenda de linguas e de pintura. ,14 .4-416 41 —Porque quem vai para a guerra sdo os encapuzados.

— Por que?

— Mas os encapuzados ndo podem pensar, seo obe—0 porque ndo sei, sO sei que precisamos.

—Mas tambem lido sou poliglota nem pintor—o homem fez decem.

—Por isso mesmo é que vdo. mencdo de sentar-se, estava exausto.

—Esta querendo dizer...

Corn o indicador, comando 3549 apontou o homem para os 0 homem ndo esperou o fim da pergunta. encapuzados, que deram urn passo e socaram o seu est6mago.

—Que a culpa deles é relativa.

Para nab se meter a besta, ninguem sentana minha frente, exijo — — Nao foi isso que eu ia perguntar. respeito—falou comando.—E me diga uma coisa, pelo menos —Se o senhor fosse logico teria perguntado se ja jantei. entende de charada?

— E o que tern lOgica a ver...

—Depende.

0 homem interrompeu.

— Me diga: qual a cor do cavalo branco, do filho de Napoleao?

—Tern a ver corn o meu estomago. Me pergunta, me E uma velhinha toda enrugadinha, passa, passa, passa é, quem nao pergunta—insistiu descontrolado. adivinhar tolo 6? E cachorro no choco, cachorro late?

— Jajantou?—perguntou o comando, sem entender por —Ndo sei nenhuma. que se submetia aquela situacdo.

—Como ndo sabe se todo mundo sabe?

—Ndo. E o senhor?

—Quern 6 o todo mundo?

—Ora... o mundo inteiro, os todos.

— Entdo onde esta a sua lOgica? perguntou o homem.

—Os todos sdo os todos de Paralapiacopeba?

—0 que tern a ver lOgica corn o estomago?

—Claro que ndo. De Paralapiacobepa sou eu s6.

— Tudo. Tern a ver que a logica para o estomago é uma —Entdo, quern sdo os todos? questdo de fome. Se ele ndo tern mais fome, morre.

— Os encapuzados, por exemplo.

— Ele quem?

—Mas eles nem sdo os todos, e nem sdo de Paralapiacopeba, ou — 0 estOmago, e o dono do estomago, claro. ski?

Comando 3549 ficou tdo furioso que derrubou todas — Claro que rid°, nasceram debaixo da terra. Como o senhor tern 28

BRAZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

as cadeiras ao redor da mesa. E berrou histerico.

—Quern pensa que eu sou? Quem esta pensando que 6? Esta incluido no artigo 5654445577788770086765438797.

Levem esse filho da mae—gritou para os encapuzados.

Os encapuzados levaram o homem para atone do castelo, e o atiraram em uma jaula, onde ficou sem alimento, sem agua.

Urn mes depois, comando 3549 subiu tone, entrou na jaula, e disse ao homem.

—Vai fazer um teste de inteligencia— jogou-lhe um impress°, uma caneta.Sao 50 paginas corn 20 perguntas em cada uma. Total: 1000 perguntas. Tern um segundo para responder cada uma. Os encapuzados se encarregarAo do controle.

Comecar—disse urn encapuzado.

Olha o tempo—disseram todos eles.— Olha o tempo—repetiram espetando o homem corn pontas agucadas.

—Entregar—disseram em coro, continuando a sangrar o homem. Tiraram o impresso das maos dele e o entregaram ao comando 3549.

— Seu resultado—disse comando 3549, ao homem emborcado em urn canto da jaula.—Quero ser justo. Vou dar o resultado do seuteste—repetiu.—Nao quer saber?

Nenhuma resposta.

—Nao quer saber?—voltou a perguntar comando 3549.

Nenhuma resposta.

—Seu resultado—insistiu o comando, no se importando corn o silencio do homem.-0 senhor disse a verdade : nAo tecnico de ar condicionado, nem pintor, nem poliglota, nem inteligente. Qual a sua defesa?

Nenhuma resposta.

—Qual a sua defesa?—insistiu.

Nenhuma resposta.

Comando 3549 virou o corpo do homem corn o 1)6.

—Era burro mesmo, e no sabia de nada. Como perdi meu tempo!

This short story is called "Fabula" in the original. Maria Helena Whately, its author, was born and lives in the neighborhood of Leblon in Rio de Janeiro. She's graduated in Journalism and Geography and has retired from her work as geographer at Fundacao IBGE, where she published several technical papers. She also taught geography at Rio's Universidade Gama Filho. In 1998, Whately published the novel Os Seios de Eva ( Editora Record—Rosa dos Tempos). She has just released a new novel, E Assim Mesmo, through Editora Razfto Cultural. Rosa Rainha, her new short story book, will be released in 2001.

You may contact the author by e-mail at helenawhately@angelfire.com BRAZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

The Alley's Vampire Pretty thing are yt I thought cynically, coveting the gorgeous young fas ist and his toys, among them a stunning blonde wife, a sychologist graduated from Objetivo College, ideal heigh and weight, according to Vogue and way too worried about being a perfect hostess.

MARCIA DENSER

A lido ser pelo film japones em cartaz, nao havia nenhum interesse em sair corn a ele sujeito, poeta, que,se ostentava como "maldito" sO para pod r filar seu canapezinho de caviar nas altas rodas. Um guru de fach da, meio sobre o charlatao cOsmico, adepto que era de uma esoteri a seita oriental, babaca como tantas outras, e usando tudo isso em roveito prOprio. Pelo menos no era burro.

Disso resultavam as s sOes de massagem transcendental nas madames corn hora marc a, ou mesmo sem ela, ao sabor das prisoes de ventre, dores de co o e outras piorreias. No era mesmo burro.

Feioso, devia viver f into de came fresca mas, passando-se por espiritual, ia tirando su s casquinhas. A conversa era inconsistente, cheia de expressoes pe antes e, ate pela sintaxe, tdo emaranhada em 29

meandros que obviamente nao levavam a parte alguma, notava-se a etema fome do cara. Uma especie de vaga ansiedade piedosa de algo que rodeia e rodeia aquilo que seria urn alvo nao tivesse ele ern mira outra coisa. Por exemplo: enquanto sua boca passeava pela evolucao daenergia cOsmica, seus olhos hipnotizavam-se (bem como toda a sua alma) num ponto qualquer entre meus seios, e a energia cosmica ia e vinha, subia e descia, jamais se perdia, evolava e se desenrolava, mas nao chegava a nenhum lugar, uma vez que o verdadeiro objeto-daquele papo ester-it permanecia fora de alcance.

A arengatambem seriahipnotizante: eu me sentia como uma crianca birrenta que nao quer donnir ou urn animal relutante em cair na armadilha.

0 tat filme japones fora realmente born, um monumento poetic°, um estudo profundo sobre as paix6es humanas, etc. e assim eu poderia falar sobre ele ad nauseam, mas.o Poeta apenas emitiu suas impressoes assim: "E barra! Que barra! E uma barra!" dizendo-as de maneiras diferentes e impostando a voz num diapasao enfatico que partia da traqueia, explodindo num mid° seco e rouco, feito urn peido bucal, e como se a palavra "barra" contivesse, nao digo o significado de todo o universo, mas, pelo menos, de todo o filme. Isso nofim da fita. Durante esteve todo o tempo tentando pegar no meu braco. Um verdadeiro saco. Entao eu me perguntava: por que sair corn aquele cara? Era desses feriados tediosos, todos os amigos queridos, todos os sujeitos interessantes, todas as am igas disponiveis viajando, restando os neuroticos, os chatos e os vampiros na cidade.

Ja era uma boa raid°. Depois, eu apenas desconfiava de tudo isso, aindanao configurara uma imagemnitida do Poeta na minha cabeca.

Na hora "H" fico possuida duma puxassaquice panica por agradar, mais preocupada corn o efeito que corn o objeto propriamente dito.

Posso acabar fascinando Dracula em pessoa, sem dar pela coisa. Dai me livrar do monstro já é outra estoria.

Como nesses classicos de horror, ao sairmos do cinema "um vento gelid° acoitou-nos os ossos". Confesso que nao fiquei surpreendida quando o Poeta sugeriu passarrnos no seu apartamento para pegar urn pulover, coitadinho. Antes tentei alicia-lo para uma cave de queijos e vinhos, mas ele nao entrou. Tambem nao queria ser grossa ou passar por retr6 ou sei la. No fundo, no fundo, estava querendo ver ate onde ia o meu fascinio—e eu sei onde vai o meu fascinio— corn o Poeta. Sabe-se la.

No apartamento (nao fosse pelo excesso de cartazes politicosos, ate que bem jeitoso. Urn tanto "artistico-displicente" demais, eu acho, como tantos outros onde eu estivera, de poetinhas, atores de teatro, bichas. Sao todos iguais. Deve ser a fadamadrinha) eu aproveitei meu fascinio ao maxim. Munida dos meus trabalhos, submeti o Poeta a uma intermitente sessao de leitura dos melhores trechos por umas duas horas. Minhas estOrias sao boas, mas lidas assim, no tapete, bebendo um born vinhotinto, uni fogo aqui dentro, ar-condicionado, almofadas e mantas peruanas, musica suave e urn sujeito querendo me comer au i do lado, nao hA talento que resista. Entao, ele me submeteu a mais duas horas de suaspoesias, alias ineditas. Se fossem boas ate que valeria o esforco, o fascinio, a atencao fingida (tinha ganas de estourar de rir cada vez que ele pigarreava, afivelando urn ar circunspecto, como se preparando para ter urn discurso, urn obituario, urn testament°, enfim, algo muitissimo serio), o vinho, aquele apartamento, o filme japones, os feriados, aquelas profundas crateras que the sulcavam o rosto, o ligeiro cheirinho oleoso e adocicado que se desprendia delas, a mania de falar de si proprio na terceira pessoa, como se fosse urn fantasma, o fato de ser careca de' urn lado s6, dai o cabelo restante se amontoar num topete anis da orelha esquerda, enfim, mas nao eram. Nao eram mesmo. Ocas, delirios vagos, desconexos, de urn concretismo de cabeca dura e reticencias. Na mesma construcao e corn a mesma enfase conviviam visceras e sangue, cosmos e etemidade, como se essas palavras nao significassem nada alem de meros sons poeticos convencionais.

30

Quando a coisa comecava a esquentar, ele sempre botava as tais palavras definitivas como Deus, Espaco, Etemidade, Morte, e esquecia as preposicOes, tomando tudo assim delirantemente obscuro, como se possuisse uma chave, urn cOdigo para sua decifracao. Para os leigos, as garotas bonitas e os novosricos, quanto menos se entende mais a coisa deve ser boa. Palavras bonitas é igual a ideiasbonitas.

E gongorico, é elementar. 0 Poeta conheciamuitobem esse principio e aplicava-o ate a exaustao. A minha, por exemplo. Na verdade, algumas cram ate sofriveis, mas parece que o sujeito tinha urn cadeado no cerebro. Estava prisioneiro.Nao se enfrentava. E se comecava a botar a mao na merda, IA vinha ele corn seus deuses e dem6nios antissepticos, para levar todos os pecados. Pelo menos os dele. Se achava que os tinha. Ser feio, por exemplo, era urn.

Equilibrava-se definindo-se "pedante e sofisticado".

Supunha-se, dessa forma, inacessivel. Enganava s6 os trouxas.

Na conversa, Poeta mencionou uma festa. Amigos intelectuais, etc. Entao vamos, me animei, e fui emergindo das almofadas, procurando as botas debaixo do sofa, espantando cobertores, relanceando urn olhar melancolico para as garrafas vazias, mas ele me reteve. Aindanao, disse, fixando-me urn olhar tigrino cor de petroleo. Era como um aquario, a exposicao, atras do vidro c6meo, do que havia no interior de suas espinhas mortas: Oleo diesel.

0 pequeno deus Caracol, o deus dos covardes, deve habitar em mim, po is foi ele que me fez encolher, puxando consigo todas as term inais nervosas, todas as sensacOes de prazer e dor, toda alegria, todo pranto, e me transformar num penhasco Ando, num terreno baldio entregue as varejeiras, aos cacos de vidro, lixo, mato ralo, aos caes vira-latas, e aos teus beijos, Poeta.

Uma zoeira distante no ouvido, uma sensacao incomoda nas costelas, a boca seca avisaram-me que bastava. Fui me desprendendo aos poucos. Tarefa, alias, bastante embaracosa. Eu diria hilariante, se nao fosse parte ativa. Pareciamos atores de urn filme do Harold Lloyd. Eu puxando de cá, ele de 1A. Urn escorregao providencial da minha parte (estAvamos em pe) decidiu a contenda. Fomos festa.

A primeira coisa que chamou minha atencao foi que o dono da casa—por sinal, urn belissimo rapaz—usava, atadas na manga da cam isa, duas fitas de sedanas cores da bandeira nacional. Assim como os rapazes da TFP, a juventude de Hitler, os pupilos de Mussolini. Como um ungido, a marca da distincao, do bem-nascido, bem-dotado, bem rico, a nata, a perfeicao e voces fora! E viva Nietzsche e o quarto Reich, logo, o General Pinochet, Idi Amin, Pot Pot, Gengis Khan e a Revolucao de 64. Puxei-o pela manga: o que e isso? Sorriu corn seus olhos azuis de Agua doce: Nao 6 um belo pals? E. Olhei a mesa: vinhos franceses, queijos suicos, baixela himgara, guarnicoes de renda austriaca, charutos cubanos, vodca russa, ciganos americanos. Belissimo pals. Belo mesmo é voce;pensei cinicamente, cobicando a belezinha de jovem fascista e seus brinquedinhos, entre eles uma linda esposa loura e psiceloga formada pelo period° da tarde do Cursinho Objetivo, altura e peso ideais segundo a revista Claudia e preocupadissima corn seus encargos de anfitria (repetiu neuroticamente a noite toda que "a previsao falhou" a propOsito de haver terminado o queijo de nozes antes das duas da matina). E os intelectuais? Da "festa" constavam exatamente dez pessoas. Alem dos anfitriOes, cue o Poeta/ BRAZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

Profeta, havia urn outro casal composto de urn sujeito anfitriao:—Um tre hinho de seu attar predileto, beleza... enorme, estilo Cro-Magnon, filho de general, corn o —Como?—Bel Fascrsta arregaIava os doces olhos azuis. curioso nome de Ciro, faixa preta em carate e que me foi divaga oeta enderecau-me um olhar enviesado--m as apresentado coma um pintor maravilhoso, Orem desiludi- ,como eu dizia, a Di rinha... do (o pessoal devia serpositivamente cego) e cocainomano —Agora que es oh vendo—inten-ompi novarnente. De repente, ativo, acompanhado por uma garota misto de Dama das Ciro e Branca de eve me pareceram estranhissimos: ele enorme, Camelias e Madrasta da Branca de Neve: profundas truculent°, ela frAiI, meio amalucada... olheiras azuladas, cabelos crespos e negros acentuando --Voces nao t nada a ver, nao 6?--Sorria para ambos como oleosamente o rosto !With), ossudo, lunar, quase abencoando-os. laüs, desorientado, arreganhava os dentes, transparente, usando uma camisa branca tambem desculpando sua c invidada. transparente (seios nada transparentes) sem sutia e, a —Terrivel, te ivel--arfava Branca de Neve. chamar a atencao de todos para os seus cies feridos pelas —Pensando be , acho que a garota tern razao—Ciro nao tirava sapatilha de bailarina? Nao sei. A cidade esta cheia desses as olhos da faca, cursinhos de bale e bordado, freqUentados por jovens em —E como é q e voces tre...—Um violento cutucao do Guru, idade de casar e manter a forma. Para compensar as debaixo da mesa, ez-me engolir o resto da frase. festinhas movidas a vinho, coca e marl humor de suas Depois disso, fui mergulhando cada vez mais fundo num excelencias, seusnamorados, pelos quais alas sac) capazes burburinho acid° esbranquicado. As frases se sucediam de ca para de se foder por toda etemidade, em troca de urn sobrenome la, e eu as acompa hava coma bolinhas num jogo de pinguepongue, enganchado no rabo e urn apartamento nos Jardins: os apenas como boli as, que nao sao nada alem de bolinhas brancas. homens tern as anghstias, as mulheres, os interesses, e por Levantei-me e fui ate a janela: E isso, pensei, sufocar a ressaca, al vai. Roger, o intelectual oficial, amigo do Poeta de pro- afoga-lana boca c enta e azeda damanha como num cesto de roupa veta, urn sujeitinho magricela, insignificante, (essa palavra suj a. Esse 6 o prec pago pela droga consumida durante a madrugada, é enorme!), apagado na minha mem6ria, acompanhava porque a drogate o segredo que afoga a nausea, o vomit°, a acidez uma cooperante do govemo americano junto ao Brasil, uma desse vinho escur injetado nas veias desde a noite anterior, entao, garota da California corn cara de porto-riquenha. Ela ao amanhecer, fi i puxada a descarga, sentido urn s6 tranco, o deveria detestar aquelacaratropical, a pale morena, cabelos estomago a brec e a gemer no alto de urn predio no Pacaembu e negros cortados rente, como se pagando uma pena, os olhos isso foi quase tudo Quase porque eu aindanao terminara.... /... Porque escuros feito morcegos assustados, encolhidos no fundo o vazio, apes a des arga, é insuportavel. 0 vaso sanitario ficar desert° da fisionomia. Que fazer se sua mae havia pulado o muro e se tern medo de t mar a usa-lo e infectar o mundo inteiro. A nausea do Mexico? Roger, o colonizado, desmanchava-se em que se instala exp lsa a razao, amedronta as palavras, e eu precisava atencoes para corn o produto de Tio Sam, mas eu imagino falar que daquela adrugada ficou urn gosto arrepanhado de sal de que, para ele, bastaria qualquer coisa, uma lata de sopa fruta, a efervesce cia cinza perola do antiacido diante dos olhos e Campbell, digamos. Que representasse a civilizacao, a uma tristeza secr ta e corrompida por me saber mole, dobravel, e cultura superior, etc. Razoes inconfessaveis. Nao via nela ainda uma vez vo tar a fazer coisas que nao quero, nap preciso, nao apenas uma garota assustada num pals estranho. Assim desejo, todavia o -lcool e a droga me levam la, uma especie de morte como eu nao enxergava o aspecto repugnante do meu incluida nos servi os de buffet; a cada episaclio eu morro, e eu morro, guru-poeta. Tampava o nariz, os olhos, a boca, e o engolia e eu morro de nov',e volto a me assassinar, porque contar essa estoria em nome de uma vaidade idiota. Presentes tambem urn par é o mesmo que at car a mesma muffler ha anos, violentamente, por de pritnos dentucos e noivos que se despediram cedo. Eu tras, e como se el: fosse virgem, entao, o toque no ombro, o halito aposto que pra ver televisao e se agarrar no sofa. amanhecido As inhas costas: Klaus. Haviam escurecido a sala.

A madrugada evoluiu naquele apartment° neoclas- Silenciosamente, colocou-me o casaco e, na condicao de innaozinho sic°, corn ativa movimentacao de garrafas de vinho, mais velho, ca regou-me para longe daqueles perigos. Seu rodadas de coca, camembert rangoso e conversas idiotas. apartamento, pa exempla.

JA estava amanhecendo e restavam os donos da casa, Ciro, Lembro de cafe da mantra numa mesa corn toalha de plastic°, Branca de Neve, Poeta e eu, ja me sentindo completamente e urn enorme qu ijo-de-minas. Eu estava chapadissima, achando o onipotente. Sentimento provavelmente compartilhado por queijo muito en acado e porque nao podia aparecerem casa de modo todos, uma vez que a conversa girava sobre vida extra- algum naquele es ado. Klaus, este mita° parecia esmagado sob o peso terrena, enquanto Brinquedinho raspava corn uma pazinha da recompensa. le tinha mesmo uma cara amassada de vilao do de sorvete os restos de p6 grudados no bumbum da garota faroeste depois • a hltima briga, versa° piorada entre Jack Palance na capa da revista Playboy. Excelente anfitria. Belo e John Carradin . Cara picada pelo ressentimento e pela variola, Fascista inquiria o Poeta: obtinha donnir c'ma mocinha sem mais aquela. Era demais. Ele vai —Voce, Klaus, que é um cara ligado nessas coisas, e brochar, pensei. entende paca, ja deve ter tido revelacoes, nao?

Havia sol, m estava frio e irmido e Poeta, muito solicit°, uniu —Bem—comecou o outro—pode-se dizer que nos (fa- duas camas gem as, cobriu-as corn mantas, enquanto eu me despia, lava sempre no plural, aludindo estranhamente uma obedientement , cumprindo urn ritual sem escapatoria, filha de cumplicidade invisivel. Quem sabe corn os deuses) Maria, sacerd isa de Astarte, coroinha alimentado e fodido chegamos a fazer \Inas contatos realmente inexplicaveis, secretamente p lo padre, eu obedecia, apenas. Fiquei de brucos, eu diria, por exempla, quando morreu a Dorinha... fechei as olhos, ensando: o prazer puro, o prazer puro. NAo poderia —A Dorinhanao morreu trovejou Ciro, olhos vidrados ver aquele rosto agora, seria insuportavel, seria inconcebivel, e eu numa faca de cortar frios. acho que ele m ficou agradecido. Mesmo assim nao conseguia.

—Talvez sim, talvez nao condescendeu misterio- Estava submers em droga e alchol, uma chaga viva de excitacao que samente Klaus—muitos de n6s ja chegaram a... pulsava e gem a, rilhando os dentes, pobre animal sonambulo —Besteiras, nao ha nada—cortei.—Estive la em cima imaginando-se m ser humano de came, ossos e fezes, se esvaindo e vi: estao todos mortos.—E voltando-me para o meu entre minhas adegas numa tortura aplicada de movimentos BRAZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

31

ineficientes; uma vez que ele nao conseguia, o animal depositava-se como urn pedaco mono de came fria junto ao meu corpo. Vamos liquidar isso, pensei. Sentia-me cansada, nauseada, azeda. A excitacao esticava-se como urn cordao frouxo contudo sem arrebentar. Vi pela janela a manha alta, cor de magnesia, e disse: chega, vamos dormir. As minhas costas, ele desabou, barraquinha de campanha, como se o tempo todo estivesse aguardando a ordem que o libertasse da prontidao. Segundos depois ressonava eloqUentemente. Adormeci pensando onde havia me metido, aquele apartamento de solteiro da Alameda Casabranca tinha algo aver corn urn tOmulo, gente adormecendo ao nascer do so!, falta so o punhal de prata, mas, por alguma razao maluca, nao queria ir para casa e nao queria ficar au. 0 sono me colocou no lugar certo. Estaria sonhando corn urn jardineiro espanhol ou corn tesouras, nao sei, e acordei salgadamente sentindo algo vivo se mover, quente e alerta, entre minhas coxas. Pulei da cama, como se impulsionada por retrofoguetes: fugir, pensava, fugir, correr, vomitar, se vestir. E fui apanhando os destrocos das roupas atiradas pelo quarto. Ao subir as meias, espiei corn o canto do olho a cara atonita, amassada de Klaus, parecendo um pedaco carbonizado de casca de arvore na brancura de areia dos lencOis. A boca entreabertanao ousavaprotestar, articular nenhum som, corn aquele ar de bagre estirpido, aquele ar de fOssil humano: a qualquer palavra minha, viria a replica de bemardo-eremita na voz de fariseu sufocado e eu nao queria deixar nada claro.

A coisa, naquele pe, já parecia suficientemente ridicula, uma pomochanchada sinistra: ele, de pau duro debaixo das cobertas, cara de idiota, observando a mocinha se vestir num desespero vertiginoso, como se perseguida por Jack, 0 Estripador. Faltava vestir o casaco e me lancei para fora do quarto. Uma empregada velhissima e cheia de varizes abriu-me a porta da rua. Desci pelas escadas. Nem cogitei estar no 15 0 andar. Alcancando finalmente a ma, parei ofegante.

Porra, estava livre. Leve. Livre. Comecei a rir sozinha: ate que fora bem gozado. Cambaleante e feliz, ri por dois quarteirOes. As pessoas se voltavam, espantadas. Urn perfume de paezinhos frescos me atraiu para uma padaria cheia de colegiais e empregadinhas. Mastigando um enorme sanduiche de presunto, pedi ao vendedor a lista telefonica.

Forrando pagina por pagina corn lascas de pa° fresco, procurei o numero de Belo Fascista. No sabia por que, mas precisava salvar a noite. Alo, uma vozinha sonada gemeu do outro lado. Reconheci Brinquedinho. Escute,princesa, falei, diga ao seu marido que preciso fazer uma substituicao (era necessario ir direto ao assunto, nada de formalismos idiotas corn a familia e os cachorros. Tratamento de choque). 0 que? A voz prosseguia estremunhando. Uma outra, de homem, metralhava abafadamente qualquer coisa. Era secae urgente; falando aos soquinhos parecia martelar ordens. Brinquedinho explicava confusamente algo sobre a namorada de Klaus e uma substituicao. Afinal, era uma objetiva form ada pelo Objetivo. 0 que esta havendo? Belo Fascista pegara o aparelho. Parecia urn bocado irritado. Expliquei da melhor forma. Por fim, convidei-o para tomar café da mantra comigo, ali, na Padaria Flor de Lys, que ficavanarua...

Pedi para esperar na linha enquanto ia ver. Quanto retomei o fone, apenas o ruido de discar respondeu melancolicamente ao meu apelo.

Belo Fascista nao tinha mesmo nenhum senso de humor. Tao bonitinho, murmurei cheia de pena. 0 pao terminara e enquanto esperava o troco, espiei meu rosto no espelho da balanca. Borrado de rimelpreto, o rouge coloria mais a face esquerda, olheiras azuladas.

Igualzinha Branca de Neve. Esfregar o dedo acentuou a palidez, mas servia. Ainda nao dava para espantar as criancas. Na saida, resolvi comprar outro sanduiche para ir comendo no caminho. Esquentara e eu amarrei o casaco na cintura—urn casaco undo, de veludo caramelo—e o pessoal continuou me encarando. Sempre comendo o pa°, fui subindo a rua cheia de arvores verdinhas e rendilhada de so!.

Lembrei de uma passagem de Faulkner no Som e a Ftiria. Afinal, 32

alcancei a Avenida Paulista suando e arrotando salame. Ern frente a Casa Vogue—que nao é mais a Casa Vogue— tentei pegar um taxi. Nada. Decidi ir andando. Ate o Paraiso sao quatro quilometros, mas no piano. A chei razoavel.

Entrei no Jardim do Trianon. Urn pouco de arpuro, pensei, ecologia, patos, marrecos, galinhas, desocupados.

Ecologia. Compiei urn saquinho de pipoca. Urn garoto de seus 17 anos atirava farelo aos perus—detesto esse ar superiormente abestalhado que tern as ayes em geral—e perguntei a ele se valia atirar pipoca. Logic°, disse, e enfiando a mat) no meu saquinho, retirou urn punhado e atirou-o aos bichos. Era um encanto de garoto, um ninfeto dos bosques, cabelos alourados de sol e piscina do clube, a camisa xadrez aberta exibia o peito liso, moreno e uma medalhinha de San Genaro. Perguntei se era italiano. Meu pai, respondeu sorrindo. Falava corn simplicidade e delicadeza. Como se fosse a coisa mais natural do mundo topar num domingo corn uma garota, as onze da manha, cara toda borrada de pintura, casaco de veludo amarrado nos quadris, umpAo semicomido na mao, um saco de pipoca na outra. le era a propria manha: jovem, fresco, belo, puro. Me s nti mal. Queria lavar o rosto, tomar urn banho, convida-lo a passear corn igo no Ibirapuera, que e o major parque que eu conheco, sei la onde. Melhor ir andando. Ele ficou olhando eu me afastar corn simpatia, assim, tambem sem perguntar nada. Uma nevoa de cansaco descia sobre o jardim. Senti-me longe, minha casa longissimo, o apartamento de Klaus ainda mais longe, ern outro pals, outro tempo. Ajeitei-me num banco de pedra limosa e dormi. Urn segundo depois acordei: alguern me cutucava as costas corn urn objeto duro e pontudo. Outra vez, pensei. Mas era 95 uma vassoura e o homem devia ser o zelador do parque. Percebi vagamente que anoitecia. _ —Levaram sua bolsa e seu casaco, dona, é born dar parte na policia—falava corn uma voz monotona, anasalada, repetindo sempre sobre o roubo e a policia.

—Pra que a vassoura?—murmurei idiotamente, ainda aturdida pelo sono. 0 corpo dolorido.—Meu casaco e a bolsa?

—Voce ta ma!, hem? Deu moleza, ja viu, nego. passa a mao mesmo, acho born dar parte na...

—.Id you, já vou.—Como faze-lo calar? Estiquei as pemas. Intactas aindaminha calca de veludo e a cam isa de seda. Bern, foi-se, pensei. No que deu o vampirismo poetico. Judas, o obscuro, estaria agora em seu lindo apezinho ouvindo Beethoven e jantando came iro ensopado corn legumes, preparado por Lady Varizes, a copeira.

Aquela cara amassada, descomposta, mastigando a sobremesa, aqueles olhos duros, machucados, e o animal adormeceria tranquilamente entre seus panfletos comunistas, fumando cigarros mentolados. Era demais. Vomitei espasmodicamente num canteiro de hortensias. Resolvi voltar para casa. a pagariam o taxi. Entao lembrei: estavam todos viaja$ido. Todos os amigos, todos os sujeitos, todas as am igas, et4 Eu estava sem a bolsa, sem as chaves, com frio, fome e precisando de urn banho. No taxi, suspirando, dei o endereco de Klaus.

The original title of this short story is "0 Vampiro da Alameda Casabranca".

It was originally published in Matto Prazer—Contos Eroticos Femininos, Editora Record, 1982, 98 pp.

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There's more to Rio than beaches. Don't miss ex- including all the Carnival rhythm-makers, which make ploring some of the city's museums, colonial buildings, great gifts. There are several good jewelry stores off churches (of course) and traditional meeting places Rua da Carioca. on Rua Ramalho Ortigao. restaurants, bars, shops and street corners. The center of Whenever we're near Rua da Carioca 39 we stop at Rio, now a pot pourri of the new and old, still has the Bar Luis for a draft beer and lunch or snack. Rio's character and life. Here's our suggested walking tour. longest running restaurant, it was opened in 1887 and Take a bus or the metro to Cinerandia and find the named Bar Adolf until WW II. For decades, many of main square along Avenida Rio Branco, called Praca Rio's intellectuals have chewed the fat while eating Floriano; it's the heart of Rio today. Towards the bay is Rio's best German food here. the Praca Mahatma Gandhi. The monument was a gift At the end of the block you'll pass the Cinema iris, from India in 1964. Behind the praca and across the which used to be Rio's most elegant theatre (sadly, it's road, the large airplane hangar is the Museu de Arte now a porno movie and strip joint), and emerge into the Moderns. hustle of Praca Tiradentes. It's easy to see that this was Praca Floriano comes to life at lunchtime and after once a fabulous part of the city. On opposite sides of the work when the outdoor cafés are square are the Teatro Joao filled with beer drinkers, samba Caetano and the Teatro Carlos musicians and political debate.

Gomez, which show plays and The square is Rio's political mardance performances. The narrow ketplace. There's daily speech streets in this part of town house making, literature sales and street many old, mostly dilapidated, theatre. Most city marches and small buildings. It's well worth rallies culminate here on the steps exploring along Rua Buenos Aires of the old Camara Municipal. as far as Campo de Santana and Across Avenida Rio Branco then returning along Rua da is the Biblioteca Nacional. Built Alfandega. Campo de Santana is a in 1910 in neoclassic style, it's pleasant park, once the scene—reopen to visitors and usually has enacted in every Brazilian classexhibitions. The most impressive room—of Emperor Dom Pedro I building on the square is the proclaiming Brazil's indepenTeatro Municipal, home of dence from Portugal. Have a wanRio's opera, orchestra and garder in the park and try to spot some goyles. The theatre was built in of the agoutis that run wild there.

1905 and remodeled in 1934 and Back near Avenida Rio Branco, shows the influence of the Paris at Rua Goncalves Dias 30, hit the Opera. The front doors are rarely Confeitaria Colombo for coffee To the casual observer one stretch and turn-of-the-century Vienna. open, but you can visit the ostentatious Assyrian Room RestauOffering succor to shopping-weary of sand is the same as any other. matrons rant & Bar downstairs (entrance since 1894, the Colombo on Avenida Rio Branco). Built in Not so. The beach is complex. Dif- is best for coffee (very strong) and the '30s, it's completely covered desserts. ferent times bring different peoin tiles, with beautiful mosaics.

From here, cross Avenida Rio In Avenida Rio Branco you'll Branco, go down Rua da Assemple. Every 20 meters of coastline bleia, stop at Riotur and TurisRio also find the Museu Nacional de Belas Artes, housing some of is populated by a different group if you want tourist information, Brazil's best paintings. then continue on to Praca Quinze Now do an about-face and of regulars. de Novembro. In the square are head back to the other side of the the Pyramid Fountain, built in Teatro Municipal and walk down 1789, and a crafts market. Facing the pedestrian-only Avenida 13 the bay, on your right is the Palacio de Maio (on your left are some of Imperial, which was the royal Rio's best suco bars). Cross a street and you're in the palace and the seat of government. With independence Largo da Carioca. Up on the hill is the recently restored it was ingloriously relegated to the Department of TeleConvento de Santo Antonio. The original church here graphs but has recently been restored. was started in 1608, making it Rio's oldest. The church's On the opposite side of the square is the historic Santo Antonio is an object of great devotion to many Arco de Teles, running between two buildings. WalkCariocas in search of husbands. The church's sacristy, ing through the arch you'll see, immediately on your which dates from 1745, has some beautiful jacaranda- left, the elegant and very British English Bar—a good wood carving and Portuguese blue tiles. place for a quiet, expensive lunch or drink. The stores Gazing at the skyline from the convent, you'll notice along the stone streets here have a waterfront character. the Rubik's-cube-like Petrobras building. Behind it is There are several seafood restaurants, fishing supply the ultramodern Catedral Metropolitana (the inside is stores and a couple of simple colonial churches. It's a cavernous with huge stained-glass windows). If you colorful area. Back at Praca Quinze de Novembro, take have time for a side trip, consider heading over to the the overpass to the waterfront, where ferries leave to nearby bonde (tram) that goes up to Santa Teresa.

Niteroi and Ilha do Paqueta. The ferry to Niteroi takes Next find the shops along 19th-century Rua da Ca- only 15 minutes and you never have to wait long. rioca. The old wine and cheese shop has some of Brazil's Consider crossing the bay and walking around central best cheese from the Canastra mountains in Minas Gerais. NiterOi if you have some time (the feel is different from They also have bargains in Portuguese and Spanish Rio—much more like the rest of Brazil). Even if you wines. Two shops sell fine Brazilian-made instruments, return immediately the trip is worth it just for the view.

Wal King Thr ough Rio

34

BRAZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

vilimmEmmib When you're facing the bay, the Alba Mar restaurant is a few hundred meters to your right. It's in a green gazebo overlooking the bay. The food is good and the atmosphere just right. On Saturday the building is surrounded by the tents of the Feira de Antiguidades, a strange and fun hotchpotch of antiques, clothes, foods and other odds and ends.

If you want to extend your walking tour, go back through Arco de Teles and follow the street around toward Rua Primeiro de Marco. Walk up along the righthand side and you'll come to the Centro Cultural do Banco do Brasil (CCBB). Go in and have a look at the building and any of the current exhibitions. Most are free. Then have a look behind the CCBB at the Casa Franca-Brasil. From there, you'll be able to see the Igreja Nossa Senhora da Candelaria. Have a look inside and then keep going up Rua Primeiro de Marco, through the naval area, to Rua Dom Geraldo, the last street before the hill. Mosteiro de Sao Bento is on top of the hill. To get there, go to Rua Dom Geraldo 40 and take the lift to the 5th floor. From Rua Dom Gerald°, head back toward Avenida Rio Branco, and try to imagine that in 1910 it was a treelined boulevard, with sidewalk cafes—the Champs Elysees of Rio. Beaches The beach, a ritual and way of life for the Carioca, is Rio's common denominator.

People of all walks of life, in all shapes and sizes congregate on the sand. To the casual observer one stretch of sand is the same as any other. Not so. The beach is complex. Different times bring different people. Different places attract different crowds. Before and after work, exercise is the name of the game Tannnig is heaviest before 2 pm. On prime beach days, the fashionable pass the morning out at Barra and the afternoon back at their spot in Ipanema.

Every 20 meters of coastline is populated by a different group of regulars. For example, Arpoador has more surfers and people from the zona forte. In front of the luxury hotels you'll always find tourists and a security force watching over them.

Swimming isn't recommended at any of the bay beaches because of the sewage and industrial waste that pollutes the water. Work on the long-awaited treatment plants is just beginning.

Flamengo This popular beach is a thin strip of sand on the bay, with a great view. The park and beach were a and till project. It's within an easy walk of most of the budget hotels in Catete/Flamengo. There's a different class of Carioca here than on the luxurious beaches to the south, and it's fun to watch them play.

Botafogo This small beach is on a calm bay inlet looking out at Pao de Acucar. The Rio Yacht Club and Bateau Moil,.the are next door.

Copacabana/Leme One of the world's most famous beaches runs 4.3 km

BRAZZIL JULY-AUGUST 2D00

in front of one of the world's most densely populated residential areas. From the scalloped beach you can see the granite slabs that surround the entrance to the bay--a magnificent meeting of land and sea. The last km to the east, from Avenida Princesa Isabel to the Leme hill, is called Praia do Leme. When you go to Copacabana, which you must, do as the locals do: take only the essentials with you. The area is now heavily policed, so it's OK to walk around during the evening. Avenida Nossa Senhora de Copacabana is more dangerous; watch out at weekends when the shops are closed and there are few locals around.

There is a ways something happening on the beach during the dai and along the footpaths at night: drinking, singing, dating and all kinds of people checking out the scene; tourists watching Brazilians, Brazilians watching tourists; the poor, from nearby favelas, eyeing the rich, the rich avoiding the poor; prostitutes looking for tricks and johns looking for treats., Arpoador This small beach is wedged between Copacabana and Ipanema. There's good surfing here, even at night when the beach is lit, and there's a giant rock that juts out into the ocean with a great v iew..

Ipanema/Leblon These two beaches are really one, although the beach narrows on the Leblon side, separated by the canal at Jardina de Alah. Ipanema, like the suburb, is Rio's richest and most chic beach. There isn't quite the frenzy of Copacabana, and the beach is a bit safer and cleaner. There are only two sidewalk cafés facing the ocean in Ipanema-Barril 1800 and Albericos— and one in Leblon—Canecao.

Ipanema is an Indian word for 'dangerous, bad waters'. The waves can get big and the undertow is often strong. Be careful, and swim only where the locals are swimming.

Different parts of the beach attract different crowds.

Posto nine is Garota de Ipanema beach, right off R.' , a Vinicius d Morais. Today it's also known as the Ceiniterio 4os Elefantes because of the old leftists, hippies and artists who hang out there, but its also popular with the young and beautiful who like to go down there around sunset and smoke a joint. The Farme de Armoedo at Rua de Armoedo, also called Land of Marlboro, is the gay beach.

Vidigal Under the Sheraton Hotel and the Morro Doi s Irmaos, this beach is a mix of the hotel andfavela dwellers who were pushed further up the hill to make way for the Sheraton.

Excerpts from Brazil - A Travel Survival Kit3rd edition, by Andrew Draffen, Chris McAsey, Leonardo Pinheiro,and Robyn .

Jones. For more information call Lonely Planet: (800) 275-8555. ,Copyright 1996 Lonely Planet Publications Used by permission.

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•

'10nce described it to me

• ces where you notice God is in not normally one high do love this beach and a nclined him.

PHILIP BLAZDELL I think that I am the world's greatest expert on meetings.

Put me in a meeting in a strange country and nine times out of ten I can tell you where l am. For example, the Dutch will turn up as casually dressed as possible and then spend most of the time discussing the coffee; the Japanese will sit silently with their eyes closed and say nothing; the Chinese will spend most of their time clearing their throats, or if you are lucky enough to be in China, spitting into the ashtray, their pockets or the bin; the English will turn up punctually, nod meaningfully occasionally and then disappear off to the pub where the real work is done. The Danes, well to be honest the last time I went to a meeting in Denmark it was sponsored by a brewery and I remember little about the trip—except that perhaps it would not be a good idea for me to go back so soon.

The Brazilians have a totally different view of meetings.

From my limited experience of dragging myself round a few dozen companies and trying to sort my own research group out it seems to involve everyone shouting at once, everyone making as many complex hand gestures as possible and no one really listening to what anyone else is saying. Of course in any other country this would drive me to distraction but for some reason I just find it amusing here. One minute you are discussing a complex purchasing agreement then the next all hell breaks loose as someone suggests that the latest twist in one of the many soaps is not quite what it seems. It can be both amusing and very tiring.

Well, at least this was my experience one Friday afternoon a few weeks ago. I knew things weren't going well when my friend who had agreed to translate for me (regular readers will not be surprised by the necessity of this) began to argue with one of the students. When I asked him what they were shouting about, my translator told me they were arguing about a certain chemical reaction we had been thinking about. I reminded him that he was in fact an economist and knew nothing about chemistry. `Ah well, chemistry, economics it's all much the same thing—I think he is wrong anyway'.

BRAZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

I gave up and made my excuses and left. The meeting had reached criti al mass anyway, and would keep going for a good few mo e hours yet. I was still chuckling away to myself when I bump d into a colleague in the corridor. He laughed and told me to go ome and pack —'life is more than work' was his parting word.. Early the next morning we were rolling out of Fortaleza on a nearly deserted road laughing still about the difficulty of orking here.

I don't t ink I will ever tire of this city however much it frustrates an antagonises me. Just a few kilometres outside of Fortaleza an we were already rolling through dense thick countryside. he sun was just beginning to burn of the night's rain and a t in mist was rising over the flooded fields. For someone wh • has wasted far too much time watching films, it was, and will always be tome, pure Jurassic park country. I half expected a r uge tyrannosaurus or velociraptor to spring out and devour s, but we rolled on uninterrupted.

The quit morning and the gentle throb of the tires on the perfect road gave me time for reflection. I made a mental list of what! lo e most about Brazil. Top of my list was the way the people, in particular my harassed travel agent, stretch `pode' (me ing 'yes, you may') into infinity. I just love the way that aft .r every impossible request: 'Dona Luciana, I just have to go ti Malawi next week via Amsterdam. Can I get a cheap deal n the Tuesday flight', the person concerned will give you a 1 ng warm look like you have just asked something really obvi us (will the sun shine today?) and say `pode' making the ast syllables stretch sometime into next week.

It sound so warm and inviting—like most of the things the Brazilians di and say. If you listen carefully you will notice the Brazilians s ipping the odd extra syllables into any number of words. Its 1. e the way Brazilians pronounce my name with a couple of e tra "e" sounds on the end, turning plain boring Philip into hilipeee, which I am convinced makes me sound a lot more d shing, VA SP (Brazilian airlines) becomes Vaspeee and TAP (P rtuguese Airlines) becomes Tapeee.

37

I now find myself flying only on these airlines, not because they are the cheapest, but because I love to hear the stewardess announce "Welcome to tapeeee". I also love the way any strange or exotic words (such as foreign names) are instantly Brazilianised. For example, the way the guards on my building ask me each day if! have had any news from Dona Sasha (my girlfriend). Her name isn't actually Sasha, its nothing like-it, but she feels deeply honoured to be given a name of a revered local saint.

Next on my list was the Brazilian hand signals which can run from the simple snapping of fingers to emphasise a point, express concern, suggest a coffee break, etc, to the complex motion of snapping your index and second fmger together whilst flicking your wrist onto your forearm. I challenge any non-native to master this! Some days when I am feeling particularly bored! wonder round my department and see how many times I can get a Brazilian to do this. "Did you see the second goal last night". Snap, snap. "Shall we go to the beach now". Snap, snap and so on. For me it's sheer poetry.

We stopped at a small roadside stand to buy some sirequelias.

A small orange fruit whose taste is quite difficult to pin down but to which I am truly addicted. It is always a constant source of amusement for me that every time I buy a fruit, the nearest Brazilian pipes up that all the best fruit is instantly exported to Europe, and that if! want to eat the best fruit I should go there.

Of course, like many things, there is a grain of truth in this, but for sheer variety nowhere can hold a candle to Brazil.

Next on my list has to be the food. Of course you can eat excellent meat here, wonderful lobster and crab and if! don't get my daily fix of rice and beans there is trouble, but increasingly I find myself skipping the main course and heading straight for the deserts. Ice creams, yes, please, I will have two, pudim (a typical desert)— oh, a small one perhaps, more cakes with cream—well o.k. Everything seems to be much, much sweeter than in Europe, and in all honesty, I love it. But of E, course, as everyone knows it's not terribly good for your health to eat so many sweet things, so what do the Brazilians do (and this you must agree is simply brilliant), they take the sweetest possible food and eat it with cheese. Brilliant! Pudim and cheese, dolce and cheese, even ice cream and cheese. Fantastic!!.

Lagoinha Thinking about food had made me hungry and I was pleased to see a sign telling me we were only a few miles from Lagoinha. Oblivious to the quiet streets and the beautiful, if decaying, churches which were dotted about the village through which were passing, I was thinking only about my stomach now.

Praia da Lagoinha is 124 km from Fortaleza, which is about 2 hours drive, or 2-3 hours by bus. It is a truly fantastic beach.

A local once described to me as one of those places where you notice God is in every detail. I am not normally one for such high praise (unless it's for deserts, which is entirely different in my book), but I do love this beach and feel half inclined to agree with him. The last time when I was there the place was almost deserted, the 15-km-long beach, which isn't always the white sand of my innocent childhood dreams, was totally free from the hordes of tourists, which had descended on the beaches in the centre of Fortaleza.

I can still remember my first view of the beach a long time ago. We had driven in and parked high on the single approach road. The beach was spread below me bathed in the early morning light. It's one of those occasions when the sheer beauty of a place makes you almost cry. My first view on that calm morning was of the half moon shaped beach tucked snugly between two coconut covered sand dunes and a few local boats slowly working their way through the surf bringing home the day's catch of lobster. Tranquillity personified.

As we drove down to the pousada I carried on with my list.

38

This time I turned my attention to things I don't like about Brazil. For example, why is it that all Brazilian coins look the same?! can't easily distinguish between 1 R$, 10 centavos or 50 centavos. The notes are easy, but I am told they will be changed to plastic soon, which I am sure will lead to complete and utter confusion. I wish I had a real for each time I have counted my money out carefully in the supermarket only to reach the checkout and find that! have in fact 50 centavos, and not the 5 R$ I thought I had.! imagine for blind or partially sited people the situation must be even more difficult.

Choosing a good place for breakfast wasn't easy, each of the small beach sidebars looked idyllic. Simple rustic furniture, sunshades made from palm leaves and the smell of freshly cooking fish. We chose Martha's Bar mainly because Martha dragged me in by my arm and also because a wizened fisherman was busy sorting the day's catch out and the lobsters looked fantastic (I added lobsters onto my ever increasing list of things I loved about Brazil). Our breakfast of 6 fresh lobsters, 2 icy cold bottles of beer and a grilled fish came to the princely sum of about 6 dollars! The beautiful views, the sound of the sea and the early morning sun glinting on the reef were all free—though I am sure it is only a matter of time before Martha works out a way of charging me for them.

After a long moment of contemplation I slowly drifted back to reality. 'So, what do you want to do', asked my genial host. My girlfriend and I exchanged worried looks; she perhaps phrased best what we were both thinking 'you mean we have to do something?' I Went for a swim—it seemed like a good concession.

During the 1970s only a few locals knew the place and the only tourists that went there were either lost or on their way to somewhere else. Local legend says that in the late 1980s a French man reached the place searching for a place to spend his vacation. Milton, a local fisherman, did not understand this wild Frenchman's intention, but decided to rent him one room anyway. The next year the French man returned with a friend and over the next few years the group got bigger and bigger until Milton was forced to give up fishing and move into the hotel business instead.

However, the development was limited and today there is really only one hotel on the beachfront. The hotel is beautiful, lovely cool rooms, a fine swimming pool and it is cheap (about $20 for a room per night). I threw my hammock out on the veranda and stretched out. After the last ofthe day-trippers had retreated for the more cosmopolitan and larger cities which dot the coast, I was left alone with the sound of the surf.

I laid in my hammock for a while listening to the sound of the sea, the incessant pounding of the waves lulled me into a deep sleep and I awoke much later—deeply content. I bought a postcard from the pretty girl in the small gift shop and went and sat in the bar in contemplation. I wrote a friend's address, that was easy, but no other words would come. I looked at the view, the card and my cold beer. It seemed to scribble a few words on a card would hever capture this place or the feelings it inspired in me. How could I ever capture the feel of the sea breeze on my sun burnt skin, the way the colours drained out the sky as the sun set, or the shanties that the fishermen sung today, tomorrow and fifty years ago, as they pulled in the days catch of lobster. In the end I mailed the card blank. I am sure my friend will understand.

The author is currently living in the northeast of Brazil.

He is a regular contributor to Brazzil and several travel magazines. Apart from a dying urge to visit, and write a serious article on Angola, his other greatest ambition is to feature in a book by Paul Theroux and a song by Alannis Morisette—or is it the other way around?

He looks forward to the many e-mails from readers of Brazzil (philiodem.ufc.br) and will reply to each one he receives.

BRAZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

Mixing simultaneous vision, centr and spiritual insight, Jaques Morelenbaum brings his complex collage of musical experience to the United States allowing listeners the opportunity to bask in its total I ,

Writing about Jaques Morelenbaum is like writing about the ocean. Writing about any aspect involves inevitably writing about most of the others: Morelenbaum the composer, arranger, musical director, pianist, bass player, vocalist, percussionist, cellist, producer... Few Brazilian artists have realized the ideal of true polyartistry as completely as Jaques Morelenbaum. The uncontested provable "facts" about Morelenbaum, the names of artists whose work he has contributed to over the past quarter-century fill hundreds of pages, constitutinga compendium by which we can grasp the historical implications of popular Brazilian music (MPB) and calibrate its progress.

Morelenbaum's early biography follows an uncommon pattern, even for a bright young musician from a musical family. Born in 1954 in Rio de Janeiro, one of the greatest orchestrators in MPB attended an introductory course in music at age three and spent many of his childhood afternoons following rehearsals at the Teatro Municipal where his father was the conductor and musical director and his uncle a violist in the opera orchestra. Morelenbaum studied cello, chamber music, instrumental and choral conducting, vocal technique, composition, and music analysis in Brazil before attending the New England Conservatory of Music where he held the first cello chair in the Conservatory's Symphony Orchestra and studied under Madaleine Foley, a disciple of Pablo Casals.

During the seventies, Morelenbaum's music followed this same remarkable pattern. Teetering between the worlds of popular and orchestral music, he overcame an artistic dilemma and brought the cello into the experimental rock group A Barca do Sol where he synthesized and experimented with material, form, structure, and popular Brazilian rhythms. The result was a coupling eclecticism that redefined the leading edge in such a way that the preceding wave of progressive rock was rendered passĂŠ. By his twentieth year, Morelenbaum was more or less fully developed as a composer, orchestrator, and cellist, showing remarkBRAZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

able gifts o sophistication and maturity in the composition of complex elodies and arrangements. Devising harmonic structures that were continually shifting and refining around the soloist or singer, never conflicting with their sense of vital spont neity, Morelenbaum deployed instruments to bring out a fchness of tone in textures that spiraled outward activating e presstvity.

By the id-eighties Morelenbaum had embarked on an extensive ci llaborative venture with Egberto Gismonti that included co positions for small ensemble ballet and film.

A cursory l'sten to the recordings from this association will sufficeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;th se are works to hear and not read about. From 1991 onwa d, Morelenbaum became an ongoing collaborator with pio eer of techno-pop Ryuichi Sakamoto as well as Caetano V loso's closest collaborator, an inseparable colleague and friend. Today Morelenbaum remains in a constant state o activity frequently involved in several projects at the sam time. His influence extends well beyond the field of po ular music where his arrangements for artists like Danie a Mercury, Marisa Monte, Skank, Carlinhos Brown, Ga riel 0 Pensador, Elba Ramalho, Fernanda Abreu, Geraldo A evedo, Gal Costa, Grupo Fundo de Quintal, and Titus, to n me just a few, has delighted both public and critics des ite the plethora of disparate styles among these artists.

This fa 1, Quarteto Jobim-Morelenbaum, still another venture in orelenbaum's "encyclopedias," will tour the United Sta es in conjunction with the release of their first CD on V las Records. The Quarteto is an impeccable chamber m sic ensemble that formed shortly after the death of Antoni Carlos Jobim on December 8, 1994, when the composer' grandson Daniel (piano and voice), joined Jobim's so Paulo (guitar and voice), Paula Morelenbaum (voice), an Jaques Morelenbaum (cello)â&#x20AC;&#x201D;three members of Nova B nda, the group that had accompanied Jobim all over the w rid for nearly ten years. Exploring acoustically the beauty fJobim's melodies and the sophistication of his 39

harmonic structure, the Quarteto pays homage to the most influential composer of Brazilian popular music.

The thirteen track repertoire of their debut CD, without intending to be chronological, embraces twelve classics written by Tom Jobim (alone and in partnership) from before, during, and after bossa nova, one of the most radical movements in Brazilian popular music. Highlights include the sambas "A Felicidade" and "Eu e o Meu Amor/Lamento no Morro" from the film Orfeu da Conceigilo (Black a de Beber" and Orpheus); the bossa novas `Agu "Meditacao"; "0 Boto," from the nationalistic phase of Jobim's career when he was looking to Villa-Lobos for inspiration; and the instrumental "Mantiqueira Range" by Paulo Jobim and Ronaldo Bastos. Arranged by Jaques Morelenbaum and exquisitely performed by the musicians who knew Tom Jobim and his music intimately, Quarteto Jobim-Morelenbaum's debut CD won't remedy the void left by the maestro's passing. It will, however, to paraphrase Caetano Veloso, reassure Tom's fans that his work has been left in excellent hands.

I spoke with Jaques Morelenbaum after a performance and under pressure to finish a promised arrangement for David Byrne before he could go to sleep. In the midst of this pandemonium,!found him charming, articulate, and humble, not to mention a little tired.

Brazzil—Can you tell me a little about your parents and their influence on your musical career?

Jaques Morelenbaum—My father is a conductor, violinist and viola player; my mother is a pianist and piano teacher. This is the environment into which I was born. For many, many years, my father worked at the opera house in Rio, so a big part of my childhood was spent going to the Municipal Theater in Rio and listening to his concerts. He is also a teacher at the University of Rio de Janeiro where I studied counterpoint with him, not as much as I would have liked, but for a few months. I tried to study with him at home, but we were always too busy. He is a great musician and has had a tremendous impact on my love for music, inspiring me to "go for Brazzi/—Your cello teacher, Madaleine Foley, was a pupil of Pablo Casals, and I'm wondering if you have come to prefer the Casals sound more than someone like Rostropovich?

J.M.—To be honest, I don't think I have a preference. I admire both cellists so much. I think both of those great musicians have so much to offer us and were extremely important for my development as a musician. I like each of their sounds, so I can't say that I prefer one over the other.

But for me, the experience of having contact with someone who has studied with Casals was so emotional and such a stimulus in terms of developing a relationship with the instrument and how I felt about being a musician. A few years ago, Mr. Rostropovich was in Rio while I was playing in the Opera House Orchestra, and I had the opportunity to play under him; it was another emotional experience. We played the Villa-Lobos Bachianas No. 1 and No. 5 , and it was marvelous.

Brazzil—In 1974 you worked under Leonard Bernstein. What did you find distinctive about Bernstein?

What were your initial impressions of the man.

J.M.—This was a great experience also. I was conducted by him at Tanglewood, and although this was such a long time ago, I will never forget the strength this man conveyed and how much he drew from our souls. We were about 130 young musicians, and there have been very few times in my life when I have played with so much guts. It was amazing. He was jumping in the pit and pulling everything out of us. Amazing! Unfortunately, I didn't have the chance to develop a personal relationship with him, but it was remarkable just to rehearse and play in the orchestra with him. He was a sea of inspiration.

Brazzil—If you could work with any conductor, past or present, who would it be?

J.M.—Wow! Well, I have a lot of preferences, you know? But I can't avoid mentioning how great an experience it would be to be conducted by two cellists—Arturo Toscanini and Villa-Lobos. I would be very curious to work 40

under Villa-Lobos.

Brazzil—Becau your primary instrument is the cello and because 41 your numerous composing activities, comparisons t Villa-Lobos have been drawn. What are your feelings about these analogies?

J.M.—Well, a comparison like that makes me happy enough, but I am not aware of any. As a youth, I was inspired by and mirrored myself on Villa-Lobos. When I was 12 years old and decided to study the cello, I was already aware and proud that such a musician—a great Brazilian composer and musician—played the cello and had dedicated a few of his great compositions to the instrument. I learn a lot from him all the time, his melodies, his motives, in terms of Brazilian color and Brazilian culture, everything that is part of my life. He is still helping me and pushing me all the time. I love music and have been lucky enough to work closely with so many great musicians that it is a great honor if someone refers to me this way, but...

Wow, 'Villa-Lobos is too big, and I feel that I have a long way to go.

Brazzil—Were you planning to become an orchestral cellist?

J.M.—No, to tell fou the truth, I never planned to be any one kind of musician. My plan was to try everything. I never could concentrate on only one aspect of music because I needed and I loved with the same intensity to play, to write, to conduct, to listen, you know? And also, with reference to styles or directions and in terms of musical thought, I never wanted to be tied to only one vision. You know? My ideas were always very, very widespread. I was always thinking as a human being in the 20th century who could take in everything or almost everything or a lot of the very important things happening in the world. I never wanted to stay on just one side. Maybe it's too megalomania, but these are still my interests.

Brazzil—Was adapting the cello to the rock medium of the experimental band A Barca do Sol an artistic border?

J.M.—It was a turning point in my life because I was born in an environment of classical musicians, opera, theater, ballet, and symphonic concerts. As a teenager, I used to play for many years in an early music group, a Renaissance group. My experience was Baroque, Renaissance, and Romantic. This was a lot of culture that I had inherited from Europe, from the Old World. But I was born in Brazil and from an early age, I had been very curious and interested in Brazilian culture and in the Brazilian roots. I was becoming more interested in improvisation and also writing. I had always been more interested in creating new works than in just interpreting pieces that had been written before my time. So finally, I found a way of expressing myself in those terms. A Barca do Sol was a way of realizing my aspirations. We were young people in our twenties, full of dreams. A few music critics called us progressive rock, but I don't think it was exactly. I don't think a name has been created for the music we were doing. We had a lot of influences, and we tried to melt them together. Maybe we were more sons of the tropicalistas than progressive rockers.

Brazzil -What was he connection with A Barca do Sol and 4berto Gismon ?

J.M.—I met A Batca do Sol through Gismonti while attending the Seventht International Course of Music in Curitiba during the s mer of 1974. I had gone there to study with Gismonti who was my idol at that point. He was teaching in the Musical Popular Brasileira chair, and that's where I met the trio that became A Barca do Sol: Nando Carneiro, Marcelo Costa, who has also played with Caetano for many years, and Miiri Costa, his brother.'

Marcelo and I have been playing together since A Barca do Sol. He plays on the Quarteto CI). We met through Gismonti, and in the same year Gismonti produced our first album. I said that we were sons of Tropicana, but I think Gismonti's musical language was an even stronger influence on us. You know, he was our master, our teacher, and we were big fans of his. In 1988, he invited me to join his group. I worked witl him for five years. Mzisica de BRAZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

Sobrevivencia was the last recording I made with him.

Brazzil—A beautiful and transitional recording. He seems to be more interested now in writing for orchestra.

J.M.—One of the elements of Egberto's style throughout his career, has always been the changing instrumentation of his ensembles, so each record that he releases has a different flavor. The musicians who play with him, in some ways, influence the music, and they are always excellent musicians. As a matter of fact, my last experience with Gismonti was conducting one of his concerts in Salvador Bahia in 1997. He invited me to conduct the Symphonic Orchestra of Bahia. And I had a lot of fun because we were playing some of the repertoire that! had played with him as a cellist. And at that time, he was still working with the same group I had worked with: Zeca Assuming° on bass and Nando Carneiro playing guitars and synthesizers. But I was playing the orchestra instead of the cello—a very interesting experience.

Brazzil—Did you ever record a duet of Astor Piazzolla's music with Gismonti?

J.M.—No, no this is misinformation. I took part in a recording, along with a lot of musicians...

Brazzil--Piazzollando for Kuarup?

J.M.—Right. It was an homage to Piazzolla who had been in a coma for almost one year. Mario de Aratanha, the man that created Kuarup and a big Piazzolla fan, invited a few friends to record Piazzolla's music. Egberto arranged a cello trio in which ! played, and ! arranpd Piazzolla's Four Seasons for the Villa-Lobos Woodwind Quintet, a cello trio, and double bass played by Zeca Assumpcao. Also, Henrique Cazes wrote an arrangement as did Zeca Assumpcao. I don't have any complete duet recordings with Gismonti, but among the records I made with him there are a few duets recorded. One is very special for me because he recorded live during my first tour with him in Hamburg. It was included on one of his studio recordings and released in Brazil. I think is was called Amazonas.

Brazzil—Wasn't Piazzolla part of a show you recorded with Caetano and Chico Buarque?

J.M.—Right. I was playing with Antonio Carlos Jobim, and we took part in a TV show that was hosted by Chico Buarque and Caetano Veloso called Chico & Caetano. This was a concert TV show that aired, if I'm not mistaken, every two weeks, maybe it was once a month. They used to invite other musicians to take part in the show. And on our night they had invited Piazzolla and Tom Jobim. This was, in fact, the first time I ever met Caetano personally. At the end Caetano and Chico joined us and we played together. It was a wonderful night.

Brazzil—Didn't you join Caetano's band in 1991 after recording on Circulado?

J.M.—Caetano invited me to collaborate with him on the studio album Circulado, which was produced by Arto Lindsay. I wrote an arrangement for "Itapur and played on the title song, "Circulado de Fulo." And the next year, while he was promoting this album, he invited me to be a guest with his concert tour. So in March, 1992, if I'm not mistaken, I began to actually play with him live. After a few months, the concert was recorded live, and I produced the Circulado Vivo recording together with Caetano.

Brazzil—What kind of adjustments did you have to make to give the cello a "voice" and fit it with the amplification and percussion of Caetano's band?

J.M.—Well, I had been used to this situation for almost twenty years. In A Barca do Sol, I was interested in experimenting with cello amplification and was playing with electric guitars, electric bass, and drums. When I started to play with Caetano, I was trying to explore the pure sound of the cello itself, no special amplification or effects. I was playing a classical cello within that musical fabric, that musical texture, so it was not a matter of adjustment. At that time, however, it was still technically difficult to amplify the cello.

Brazzil—Prenda Minha has been celebrated for the Gil Evans sound of the arrangements. Was this a collaborative idea?

J.M.—Yeah, for sure. Well, this was very specific. We BRAZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

were on tour in Europe with the show Ewa Estampa when the Miles Davis/Gil Evans colle tion was released, and our engineer bought this ollection and brought it in • the bus. And the next da , in the next city, the res of the crew, everybody, • ought the collection. It b came a great subject of c I nversation for the month-Is ng European tour. Every oup 1 e of days, a different c ty, and always listening to 11 those wonderful recor s. And one of them receiv d our special attention. It as the record called Quiet Nights, which is a Jobim t tie, right? The beginning tr ck of this record curiously is titled "Song No. 2," which is he Brazilian folk song, "Prenda Minha," a folk song from t e south of Brazil, from Rio Grande do Sul, the southern-m St state in Brazil. It has a brilliant arrangement and the mu ical result is amazing, but we thought it was funny the w y "Song No. 2" was credited to Gil Evans and Miles Davis On the other hand, bossa nova, which is such an importan style for Brazilian music history, has so many influences om cool jazz.

That col ection defines so much what cool jazz is, and Caetano's soncept was to return or give back all those influences ith a record, which would be called Livro. So for this rec rd, Caetano asked Luiz Brasil, Marcelo Martins, and I t. think about the cool jazz atmosphere, especially of th Gil Evans atmosphere. He wanted to specifically blend he street music of Bahia with the cool jazz/Gil Evans atm sphere. The main idea was inspired by this happening, "Prenda Minha" played by Miles Davis and arranged by Gil Evans. I tried, especially on this song to get as close as I could to the Gil Evans atmosphere and to blend it with Bra ilian percussion.

Brazzil You have collaborated with Ryuichi Sakamoto on numerous projects. Did you meet him through C etano?

J.M.— ight, right. We were releasing the Circulado album in N w York and Ryuichi had collaborated on this record, so e went to see our show and Caetano introduced me to him.

Brazzil I'm wondering if you especially enjoy working with S kamoto because of the way he intermingles the fields if music, technology, and the visual arts?

J.M.— his attracts me a lot, but this is not the main point of att action. I admire him very, very, very much as a composer nd an interpreter. He is a great musician. I especially njoy playing the cello with him because his music is so romantic and gives plenty of space for improvisation. I h ve been playing with him since 1993, and we always hay- a lot of fun. Furthermore, I'm a sound track fan, and I espe ially admire his compositions for cinema. He's a great per on and it's a great experience to play this music.

Brazzil I confess, I'm a big fan of your compositions for cinem . Central do Brasil is an exquisite sound track.

But I kno a lot of Brazilians who don't like the film because it s honest and shows a side of Brazil they don't want the est of the world to see. Can you comment on that?

J.M.— ell, I don't agree with this view or maybe I didn't con ect with the film in this way. A few people think this movie is one-sided because it doesn't show the whole spectrum if Brazilian reality. It shows our reality only through a prism, but they miss that. But my personal opinion, fr m the first time !saw the movie while editing on the com u er, is that it is full of emotion and touches me deeply. Th whole family concept, the search for the father, the search for one's origins, and the search for Brazil, for the roots o culture moved me tremendously, enough for me 41

gathered six names from Brazilian instrumental music toto think about this movie as a great one.

Brazzil—Was it harder to find an aural parallel for gether with small groups from the escolas de samba. There that environment or more of a challenge to match your was a night for Rafael Rabelo with, I think, the Salgueiro vision to the director's on this film than it had been with drum section. There was a night for Toninho Horta, the guitar player. There was a night for, I'm not sure, but maybe your other scores for film?

J.M.—Well, it's hard to say because each movie is a Gilson Peranzzetta and another group. And I was lucky completely different story. Every director has a different enough to have my night with the group from Mangueira. I approach for the way he wants a composer to combine say I was lucky enough because every Brazilian has a soccer image with sound. Walter Salles has very specific tastes in team and an escola de samba, and my choices from childmusic, so AntOnio Pinto and I had to work hard to achieve hood have always been Flamengo and Mangueira. I atthe desired results. It was a very demanding experience, but tribute this, nowadays when I'm forty-six years old and other movies I have collaborated on were also very demand- looking back, to being the first Brazilian in my family.

My grandparents all came from Europe. My father and ing. It's not simple to write music for movies, but it is a his parents were born in Poland. He came to Brazil when he challenge that I love.

Brazzil—Before beginning your orchestrations for was three years old. My mother's parents came from Bessarabia in Russia, so I was the first generation from Orfeu do Carnaval did you study the original film?

J.M.—No, as a matter of fact, I didn't study it, but I Brazil. And Mangueira is possibly the most traditional, the knew it. To tell you the truth, it's been a long time since I've oldest escola de samba, and this has a very special affinity seen it, but when I was invited to take part in this produc- for the Brazilian people. But coming back to this project, I tion, I didn't have time to blink. It was one of those projects invited Luiz Brasil who was already playing with me in Caetano's band, and we played the concert together with ten they want completed yesterday.

Brazzil—It has been said that the American cinema is percussionists from Mangueira.

My night was very successful, and the organizer of the simply a grand scale video game and that the screenwriters are like people who operate thrill rides at amine- project, who was also the organizer of the Free Jazz Festival, invited me to play the jazz festival. I invited Zeca ment parks. Would you comment on this?

J.M.—Well, I think there are those kinds of movies, but Assumpcao to join us, and it was an amazing experience. not only those. You cannot say American cinema is this or Those guys from the escola have a completely different that. There are so many extremes. I think the American kind of musical development. They were children brought movie industry is very powerful, and this allows for all up in an escola de samba environment, and that's comthose extremes. Besides, there are so many different tastes pletely different from the environment in which I was in film. I have fun watching those fast-frame movies, you brought up, you know? know? They're not my main interest, but when I see a movie Brazztl—Did you need to rehearse a lot?

J.M.—We didn't have time, to tell you the truth. Belike that, of course, I'm very impressed with all the technology and especially the sound, which is my main interest. tween the invitation and the performance, we had time for Nonetheless, there is also a faction of directors in the States two rehearsals. But Mink that was enough because I had •rehearsed with guitarland bass a few times. And the samba who are creating very deep cinema too, for sure.

Brazzil—I understand that you judged the Brazilian musicians are very in4iitive and expressive. They have a lot of intuition as well a a conductor. This conductor, luckily Film Festival in 1991. What were you required to do?

J.M.—It was a great experience to be involved in a film for me, was a very go d One. So two rehearsals were enough festival, but it was very hard to judge. The festival organi- to give us a lot of pleasure. It was a great experience to mix zation brought in one specialist for each area, and r was the music I play witht"the real McCoy" of samba.

Brazzi/—That's a very American phrase. there to specifically judge music. But I also enjoyed being J.M.—Yeah, I learned it from Antonio Carlos Jobim. able to comment on the literary and cinematic elements. My personal concern, however, was the composition of the That's how I got the meaning, you know?

Brazzi/—Didn't you first work with Jobim in 1982 as soundtrack, not so much the music editing, but, of course, a cellist on the sound track for Gabriela? that influences judgment.

J.M.—Well, that's true, but that was not very personal Brazzil—Also, you were a judge of harmony for the escolas de samba at the SambOdromo. What does a work with him. He had already composed the music and harmony judge watch or listen for, and how could you recorded the basic tracks when I came in as a session player. remain fair, given your affiliation with Mangueira?

This was my first direct experience with his music, but not J.M.—Yea h, well, it's not a day-by-day connection, but with him. first played with him as a member of Nova I have an emotional connection with Mangueira. This was Banda at a rehearsal in his house in '85. As a matter of fact, 'something that I accepted for the fun of it. Carnaval is a big the rehearsal was in December of '84, and my first concert party. with Tom Jobim was in March '85. It was at Carnegie Hall, Brazzil—But the escolas de samba take this very which made it two emotional experiences at one time. I was seriously, no? playing Carnegie Hall, and I was playing with Antonio J.M.—For sure, and I tried to be as serious as I could be. Carlos Jobim. Unforgettable!

I know how much love is involved in this kind of competiBrazzil—Was he as much a teacher as a friend and tion. On the other hand, when I was invited, it was kind of colleague? funny because what they call harmony doesn't have anyJ.M.—He was one of the greatest teachers without ever thing directly to do with music. It has to do with statics, the intending to be. He was a great man, a great thinker, a man philosophical meaning of harmony, not specifically musi- of great thoughts. Because of that, he was a great teacher. cal harmony. The judge of harmony is concerned with the Brazzil—Can you remember anything specific that choreography, the quality of the melody, the quality of the you learned from him? percussion players, the bateria, and this also involves the J.M.—Wow... (laughs) It's very hard to be specific with grace and the shine of a performance. So being an artist, a man like that. I learned how music can achieve a grand being a musician, I felt that !had enough sensibility to judge perspective. I learned about economy of language. I learned these elements. I'm not a Carnaval specialist, you know? how one can say so much with so few elements. So, I think, But I couldn't let this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to I learned about life with him. There are so many, many watch this parade closely slip by. It was a job that was at stories from ten years of being together, playing together, times very easy and at others very difficult. Writing notes having so much fun. saying that one escola is better than the another is stressful.

Brazzil—Can you talk a little about how Quarteto But overall, I had a lot of fun.

Jobim-Morelenbaum emerged from Nova Banda?

Brazzi/—Can you tell me about your project with J.M.—A few years before the end ofNova Banda, Paulo Mangueira's bateria at the Free Jazz Festival?

(Jobim) and Paula (Mprelenbaum) and I began playing a J.111.—Before the Free Jazz Festival, there was a cul- series of concerts, jugt the three of us. And this was a tural project called Samba em Concerto. And this project consequence of being neighbors in our country houses.

BRAZZIL -JULY-AUGUST 2000

Right after I began playing with Tom, I rented a summerhouse up in the mountains above Rio in a place called Poco Fundo. Both Tom and Paulo Jobim had summerhouses there, and I used to rent a house. At that time in my life, I had more free time, so I used to go up there to search for inspiration, to relax and enjoy the natural surroundings.

During the summer time, when we went to the mountains, we played every day just as we had when we were in Rio. We were neighbors, and this music we played was so strong for us that it was only natural we should get together every day to play. We were a big family, you know? We were there playing volleyball, playing music, eating, and swimming. And after some time, the three of us began to do some concerts. We didn't have a name. It was just a trio— Paulo Jobim, Paula Morelenbaum, and Jaques Morelenbaum.

This was around '91, '92. We didn't use percussion or piano. When Tom Jobim passed away and a tribute concert was organized in New York, the three of us were invited to play. Paulo suggested bringing his son Daniel to play the piano, and I suggested adding a percussionist and invited Marcelo Costa. That was our first official performance as Quarteto Jobim-Morelenbaum. I think Paulo created the name when the concert organizer asked him what it was.

Following that performance, we toured Europe and Brazil before recording our first album.

Brazzil—When the Quarteto tours the United States will you be playing the repertoire on the CD? J.M.—Yes, we are still promoting this album, so we are going to play the CD repertoire, but we are also going to add other pieces. During the five years or more we have been playing together, we have played close to 100 compositions

by Antonio Carlos Jobim and also a few by Paulo Jobim.

Our repertoire is vast. We have a lot of good material to choose from to add to the CD repertoire.

Brazzil—What are the Quarteto's plans for its next recording?

J.M.—We're not sure. We have to study that. Everybody has been very busy, aside from working with the quartet. There are initial thoughts, a lot of ideas, but we haven't decided which direction to take. There is an eternal desire to play Jobim's music. It's part of our lives and we love it, but there is also interest in playing other Brazilian composers like Dorival Caymmi, maybe Edu Lobo. Time will tell us.

Brazzil—Did you say time or Tom? J.M.—Time. Maybe, Tom. (laughs) I don't know.

Brazzil—When can we expect the Jaques Morelenbaum solo album?

J.M.—I am planning to release my own record, but I don't know when I'm going to be able to do it. I have this idea about doing a record where I can show all my musical interests. I'd love to do a record where I can have a few tracks with the orchestra, so I can show and develop my writing interests, and a few other tracks acting as a cellist and improviser. But what has been happening is that I've been called to work with so many great artists that I haven't found enough free time to dedicate to my own project. But I'm very patient, and the time will come, for sure. I hope it comes soon.

Brazzil—So many artists and groups have received the Morelenbaum touch, and there is such a difference; for example, between Geraldo Azevedo and Gabriel 0 Pensador. Are there any precautions you take to capture an artist's sound and avoid a "Morelenbaum" stamp?

J.M.—No. I really enjoy the flexibility and the challenge. Arranging, for me, is like playing. Adjusting my work to so many different styles is something that I have fun with. I think that everything I do will bring in a little bit of my personal taste, but I also think that people invite me to work with them because they appreciate my tastes and because I don't bear any prejudice toward any kind of music. The main thing is that I feel very, very lucky to be able to collaborate with so many fine musicians. I just like good music and have been lucky enough to make a lot of it.

Brazzi/—Jaques, thank you so much for allowing me to take so much of your time.

J.M.—It was a pleasure.

BRAZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

1. Member of A Barca do Sol: Nando Carneiro—guitar & vocals, Muri Costa - guitar & vocals, Jaques Morelenbaum— cello, Beto Rdzende—percussion & electric guitar, Marcelo Costa drums Isz. percussion, Marcelo Bernardes/David Ganc— flute, Stull/Ala" Pierre—bass. * Flute an bass personnel changed between the first and second album.

Web sites of interest: Thalia Productions http://www.thalia@thaliaproductions.com Velas Records http://ww.velasrecords.com Bruce Gilman, music editor for Brazzil, received his Masters degree in music from California Institute of the Arts. He leads the Brazilian jazz ensemble Axe and plays culcafor escola de samba MILA. You can reach him through his e-mail: cuica@interworld.net

Corcovado (Torn Jobim)

Corcovado

Um cantinho, urn violAo A cozy spot, a guitar Esse amor essa cancao This love, this song Pra feliz a quern To bring joy to those we se ama love Muita calmapra pensar Much calm to think E ter empo pra sonhar And have time to dream a janela ye-se o Corcovado seen from the Corcovado window 0 Redentor que The Redeemer, how undo beautiful Quero a ida sempre assim I want life always like this Corn • 8 pert° de mim With you near me Ate o apa ar a velha chama Until the fire dies eu que era triste And I was sad Descr nte desse mundo Skeptical of this world o encontrar voce Finding you Eu conheci I found 0 que é feli idade, meu amor What happiness is, my love

43

Selected Discography:

By September 1999, the discography ofJaques Moreienbaum exceeded 400 titles.

Following is an extremely abridged listing of his recorded output reflecting my personal favorites: Key to Moreienbaum's participation: An.-arranger, Cb.-contrabass, Comp.-composer, Cond.-conductor, Pfte.piano, Prod.-producer, VIc.-cello, Voc.-vocals.

Label Artist Title Continental A Barca do Sol A Barca do Sol (Arr., Prod., Vic., Voc.) Continental Durante o Vera° A Barca do Sol (Arr., Comp., Pfte., Prod., Vic., Voc.) Fagner CBS Oros (Vic.) Clube da Esquina 2Milton Nascimento EMI (Vic.) RCA Tom Jobim Gabriela (Vic.) (Sound Track) Milton Nascimento Ariola Anima (Vic.) Ariola Aiceu Valenca Cavalo de Pau (Arr., Vic.) Som Livre Chico Buarque 0 Grande Circo & Edu Lobo Mistico (Vic.) PolyGram Boca Livre Boca Livre (Vic.) Som Livre Elis Regina Luz das Estrelas (Vic.) Barclay Joao Bosco Gagabird (Vic.) Kuarup Mutirdo da Vida Xangai (Arr., Prod., Vic.) Som Livre Cazuza-Exagerado Cazuza (Vic.) Som Livre 0 Tempo e o Vento Tom Jobim (Arr., Cond., Vic.) Encontros e Milton Nascimento Polydor Despedidas (Vic.) BMG Maria Bethania Dezembros (Cond., Vic.) Verve Tom Jobim Passarim (Arr., Cond., Prod.,Vic.) and Nova Banda A Floresta do Kuarup Joao Carlos Amazonas Assis Brasil (Arr., Vic.) Egberto Gismonti EMI Trem Caipira (Vic.) Som Livre Danca da Meia Lua Chico Buarque & Edu Lobo (Vic.) Egberto Gismonti EMI Feixe de Luz (Vic.) RCA Lobao Cuidado (Arr., Vic.) PolyGram Memoria da Pele Maria Bethania (Vic.) Milan Sur Gal Costa Plural (Vic.) CBS Djavan Djavan (An., Vic.) Kuarup Elomar em ConcertoElomar (An., Cond., Prod., Vic.) PolyGram Estrebucha Baby Zizi Possi (An., Pfte., Vic.) BMG Jonny Alf Olhos Negros (Vie.) PolyGram Maria Bethania 25 Anos (Vic.) Sony Zona de Fronteira Joao Bosco (Yle.) RGE E Ai que Quebra Grupo Fundo de Quintal a Rocha (Vic.) Sony Moraes Moreira Cidaddo (Vic.) EMI Paralamas do Os Grdos Sucesso (Vic.) Leila Pinheiro PolyGram Outras Caras (Vic.) 44

Date 1974 1976 1977 1978 1982 1982

Piazzollando Quinteto Villa(Arr., Cond., Prod., Vic.)Lobos/Rio Cello Trio Rafael Rabello Todos os Tons (Vic.) Caetano Veloso Circulado (An., Vic.) Gabo Preto Bem-te-vi (Vic.) Caetano Veloso Circulado Vivo (Arr., Prod., Vic., Voc.) Renata Arruda Renata Arruda (Vic.) Do Fundo do Meu Fafa de Belem Coracdo (Vic.) Chico Buarque Paratodos (Vic.) Guinga Delirio Carioca (Vic.) Soybook Vinicus de Moraes Various (An., Vic.) Ryuichi Sakamoto Little Buddha

Kuarup

1991

BMG

1991

PolyGranr

1991

Lebion

1992

PolyGram

1992

Warner/MZP

1993

BMG/Ariola

1993

BMG/Ariola

1993

Velas-

1993

Lumiar Life Records

1993

1982 1983 1983 1983 1984 1984 1985 1985 1985 1986 1987 1987 1987 1988 1988 1988 1989 1989 1989 1990 1989 1990 1990 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991

(Vic.) (Sound Track) Mzisica de Egberto Gismonti ECM Sobrevivencia (Vic.) Songbook 1994 Dorival Caymmi Various (An., Vic., Voc.) Songbook 1994 Various Carlos Lira (Vic.) 1994 Antonio Brasileiro Tom Jobim (Arr., Prod., Vic., Voc.) 1994 NEC Delirios de Orfeu Joyce (Vic.) 1994 Various Songbook Edu Lobo (An., Vic.) PolyGram 1994 Caetano Veloso Fina Estampa (An., Cond., Prod., Vic.) .7A0•~ -1 Fina Estampa 1994 PolyGram Caetano Veloso Ao Vivo (Arr., Cond., Prod., Vic.) 1995 BMG Mina d' Agua do Gal Costa Meu Canto (An., Cond., Prod., Vic., Voc.) 1995 EMI Fenian& Abreu Da Lata (Arr., Cond., Vic.) 1995 Luis Melodia EMI Reliquias (An., Vic.) 1995 Natasha Morelenbaum/ 0 Quatrilho (Arr.,Comp., Cond Veioso Pfte., Prod., Vic.) (Sound Track) 1996 Blue Note/ Ilha Brasil Joyce World Pacific (An., Vic.) Red Hot 1996 Various Red Hot+Rio (Prod., Vic.) Natasha 1996 Tieta do Agreste Caetano Veloso (Arr., Cond., Pfte., Prod., Vic.) (Sound Track) 1997 Gidon Kremer Nonesuch Astor PiazzollaEl Tango (Prod.)

Veias 1997 Vivalloel Ivan Lins (Arr., Cond., Vic.) VVEA 1997 Titas Tit& AcUstico (An.) 1997 Caetano Veloso PolyGram Livro (An., Cond., Prod., Vic., Voc.) 1998 Carlinhos Brown EMI Omelete Man (Arr., Cond., Pfte., Vic.) 1998 Moro no Brasil Farofa Carioca PolyGram (Vic.) 1998 Central do Brasil Morelenbaum/Pinto Milan (Arr., Comp., Cond., Prod.) (Sound Track) De Volta ao Chaos 1998 Planeta Jota Quest (Arr., Cond.)

Skank 1998 Siderado Sony (An., Cond.)

BRAZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

Prenda Minha Caetano Veloso (Arr., Cond., Prod., Vic., Voc.) Suite Leopoldina Guinga (Vic.) Quarteto JobimQuarteto JobimMorelenbaum Morelenbaum (Arr., Vic.) Memorias, Cronicas e Marisa Monte Declarac5es de Amor (Arr., Vic.) Solar Elba Ramalho (Arr., Cond., Vic.) Life Opera by (Vic., Voc.) Ryuichi Sakamoto Songbook Chico Buarque Various (Arr., Vic.) Orfeu do Carnaval Veloso, Bonfa, (Arr., Cond., Prod.) Jobim & Moraes (Sound Track) Na Esquina Joao Bosco (Arr., Cond., Prod., Vic.) A Felicidade (Torn JobimNinicius de Moraes) Tristeza nap tern fim Felicidade sim Tristeza nao tern fim Felicidade sim

PolyGram

1998

Velas

1999

Velas

1999

EMI/Phonomotor 1999 BMG

1999

WEA/Japan

1999

Lumiar

1999

Natasha

1999

Sony Music

2000

Happiness Sadness has no end Happiness yes Sadness has no end Happiness yes

eu vou cantar When I try to sing Voce no deixa You stop me E sempre vem a mesma And always with the sam queixa complaint Diz que eu desafmo You say that I am out of tune ue ei no sei cantar That I don't know how to sin Vdcé d tao bonita You are so beautiful tfc as tua beleza But your beauty ode se enganar Can deceive 1.* Se voce disser iue eu desafmo If you tell me that I'm out of amor tune Saiba que isto em mien It causes me Provca imensa dor great pain SO privilegia os tern ouvido Only privileged people have igual ao seu hearing equal to yours Eu possuo apenas o que Deus me And I have only what God deu gave me

A felicidade é como a gota De orvalho numa petala de for Brilha tranquila Depois de leve oscila E cai como uma lagrima de amor

Happiness is like a drop Of dew on a flower petal It shines tranquilly Then lightly oscillates And falls like a tear of love

A felicidade do pobre parece A grande ilusao do camaval A gente trabalha o ano inteiro Por urn momento de sonho Pm fazer a fantasia De rei ou de pirata ou jardineira Pm tudo se acabar na quarta-feira

The happiness of the poor seems to be The great illusion of Camaval People work all year long For just a moment to dream To make the costume Of king or pirate or of gardener But everything ends on Wednesday

Tristeza nao tern fim Felicidade sim Tristeza nao tern fun Felicidade sirn A felicidade é como a pluma Que o vento vai levando pelo ar Voa tao leve Mas tern a vida breve Precisa que haja vento sem parar

Se voce insiste em classificar Meu coiiportamento de anti-musical Eu mesmo mentindo devo argumentar Happiness is like a feather Queisso é bossa ova, que isso The wind carries through the air !ASTEMWS*;.., muito natural It flies so lightly 0 que vOCe no be nem se quer But has a brief life pressente It needs a wind without end que os desafmados tambem My happiness is dreaming tern urn coracao Of the eyes of my sweetheart Fotografer voce na minha Like the night passing, passing Rolleiflex In search of the dawn Revelou-se a sua enorme Speak softly please She needs to awaken happily with ingratidao

If you insist on categorizing My behavior as anti-musical Even if I lied I should argue That this is bossa nova and this is very natural What you don't know, nor can you guess Is that those who sing out of tune also have a heart I photographed you with my Rolleiflex It revealed your enormous ingratitude

SO nao poderá falar assim do meu amor Este e nnuoi que voce pode encontrar Voce corn a sua mnsica esqueceu o principal ue no peito dos desafinados No fundo do pe o tambem bate calado Que no peito dos desafmados Tambem bate um coracao

You cannot talk this way about my love It is the highest that you can find You with your music, forget the essential In the heart of those who sing out of tune Deep in the breast, a heart also beats softly In the heart of those out of tune

Sadness has no end Happiness yes Sadness has no end Happiness yes

A minha felicidade esti. sonhando Nos olhos da minha namorada E como esta noite passando passando Ern busca da madrugada Falem baixo per favor Pm que ela acorde alegre corn o dia Oferecendo beijos de amor

the day Offering kisses of love

A felicidade é uma coisa boa E tao delicada tambm Tern flores e amores de todas as cores E ninhos de passarinhos Tudo de born ela tern E é per ela ser assim tao delicada Que eu trato sempre dela muito bem

Happiness is a good thing And so delicate She has loves and flowers of all colors And birds' nests She is everything sunny And because she is so delicate I cherish her

BRAZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

Celebrate E3razil - Dance to the Rhythms of Bahia

Also: Percussionist Meia Noite & Josias dos Santos

Save the Dates October 1: Morelenbaum/ Jobim Quartet October 28: Sam Mangwana

September 8 - Friday - 8pin giMPILOOM

Kaiser Auditorium, 10 - 10111 St. Oakland, (A Food & Drinks by Java Catering Advance Tickets: 535 (Group Discount at C130) Day of Show: 540 City Box Office 315/392-44(K) www.citvboxoflicc.com

46

Also at Bass Outlets

sf's brazilian music

t w1.4.,w,tlialiaprokitictions,c0m

BRAZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

In early 1997, a band from Recife, state of Pernambuco, was poised to launch into the international Latin music scene with one of the most impressive displays of musical miscegenation our generation has yet seen. Their first CD, Da Lama ao Caos (From Mud to Chaos), had landed them in the spotlight and created a buzz unlike anything previously seen in Recife. Their new album, Afrociberdelia, had been released earlier the previous year to extraordinary reviews and praise from all over Brazil and the world, selling thousands of copies immediately. They had completed tours of Brazil, North America and Europe, mesmerizing audiences at every stop.

By fusing a mad mixture of funk and hip-hop with maracatu and samba, psychedelic dub with metal-laced guitars and a soul thumping bass driven by three alfaias (a sort of strapped on bass drum), added to politically and socially charged lyrics, Chico Science & Nacao Zuinbi were quite simply the next big thing. The sound they had helped to create was uniquely Brazilian and intensely Pernambucanoâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;they labeled it manguebeat. Mangue meaning mangrove in Portuguese, mangrove swamps covering their home base of Recife. This amazing percussion-driven musical explosion that only Brazil could produce was quickly establishing itself nationally and internationally. Chico was the mad scientist behind it all, the leader of this mangue revolution.

But on February 2, 1997, fate proved more powerful than art. While driving from Recife to nearby Olinda, the car Chico Science was driving spun out of control and crashed into one of the immense posts that line the highway. No one is sure exactly what happened. Chico Science, Francisco de Assis Franca, was killed instantly.

Traditional and Modern Nacao Zumbi began their journey in the early 90s when Chico Science together with Jorge do Peixe and the other founding members began to consolidate their ideas for a musical project based in traditional Brazilian music, but with an ultra-modern rock n' roll approach. Coming from an early fascination with hip-hop, classic 70s funk, maracatu and samba, Chico developed this vision and by 1991 he had assembled what would become Nacao Zumbi.

As their sound developed, so did Recife's musical identity.

Proudly showing off their Pernambucano roots at every opportunity, manguebeat was born through the voice and lingo of Chico Science & Nacao Zumbi. From 1994 to early 1997 they constantly made national and international headlines, attracting everyone from Gilberto Gil and Jorge Ben to Sepultura and the Red Hot Organization.

But since that horrible day in 1997, the past few years have seen limited press on Recife and what has become of this scene that was so close to making a Los Fabulosos Cadillacs-type impact on the Latin rock market. Without its charismatic leader, manguebeat seemed to fade from the spotlight. I had been thoroughly immersed in Latin rock for over five years and had never even heard the name let alone the music until this past winter. I finally came across Afrociberdelia by chance in February, having it recommended to me by a hip Portuguese professor.

Before finishing it three times, my conceptions of percussion driven rock n' roll had been completely and permanently rearranged. The CD spun three to four times daily in my stereo for over two weeks. Only learning tiny bits of the story of Chico Science second hand, and with an upcoming trip to Bahia, Brazil about to commence, I dedicated myself to make the ten hour trip north to Recife to find out what had become of Nacao Zumbi and to get a first hand look at Manguetown.

It turned out to be a very wise decision.

Arriving in Recife on a Thursday, I immediately sought out CD Rock, a local music store recommended to me by a BRAZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

Chico's legacy Until yo hear the thundering bass created by two or three alfaias roaring in unison, the energy of a Naga° Zu bi concert is hard to describe. There is simply no o her rock-based genre that even comes close. The j ice that they pumped off the stage that night was a sight impossible to forget.

JEFF DUNEMAN

it47

Brazilian music email group. Within minutes! was hearing the story first hand from the owner, Elcy, and had met about ten mangueboys involved in various music projects in Recife. As we talked, I felt that surge of energy that one only feels in cutting edge music circles. The pride in this underground scene and the now legendary local hero Chico Science was immense.

What did Chico Science & NacAo Zumbi represent to Recife and Brazilian rock in general? Quite simply the most original and inspirational that modern Brazil has to offer.

Much to my delight, I also learned that indeed Nacao Zumbi had not disappeared despite the tragic loss of Chico. Far from it. The story of Nava° Zumbi is not one of what could have been, but of what still might be. Coinciding perfectly with my five-day visit, the band would be performing at a free concert that Saturday night.

Set up on a beach in south Recife, wind tossing the salt and sand through the air, we came upon the stage that was to host the concert that night. Given my gringo concept of time, I had insisted on arriving early so as not to miss a beat. And miss a beat we did not. After grabbing a caipirinha (a margarita-like concoction) at a nearby restaurant and killing about an hour, we watched two mediocre punk/metal bands open the show.

As we waited, I scanned the area for anyone who seemed even remotely connected to the main attraction. Spotting a young woman sporting a backstage pass, !quickly approached her and introduced myself as a musician from the USA who had come here solely to see Naga.° Zumbi. She seemed impressed and said she would find someone.

Shortly after, a face I recognized from the Afrociberdelia album cover came out from behind the stage, saw me, and asked if! was the one who wanted to meet someone in the band.

It was Toca Ogum, the percussionist/singer. Barely catching half of what he said in his slang-laden Nordestino Portuguese, I told him why! had come and gave him a tape of my own band.

He said we could speak more after the show.

The next band, Lamento Negro, came on and instantly got my attention. They laid down an alfaia driven funk groove similar to Naga° Zumbi—manguebeat inaction. I later learned that they were also one of the original bands that helped create this magnificent scene developing so quickly in Recife. During their set, I saw one ofthe mangueboys from the store the other day and went to chat with him. He said he would introduce me to Jorge, the new main vocalist, and Pupilo, the drummer. We soon spotted them and made the appropriate introductions. I explained my journey and my admiration for this mad mixture of sounds that they had created. They also seemed impressed that I had made the trip. We had a brief discussion about the African backbone to so much American music, American as in the Americas— all of us.

Addictive Groove Nacao Zumbi took the stage after Lamento Negro had finished. I was instantly amazed by their set-up--drums and percussion lay everywhere. One could sense a sort of awe from the crowd before the music even began. Starting with a smooth dub groove, they ripped through an hour plus set that included now classic tunes such as "Antene-se" ("I am... I am... I am mangueboy!!"), "Etnia" ("Everyone united in alegria (joy), there's nothing wrong with our ethnicity."), as well as a few new songs from their upcoming release Radio S.AMB.A. The intensity of their explosive performance was addictive. Jorge commanded the audience with a presence that reminded me of a hip-hop MC directing traffic.

48

The mixing of traditional northeastern Brazilian music and percussion with funk, metal and dub is probably the most original sound I've heard in years. Until you hear the thundering bass created by two or three alfaias roaring in unison, the energy of a Nacao Zumbi concert is hard to describe. There is simply no other rockbased genre that even comes close. Put a samba batucada underneath a funk metalfueled maracatu psycho-dub groove and you can start to grasp the sound. The juice that they pumped off the stage that night was a sight impossible to forget. Nor was the homage to Chico with hundreds of mangueboys and manguegirls shaking their hands in the air, as if to let him and the world know that the beat has not stopped and that his crew is alive and well.

Today, three members of the band share lead vocal duties, constantly rotating between percussion and vocals. After the show I had the pleasure of cruising to a party in Olinda with Jorge, his wife and some of the Zumbi Nation crew. We continued the discussion about the unifying force that "black music" has been within our hemisphere—from funk to reggae to blues to samba to salsa to maracatu to hip-hop. We shared our ideas about an enormous musical vision that combines the best of all these genres into a unified whole. Jorge spoke about the upcoming album and expressed their hopes of embarking on another US tour sometime within the next year. Keep your eyes, ears and minds open for the announcement.

Nava.° Zumbi is quite simply one of the most cutting edge groups to appear in the last decade. The experiment started by the mad scientist continues and grows and reforms itself in the creativity bursting at the seams in Recife. The mourning of Chico can and should turn into a celebration of the legacy that this band is going to leave on the face of contemporary music.

The funk-filled Mangroove has firmly established itself in Northeastern Brazil and is once again making headlines.

Today CSNZ's CDs are nearly impossible to encounter because the moment they arrive at any music store from Recife to Rio de Janeiro they sell out. Your best bet is to check the international sections at major record stores. Or what the hell, send me a blank tape or two. ! can probably hook you up. And hooked you will be.

Chico Science & Naga() Zumbi INacao Zumbi selected Discography: Da Lama ao Caos (1995) Sony Music Brazil Afrociberdelia (1996) Sony Music Brazil Red, Hot & Rio compilation (1996) Polygram Latino US CSNZ (1999) Sony Music Brazil Radio S.AMB.A. (2000) Independent Website: www.nacaozumbi.cjb.net email: nacaozumbitorricelli.com.br Jeff Duneman is finishing his Masters in Latin American Studies at the University of New Mexico. He is a musician (drummer) and full-time music fanatic. 28 years old, hailing from the Midwest, temporarily transplanted to New Mexico, he has lived and traveled extensively in Mexico as well as visiting other parts of Spanish Latin America. Currently beginning what is sure to be a long-term romance with Brazil.

You can reach the author at jduneman@yahoo.com BRAZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

RIO Amigo Oculto (Secret Friend)—Comedy.

A family gathering to celebrate Christmas becomes a big mess. Written by Augusto Boal, directed by Marilia Pera, with Fafy Siqueira and Francoise Forton. Teatro do Sesi.

Louca Turbulencia (Crazy Turbulence)— After being fired from the radio station she worked for, a radio hostess decides to air some dirty linen about the people she worked with. Teatro Dulcina Tuti—Drama—An examination of the role of black in Brazilian society. Written Ubirajara Fidalgo, directed by Cyrano RosaMtn, with Dalny Dias Cesar and Deo Garcez. Teatro de Arena Elza Osborne Alice Atraves do Espelho (Alice Through the Looking Glass)—Based on Lewis Carroll story, the staging uses tricks like a moving ceiling that forces people to lower the head, so the spectator can feel a little like Alice must have felt. Directed by Paulo de Moraes with Cia. Armazem de Teatro.

Fundicao Progresso.

Os Mon6logos da Vagina (The Vagina's Monologues)—Comedy. Written by Eve Ensler, directed by Miguel Falabella, with Zeze Polessa, Claudia Rodrigues, and Vera Setta. Based in 200 interviews made in 200 different countries by American Ensler, deals with sexuality and problems with dealing with it from a woman's perspective.

SAO PAULO Ventriloquist—An amusing and critical take on modern society and the difficulty of being original. Internet, futurology, fashion, and drugs are some of the target of writer and director Gerald Thomas. Movie director Caca Diegues participates with his voice in off. Teatro Sao Pedro.

Mais Perto (Closer)—Comedy. Four people getting together, falling in love, having sex, and betraying each other. Written by Patrick Marber; directed by Hector Babenco, with Renata Sorrah, Jose Mayer, BRAZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

Marco Ricca and Guta Stresser.

Socorro, Mamie Foi Embora! (Help, Mom's Gone Away!)—Comedy. Typical Jewish mother abandons the house for one week and comes back announcing she wants to become an actress. Written by Benedito Ruy Barbosa, directed by Jose Wilker, with John Herbert, Marilene Barbosa, and Dalton Mello, Teatro Imprensa.

Beckettiana #3—Two texts by Irish 'playwright Samuel Becket. In the first, dlifferent voices talk about the life of an old man.

In the second, an old man talks about his anxieties and loneliness. Interpreted by Becket expert Linneu Dias and directed by Rubens Rusche, another Becket expert.

Centro Cultural Sao Paulo.

Fragmentos Troianos (Trojan Fragments)—A comparison between the old Greek wars and World War II and the Holocaust. Written and directed by Antunes Filho, with the young actors of Antunes's Centro de Pesquisas Teatrais.

0 Acidente (The Accident)—Despite the routine a couple ends up finding new virtues in each other, which makes them go on with their relationship. Written by Bosco Brasil, directed by Ariela Goldman with Denise Weinberg and Geraldo de Banos.

Basement of Centro Cultural Sao Paulo.

0 Zelador (The Janitor)—The Harold Pinter story about the impossibility of communication between two men. Direc ed by Michel Bercovitch, with Selton f.4ello, Marcos Oliveira, and Leonardo Me eiros.

Teatro Alfa

Dovies Just-released American movies: The Road to El Dorado (0 Caminho para El Dorado), The Muse (A Musa), The Book of Life (0 Livro da Vida), Final Destination (Prernonicdo), Dinosaur (pinossauro), Finding Graceland (Um Estranho Charnado Elvis), Happy, Judy Berlin (Judy Berlin), Boiler Room (0 Prirneiro Milha-o), Big Momma's House (VovO....Zona), Los Angeles Without a Map (Absolutlly Los Angeles), Besieged (0 Assedio), rtan A. E. (Titan), The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas (Os Flintstones em Viva Rack Vegas) Hunter's Moon (0 Dia da Caca razil/ 1999—Nando finds out he has b en betrayed after being forced to return to drug trafficking, something he had abandoned.

Directed by Alberto Graca, with Marcelo Antony, Barbara Schulz, Jonas Bloch, and Felipe Camargo.

A Terceira Morte de Joaquim Bolivar (The Third Death of Joaquim Bollvar)— Brazi1/1998—Centered in the 1964 military coup in Brazil, the story is told n three distinct phases. Directed by Flavio Candid°, with Sergio Silviero, Othon Bastos, and Jonas Bloch.

Cronicamente Invicivel (Chronically Unfeasible)—In a Sao Paulo restaurant five characters bare their own souls, clash and reconcile. By Sergio Bianchi, with Cecil Third, Betty Gofman, Daniel Dant4s, Dan Stulbach, Dira Paes, and Umberto Magnani.

Ole, um Movie Cabra da Peste—Brazil/ 1999—A Nordestino (a man from the Brazilian Northeast) searching for his sister ends up in Los Angeles and is chased by the Police after getting involved with drug

dealers and prostitutes. Directed by Roberto Santucci Filho, with Mario Helborn, Jesus Nebot, Anthony Cordova

oaks best sellers FICTION 1 Os cem melhores contos brasileiros do seculo, org. Italo Moriconi. Objetiva, R$ 49.90 2 Harry Potter e a pedra filosofal, J.K. Rowling. Rocco, R$ 22 3 A pedra da luz, vol. 2: a mulher sabia, Christian Jacq. Bertrand, R$ 38 4 0 doente Moliere, Rubem Fonseca.

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Paz e Terra, R$ 14 According to Jornal do Brasil, http:// www.jb.com.br 49

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The Greatest Without Jose Bonifacio de Andrada e Silva, Brazil would not exist in its current form. He was aware of the disintegration of the Spanish America, which split into eight independent countries between 1810 and 1830.

RICARDO C. AMARAL This article is in commemoration of Brazil's 500th anniversary. (Brazil's actual birthday date is April 22, 2000) Most well educated Brazilians know that Jose Bonifacio de Andrada e Silva is the "Patriarch of Independence" of Brazil. He is one of the greatest statesman in world history, but he is unknown to the American public.

Most people don't know enough of our Brazilian history and its details to appreciate the reasons why Jose Bonifacio (the founding father of Brazil) is considered the most important figure in Brazilian history. There is no other person in Brazilian history who comes close to Jose Bonifacio in the impact that he had on the history of the country.

To demonstrate Jose Bonifacio's importance to the history of Brazil, we can say that Jose Bonifacio was responsible for the unification of Brazil in 1822. It was Jose Bonifacio's statesmanship ability that united the country which we call Brazil. The country that he united in 1822 is almost the same size as the country that we have today. Since 1822 Brazil gained just a little and lost a little territory.

There was no unity in Brazil in 1822 or before 1822. The north of Brazil had better communications with Europe than with Rio de Janeiro. He unified a very large country with his exceptional political savvy and statesmanship skills, with a small army, with a small navy and with almost no bloodshed.

The Outstanding Prime Minister

IfJose Bonifacio had made a single mistake during that very delicate turning point in Brazilian history, the result would have been disas-

BRAZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

trous for Brazil. If they had to fight multiple rebellions for independence from the north to the south of Brazil then everything could have gotten out of control and their small army and navy would not have a single chance to keep the new nation together (Brazil was too large to be controlled with this small army and navy with the communication and transportation systems available in Brazil in 1822). If that had happened the result would have been disastrous, and Brazil would have been split into five or six independent countries at that point.

In 1621, Maranhao became a separate colony of Portugal, because it was easier to maintain communications from Maranhao in the north ofBrazil with Lisbon, in Portugal, than with the capital of Brazil, Sao Salvador, in the Captaincy of Bahia. The new colony of Portugal included most of the Captaincies north and west of Cabo Sao Roque, and included parts of Ceara, Piaui, Maranhao, Para and Amazonas. This colony was never prosperous.

In 1822 at the time of the Brazilian independence from Portugal, the north of Brazil was precariously connected to the south. The king of Portugal preferred to keep the Captaincies (States) isolated and ignorant of one another. Royal edicts of 1614 and 1620 prohibited a governor-general from one Captaincy to visit another Captaincy in Brazil without permission from Portugal.

To put things in the right perspective let's review some facts and some other events which were happening around the 1820's. The United States in the 1820's was a country half of today's size. The United States consisted of its thirteen original states. It had also acquired a new piece of land by the Treaty of Versailles in 1783, the Louisiana Territory from France in 1803 and Florida in 1819 from Spain. Even if we added the newly purchased lands to the United States, the U.S. still was half of the size ofBrazil in 1822, the time of Brazilian independence.

The United States had to fight an independence war in 1776 to achieve the independence of its thirteen original states. U.S. independence was achieved with bloodshed and suffering for American colonists. By contrast, Brazilian independence was achieved with very little bloodshed because of Jose Bonifacio's statesmanship abilities. Without Jose Bonifacio in its history, the country Brazil in its current form would not exist today.

Jose Bonifacio was aware of the disintegration of the Spanish empire in the Americas. Spanish America disintegrated into eight separate and independent countries during the period 1810 to 1830. Spanish America broke up into various republics and their independence was as follows: Paraguay (1811), Argentina (1816), Chile (1818), Colombia (1819), Ecuador (1822), Peru (1824), Bolivia (1825), and Venezuela (1830). The independence of these countries from Spain was accomplished with a twenty-year civil war in that region of South America and split Spanish America into eight independent republics. Uruguay got its independence in 1828 from Brazil.

Dom Pedro I lost the Cisplatine Province—the country called Uruguay today—in a disastrous war with Argentina in 1828. If Dom Pedro I had kept Jose Bonifacio as his Prime Minister in the late 1820's, instead of sending him into exile, most likely the country Uruguay still would be part of Brazil today.

We can summarize Jose Bonifacio's importance to Brazil-

BRAZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2O00

ian history as f llows: Without Jose Bonifacio's influence on Brazilian histo , we would have instead four or five independent countries n South America where Brazil is located, and we would not - commemorating the 500th anniversary of the Brazilian nati • n. Without Jose Bonifacio in its history, the country Brazil in its current form would not exist today.

The major eason to honor Jose Bonifacio de Andrada e Silva is the fac that Brazilians owe him the country which we call Brazil to ay. The country itself was Jose Bonifacio's legacy to futu e Brazilian generations.

The impac , which Jose Bonifacio had as the architect of Brazilian inde endence did not happen by chance, but as a result of his hf -long hard work and experience. He had all the credentials an knowledge which he had acquired in Europe during the thi six years in which he lived there, before returning to B azil in 1819 to do a masterful job in directing Brazil in its i I ependence process.

When Pri ce Dom Pedro asked Jose I3onifacio to be his Prime Minist in 1822, the Prince Regent was aware that he could not find a more qualified person for that job in Brazil.

Jose Bonifaci • told the Prince Regent that he would accept the position only hen allowed to impose his unlimited authority.

Dom Pedro di not hesitate. He armed Jose Bon ifacio with the highest level .f authority possible. The investiture of Jose Bonifacio c • ied with it the most extensive powers that any minister had 'n the history of the imperial or republican Brazil.

The Wort . in the Early 1800's To help p t things in the right perspective I want to make two import. points. First, the journalist/historian James Burke in his television series about world history called Connections ave the viewer some interesting information. In one of the epi . odes he mentioned that most people who lived up to the earl 1800's spent their entire lives never traveling farther than a 20 mile radius from the place where they were born. In other words, most people lived in a small and limited world.

Second, i 1822, the Brazilian population was estimated to be around .4 million people. The white population was around 2.0 m Ilion people, and only about 10 percent of them were literate or semi-literate. Very few people had an advanced educ ion.

The perce tage of people literate or semi-literate in Brazil improved a 1 le bit by 1890. The census of 1890 in Brazil shows that o of a total population of 14 million people only 14.8 % were iterate or semi-literate.

These po nts are important because they describe the world in whi • h Jose Bonifacio was living from 1780 to 1838, where most p - ople lived in this very limited world of 20 miles radius, and th - great majority of people were illiterate or semiliterate.

Jose Bon facio's Education Jose Bon'lacio was an extraordinary human being. He had attended so e of the best universities of his time; he studied mathematics philosophy, astronomy and law. He received his philosop y degree in 1787 and his law degree in 1788.

Later he stu ied and did research in the top universities in

55

France, Germany and Scandinavia. He traveled extensively throughout Europe from 1789 through 1800.

He met a large number of the best scientists of his day, including Fourcroy, Vauquelin, Priestley, Lavoisier and many others. He visited many of the well-known universities and scientific research centers of Europe of his day.

Jose Bonifacio was fluent in six languages (he was able to write and read): Portuguese, English, French, Italian, German and Spanish. He understood 11 languages in total, and he also had complete command of Greek and Latin.

He traveled extensively throughout Europe and witnessed first hand how different places and different people were organized and how their society operated. He was in Paris in the period 1790 through 1792, and he was very interested in the debates of the Convention in Paris. He stayed in Paris until the proclamation of the French Republic in September 1792.

During this period he frequented a very exclusive group of powerful thinkers; some of them had influenced and played a major role in the French Revolution and others were authorities in their fields of specialization.

The Portugal Period: 1800-1819 After he returned to Portugal in 1800, he was appointed to many positions of responsibility by the Portuguese government. He also participated in the war effort to defend Portugal from three French invasions from 1808 to 1812. Jose Bonifacio left Portugal with his family on August 19, 1819 to return to Brazil. He was 56 and 1/2 years old, considered an advanced age in 1819, and he had been living out of Brazil for 36 years.

When he arrived in Brazil in early November 1819, he was a respected and well-known scientist in the top scientific research centers of Europe of his day. He came back to Brazil to retire and to enjoy his remaining days doing scientific research and writing, hardly knowing that the biggest accomplishments of his life and what would immortalize him in world history were still ahead of him.

The greatest accomplishment of Dom Pedro's life (the Prince Regent) in regard to Brazil, was to appoint Jose Bonifacio his Prime Minister, and not hesitating in arming Jose Bonifacio with unlimited authority to do his job.

The Independence Process The Prince Regent, and later Emperor, on various occasions made a point of showing in public the high regard that he had for his Prime Minister by handing him in official ceremonies the bastion of mordomo-mor, symbol of uncontested prestige. This set the stage for Jose Bonifacio to assume his Prime Minister position. which would enable him to do a masterful job that culminated with the independence of Brazil from Portugal.

To this day no one has accomplished so much in Brazilian history as Jose Bonifacio, and his accomplishments were done in a very short period of time in the three years from 1821 to 1823. In those three years Jose Bonifacio provoked the most outstanding hatred that any politician tasted in Brazil. During this period he could count

56

on support only from a few trusted friends and from his other two brothers Martim Francisco and Antonio Carlos. They were instrumental and also played important supporting roles in the independence of Brazil.

There was a hatred of the Portuguese as they were a dominant force in Rio de Janeiro. There was also a hatred of various groups of Brazilians. These groups of Brazilians could not see in Jose Bonifacio's political actions the defense of national unity and territorial integrity.

Jose Bonifacio had a clear vision, objective and realistic. of the functions of a modern State. In his writings and personal correspondence, in most documents, in government decrees and in official and diplomatic correspondence to other governments, we can see that he understood the social and economic problems of his day. He also had a profound understanding of the political issues and of what could be realistically done.

His goal was to guide Brazil to a smoother transition than the one that he had seen in France during the French Revolution. He also was aware of the current anarchy present in the new nations that were getting their independence from the Spanish Empire, as was the case in Argentina.

In his writings, correspondence, government document:, and government decrees we can see that Jose Bonifacio and his brother Martim Francisco had an excellent grasp or economic theory and that their thoughts were way ahead oi their time in that subject.

The liberal reforms that Jose Bonifacio was putting in place to completely restructure, not only the economic but also the political and social life in Brazil, created a momentum to form an incredible coalition of Portuguese and Brazilian land and slave owners. This powerful coalition was so strong that eventually they forced Jose Bonifacio out of power.

The Critical Period There was acritical nine-month period from March 1822 to December 1822 in which Jose Bonifacio almost in a despotic fashion issued decree after decree establishing the foundations, which would give the social, political and economic structure for the new nation. Jose Bonifacio's actions were arrogant, inflexible, firm, and irreconcilable with dissident groups, but at the same time they were compatible with the people and the nation whose interests he was defending.

When Jose Bonifacio participated in the provisory government of Sao Paulo, he prepared a document that was signed by the members of the provisory government on October 9, 1821 called "Lembrancas e Apontamentos".

This document might be the most important document in the history of reforms in Brazil.

The document provided a complete master plan for the new nation and covered in detail all the necessary building blocks of social, political and economic life.

Jose Bonifacio's major accomplishment in Brazil was the consolidation of independence with national sovereignty, political unity and territorial integrity.

BRAZZIL -JULY-AUGUST 2000

The Andrada Brothers When historians refer to "The Andrada Brothers" they are referring to the three brothers, as follows: A) Jose Bonifacio de Andrada e Silva (B 1763 - D 1838) B) Martim Francisco Ribeiro de Andrada (B 1775 - D 1844) C) Ant6nio Carlos Ribeiro de Andrada Machado e Silva (B 1773 - D 1845) In 1995, I wrote two articles about Jose Bonifacio and I posted them in a newsgroup about Brazil. I received many emails in reply to the postings, most of them asking further questions about the Andrada brothers. But some of the emails received from the readers were critical of them, mentioning that the Andrada brothers were considered radical in their time.

Were the Andrada brothers radical?

A radical in this context would be a person who favors fundamental or extreme change, favoring basic change in the social or economic structure of a country. Can the Andrada brothers be considered radical when we look back and analyze their involvement in the history of Brazil? The answer is yes. There is no question that they were radical. Let's analyze why, in order of events from 1817 to 1840.

Antonio Carlos was working , in Olinda, Pernambuco Province, as a magistrate when a republican and mason revolution broke out in that province in 1817. He was asked to join the leadership of that revolution. He even sent a letter to Jose Bonifacio in Portugal dated April 14, 1817 describing what was happening. In that letter he mentioned how well the revolution had turned out.

A short time later Jose Bonifacio (in Portugal) found out that the revolution in Pernambuco had been a disaster for the revolutionists. Most of the leaders of that revolution had been hanged. The only reason they spared Antonio Carlos' life was because they knew he was a brother of Jose Bonifacio. (The revolution in Pernambuco was crushed by the Portuguese and lasted only 75 days.)

Antonio Carlos spent four years in prison for participating in that revolution. When Jose Bonifacio returned to BraZil at the end of 1819, his brother Ant6nio Carlos was still in prison in the province of Bahia.

Jose Bonifacio de Andrada 'e Silva was the architect of Brazilian independence,. that is why he is known as "The Patriarch of Independence." He guided Brazil through its independence process from 1821 to 1823. During this period Jose Bonifacio was the Prime Minister and his brother Martim Francisco was the Finance Minister of Brazil.

The First Brazilian Constitution The three "Andrada brothers" continued participating in the Constituent Assembly after Jose Bonifacio and Martim Francisco resigned from their government positions. Antonio Carlos was a representative of Sao Paulo. Jose Bonifacio had been elected Deputado from sao Paulo and Martim Francisco

BRAZZIL - JULY-AUGUST 2000

had been elected Deputado from Rio de Janeiro.

They neede a leader to direct the Constituent Assembly.

Jos Bonifacio knew that he was not a great orator.

He lso had some other drawbacks, as he did not wo about being amiable or courteous. Any one cou d see when he was angry, and he had a certain arr ant manner. Martim Francisco was a good orat r but his personality was a carbon copy of Jos Bonifacio's and he also projected that arrogan manner. tonio Carlos was a great orator; as a matter of ct he was considered the greatest orator in Br il in his generation (1817 to 1845). Later, Jose Bo ifacio de Andrada e Silva (The Younger), son of artim Francisco and grandson of the Patriarch als a was considered the greatest orator of his gen ration (1850 to 1886). t6nio Carlos took the leadership position to lea and to guide the proceedings of the process of fr ing the first Brazilian Constitution. Jose Bo ifacio used his brothers to make his points. He ha full confidence in the abilities of his brothers to et his points across, but he was always in the bac ground giving support to them. ut of the almost one hundred representatives of the States i the Constituent Assembly, besides the three Andrada broth rs, only three or four people ,made contributions to the fr ing of the Constitution.

The Andrai a brothers started attacking the administration through their ditorials in their newspaper 0 Tamoio. They were right in t eir attacks. What the Portuguese were doing arose suspicio that they wanted to reunite Brazil with Portugal. Jose Boni ado and Martim Francisco, belonging to the opposition p y, made constant attacks on the cabinet of ministers, cau ing them considerable embarrassment.

The fight â&#x20AC;˘ t so heated that the members of the Constituent Assembly ere worried that their existence was in jeopardy. The Em eror was so angry with the Andradas that he decided to dis olve the Constituent Assembly or to expel the Andradas fro ii the Constituent Assembly. The Emperor watched the th ee Andrada brothers continue to dominate the situation. Fina ly he got his horse and, followed by a group of horsemen, we t to the Constituent Assembly.

The forces urrounded the Constituent Assembly building and pointed t eir artillery at the door of the building, and Brigadier Mo aes passed on to the Constituent Assembly the Emperors' or er for their dissolution. Ant6nio Carlos and Martim Franc sco were held prisoners as soon as they left the building.

On Nove ber 13. 1823 a new group started deliberating the Constituti n; at that point most of the articles of the Constitution d been decided and they were in the process of being submitt d to the Municipal Chambers of the States for review. Dom edro told them to finalize the Constitution by December 13, 1823. This Constitution was to be effective as of December 3, 1823 and the swearing ceremony would be done on Marc 25, 1824.

The port o Rio de Janeiro was reopened on November 24, 1823 as soo as the ship "Luconia" left Brazil with the prisoners. W en Jose Bonifacio, Martim Francisco, and Ant6nio Carl s went down in the ship, they had a nice

57

surprise. Their families were waiting for them to go with them into exile.

In the beginning of 1828, Martim Francisco and Ant6nio Carlos returned to Brazil with their families. They returned to defend themselves, including Jose Bonifacio, against all of the charges brought forth by the government. Jose Bonifacio stayed in France with his wife.

As soon as they arrived in Rio de Janeiro they presented themselves to the authorities who imprisoned them immediately in the prison in the I lha das Cobras. They prepared their defense and they destroyed their adversaries in court. They got a unanimous absolution on September 6, 1828. Their names were cleared and vindicated.

Political Careers Resumed When Martim Francisco was in prison he was invited to take a position as a government Minister. He did not accept the offer and told them that first he had to get justice and prove his innocence. Also, when he was in prison in 1828 he was elected Deputado for the Minas Gerais province. Later in 1838, Martim Francisco was elected Deputado for the Sao Paulo province.

Antonio Carlos also was elected Deputado when he returned from exile in 1828, and he resumed his political career in Brazil.

After the Andradas had been vindicated in Brazil, Jose Bonifacio stayed one more year in France before he returned to Brazil. Jose Bonifacio left Bordeaux at the end of May 1829 to return to Rio de Janeiro.

He arrived in Brazil on July 23, 1829. When Jose Bonifacio was in exile, the province of Bahia elected him Deputado to represent them in Congress. Jose Bonifacio returned to Congress as a Bahia representative only on June 22, 1831.

After Jose Bonifacio's death in 1838, his brothers Martim Francisco and Ant6nio Carlos continued their political careers. The political situation was a mess in Brazil in April 1840. The Andrada brothers and other liberal leaders organized a secret club to promote the emancipation of Dom Pedro II. The Andradas began to organize public demonstrations in support of the emancipation of Dom Pedro II, and engaged in debate using the press to get further public support.

Disregarding the pleas from the leader of the government for postponement, a joint session of Congress invested Dom Pedro with imperial authority on July 23, 1840. The young Prince was fourteen years old. He took the oath to uphold the Constitution and from then on he was Emperor Pedro II. Unlike his father, Dom Pedro II had been born and educated in Brazil. His tutors, starting with Jose Bonifacio, exposed him to heavy doses of enlightenment thought. During his later years in power some political commentators referred to Dom Pedro II's government as the best republican government in the Americas.

When the Emperor Dom Pedro II formed his first cabinet of ministers in 1840, he rewarded the Andrada brothers by appointing Antonio Carlos as the Prime Minister, and Martim Francisco as the Finance Minister.

A fact, which many well-educated Brazilians don't know, is that Martim Francisco Ribeiro de Andrada was entrusted with the job of drafting the Declaration of Independence of

58

Brazil. After reviewing the detail of the document with Jose Bonifacio, the document was immediately sent to Prince Dom Pedro.

In the United States, Thomas Jefferson is the author of the document The Declaration of Independence of the United States. In Brazil, Martim Francisco Ribeiro de Andrada is the author of the document The Declaration of Independence of Brazil.

Fighting Slavery and Landowners Why was the economic establishment of his time so afraid of Jose Bonifacio? The basis of the Brazilian economy was agriculture and mining, which were performed by slave labor. As a matter of fact in Brazil they used slave labor for everything including manufacturing (a reason which Jose Bonifacio highlighted; he pointed out that this was one of the major reasons for the Brazilian low productivity in that sector), as compared with the United States where slave labor was used mostly in agriculture.

Jose Bonifacio was against slavery, and he wanted to free the slaves. He was also in favor of major agrarian reform. These two issues which Jose Bonifacio was fighting for so hard would have shaken the Brazilian economy of his time to its foundations. If he was able to end slavery and get his agrarian reform proposal passed, the result would have been that the Brazilian economy would have to go through a major restructuring. These would have been radical changes to the structure of the Brazilian economy of his time and these changes made everyone involved very worried including the landowners, slave owners, and slave traders, and these were a very powerful groups of people of his day.

Most of the above information with the proper footnotes can be found in much more detail in the book Jose Bonifacio de Andrada e Silva - The Greatest Man in Brazilian History

by Ricardo C. Amaral. - Copyright C 1999 Publisher: Xlibris Corporation, Tel. # 1-888-795-4274 â&#x20AC;˘SiSRUCeiii4 The book is available to the public in hardcover or softcover at the following website addresses: http://www.xlibris.com/JoseBonifacio.html http://www.amazon.com/ http://www.bordersgroupinc.com/ Ricardo C. Amaral, the author, was born in the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil. He attended Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, New Jersey, USA, where he received a BA degree in Economics and later an MBA degree in Finance. He continued his Academic studies towards a PhD degree in Economics at Fordham University, but then elected to immerse himself totally into a professional corporate career.

Ricardo Amaral is among a very few remaining living descendants of both Jose Bonificio de Andrada e Silva and his brother Martim Francisco Ribeiro de And rada, the founding fathers of Brazil.

You can contact the author at the following address: Ricardo C. Amaral P.O. Box 110302 Nutley, New Jersey 07110 Email address: amaral@alpha.fdu.edu

BRAZZIL-JULY-AUGUST 2000

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