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(510) 243-2724 BRAZZIL - APRIL 2003
Being among the 10 best-selling authors in the world and number one in France and Brazil is not enough to get you some respect. Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho knows that very well. His books have been published in more than 150 countries and translated into 56 languages; more than 53 millions of his books were sold worldwide; still he is not considered a "serious" writer by most of Brazil's intelligentsia. So it was understandable that there were cheerers and hecklers when the Brazilian Academy of Letters chose Paulo Coelho recently to become one of its peers in that exclusive literary club of 40. The author feels in a large extent vindicated and will be able to use from now on the honoritic title used by the gentlemen and ladies of the vetust Academy: immortal. Interestingly enough, the immortal's most famous book, The Alchemist, written in 1988—a reflection on more than a decade of studying alchemy—sold a mere 900 copies in Brazil, and its publisher concluded that reprinting it would be a waste of paper and money. The Alchemist, however, ended up being the all time bestselling book in Brazilian history. It doesn't matter if you consider him a charlatan or a deep thinker. Coelho had a rich and sometime tortured life, which included being sent to a mental hospital by his own father when he was a teen and being taken to jail by the military dictatorship. which considered him a subversive. For all of this, Paulo Coelho is our cover story. RA4 Send mail to: P.O. Box 50536 - Los Angeles, CA 90050-0536 Ads/Editorial: (323) 255-8062 Info: (323) 255-8062 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 Commercial Director: Airton Mandarino Art&Design Director: Marina Yoshie (marinayoshie@hotmail.corn) Entertainment Editors: Sam & Harriet Robbins Book Review: Bondo Wyszpolski Music Editor: Bruce Gilman Brazil Bureau Chief: Marta Alvim E-mail: mItdalvim@yahoo.corn With the help of volunteers around the world TIME TO RENEW? Sorry, we don't send reminders. Look at the label to know when your subscription ends. BRAZZIL (ISSN 1091-868X) is published monthly by Brazzil 2039 N. Ave. 52, Los Angeles, CA, 90042-1024.Periodicals Postage rate paid at Los Angeles, CA. Single copy sold for $2. One year subscription for 12 issues is $3 (three dollars) in the U.S., $15 in Canada and Mexico, and $18 in all other countries. No back issues sold. Allow 5 to 7 weeks to receive your first issue. You may quote from or reprint any of the contents with proper copyright credit. Editorial submissions are welcome. Include a SASE (self addressed and stamped envelope) if you want your material mailed back. Brazzil assumes no responsibility for any claims made by its advertisers. The Library of Congress ISSN: 1524-4997 POST MASTER: Send address changes to BRAZZIL PO Box 50536 - Los Angeles, CA - 90050-0536
Cover ulo Coelho becom s immortal
Contents 01 17 17 11 11 11 21 21 23 24 21 21 31 35 41 42 41 54
TV Xuxa turns 40, but didn't grow up Etiquette Telephone manners in Brazil Language Talking like a Paulista Art A painting expo brings back the past Politics Lula's 100 days Iraq No need to irritate Washington Presidency Lula owes Cardoso an apology Economy Brazilian-Arab friendly trade Media Covering the Iraq War Press Hot air news in Brazil Blacks Against quotas for blacks Race There are no blacks, only Brazilians Profile Hans Stem and his rock empire In Po
guese "Ilha Desconhecida" by Jose Saramago Opinion A slave ship called Brazil Life On the streets of City of God Music MPB and social changes
Childre
On the street, of the street, in the street - Part II
Departments BB Rapidinhas 18 Letters 49 Cultural Pulse 51 Classifieds 52 That's Brazilian
5 BRAZZIL - APRIL 2003
luxal for Ever a Child JOHN FITZPATRICK Probably the best-known female face in Brazil belongs to one Maria da Graca Meneghel--better known as Xuxa. For those fortunate readers who have never heard of her, she is a television presenter whose lack of artistic talent is offset by a genius for marketing herself Barely a week passes without her face appearing on the cover of the innumerable gossip magazines which chronicle the lives and loves of Brazil's "celebrities". Xuxa is currently celebrating her 40th birthday and, as usual, is sharing her private life with the whole world. "Now I Want Respect", she declares from the cover of one of the numerous magaznes marking this event as though it were a milestone in Brazilian history. One publisher has even produced a bulky volume fill of photos of Xuxa, "a rainha dos baixinhos" (the clueen of the tiny tots) as she is coyry known. It used to be said that magazine sales increased whenever Diana, the late Princess of Wales, appeared on the cover. lam not sure ifthis is the case with Xuxa, but it may explain the fascination she has for Brazil's magazine editors_ Sometimes she features on nearly all of the main gossip, television and women's magazines in the same week. It is unusual for more than two or three weeks to pass without her grinning face appearing an a cover* generally accompanied by her young daughter, Sast a. Domestic Trivia The articles are trite and moronic—Xuxa at Sasba's birthday party, Irit day at school, Xuxa is sad because she does not have a boyfriend, Xuxa is happy because she has a new boyfriend etc. Of course, it is not by coincidence that the cameras are there when Xuxa appears at a particular spot. The magazines are just playing her game and lining up to give her free publicity. One cannot blame her in professional terms, but to make her private life a public affair, and particularly to involve her daughter, shows an immaturity one would not expect from a successful 40-year-old woman. This can aLsobe dangerous in acountiy like Brazil where the rich and famous are targets for kidnappers. Of course, the real culprits are the people who actually buy these rubbish magazines but, as someone once said, you can never underestimate the intelligence of television viewers. However, Xuxa is unlikely to change, since even the gestation and birth of her daughter was surrounded by publicity. As far as I know the actual conception was not filmed—since the father was an actor, who seems to have played a purely biological role, this may be a possibility but practically every other part was. The birth was given prime-time coverage on the television news programs and, since then, every step in the child's young life has been chronicled faithfully by the media. I bet more Brazilians know the name ofXu_ca' s daughter than that ofthe finance minister. Like many Brazilian women personalities, Xuxa has undergone plastic surgery and appeared in magazines showing her new-look face and body. As far as we know, Sasha has not been subject to the surgeon' s knife but it is just a matier of time I suppose. Just as the male offspring ofthe English aristocracy are put down for public schools like Eton at birth, perhaps Sasha's name is already on the waiting list of Brazil's most famous plastic surgeon, Ivo Pitanguy. In her younger days Xuxa also posed nude for magazines so viewers can make their own comparisons and choose which nose, chin, breasts etc they prefer. Jailbait Rack Xuxa first surfaced in the early 80s when, as a teenage nymphet, she presented children's programs on television, dancing and singing. The combination of scanty outfits and a wellscrubbed face, bouncing ponytail and jailbait appeal soon attracted as many fathers as kids and she proved to be extremely popular with all ages. She made records and films, was reported to have had an affair with Pelt, and became a star. She tried to export her appeal abroad, targeting the US along with other Latin American countries, but with mixed results. The entire Chilean population rose in my estimation when, a couple of years ago Xuxa was booed by an audience in Santiago when she appeared on stage clutching a bewildered little Sasha. As her fame grew, so did her fortune. Last year Vja magazine estimated she had a personal fortune of -0250 million (around U$ 80 million). Her face was—and is— everywhere. She advertises toys, food, clothes etc and even had her own children's entertainment park, magazine and Xuxa dolls. She still has aTV program, releases CDs and films which, while panned bytte critics, are extremely successful with children and people from the tower social class. It is interesting that these people identify with Xuxa, who is fair skinned and blue-eyed and the opposite of most people's ideas of a Brazilian woman. Politically correct foreign journalists have tackled her about this but, as ;he correctly said, not everyone in Braid is black or brown and there are lots of fair-haired blue-eyed people, particularly in the south. She has also less successfully shrugged off accusations that her shows attract pedophiles through "eroticizine young children by making them act older, apply make up, dance suggestively etc. Some of this criticism has hit the mark and her latest series is said to be providing an educational element and less razzinata77. She recently separated from her manager, a woman who lad guided her entire career, and people are waiting to see if she can retain the Midas touch. She will probably continue to be a suxess, but may find it difficult to remain a female Peter Pan after 40. In many ways, it is a miracle that she has lasted so long since the public can tire of someone very quickly and easily. Xuxa should be careful because staying in the public eye while getting oker requires a bit of planning and dignity. In five or 10 years will she still be wearing knee-length boDts, mini skirts and bobbing around in front of a group of four to five year olds? If she continues as she is, then she could end up like two vulgar females who have fail edto age gracefully: Hebe Camargo,
\44. 6
BRAZZIL - APRIL 2003
Telephone Manners RICHARD HAYES
0 who is in her 70s and rarely absert from the gossip magazines or, even worse, Derci Goncalves, who is over 90 and a few years back exposed her breasts on television.
Xuxa for President A host of other dyed blondes have subsequently presented children's programs and although some, such as Angelica and Eliane, have been successful, none has come near Xtoca. Xuxa has shown staying power and prcved to be a good businesswoman in atough business. After two decades of prominence it would be good if she were to change and become more mature and follow the example ofsomeone else with enormous popular appeal, who rose to fame round about the same time—President Luiz I nazi o Lula da Si lva—Lul What then—President Xlixa?
John Fitzpattick is a Scottish journalist who first visited Brazil in 1987 and has lived in Slio Paulo since 1995. He writes on politics and finance and runs his own company, Celtic CoinunicaVies-Nvww.celt.com.br, which specializes in editorial and translation services for Brazilian and foreign cheats. You can reach him at laCeit.Ccan.br
Very few executives in Brazil answer their own fixed line telephones. Operators, receptionists, assistants or secretaries inevitably answer. When the caller asks for Mr., Mrs. or Miss so and so, the person answering will ask "Who wishes to speak." Then the caller is usually put on hold. While the caller waits and wonders if he or she merits the attention of tie personki called, usually weird music or advertisements are played. Then, if the caller is lucky, the ' person to whom he wishes to speak will come on the line. More often, however, the person who answered the phone in the first place or some other mysterious voice, will come back on the line saying that the person to whom you wish to speak is 1.) away from his desk, 2.) in a meeting, 3.) is traveling or 4.) has just stepped out for a moment. The caller then wonders why he was not told this in the first place before the answering person asked who was calling. Sometimes the caller will be asked if he would like to leave a message. This is rare, however. So in the hopes that the person being called may reappear and is not merely avoiding the call, the caller may plead to leave a message. The chances of this message being passed on vary. Most calls are not returned unless the person being called perceives some immediate advantage in doing so or is sincerely interested in speaking to the person who called. With mobile phones, the person being called cannot dodge calls unless he knows who is calling. This is becoming easier now with new teclmology. Callers must be persistent and keep ringing back to leave messages. After the third or forth attempt, however, it is tempting to give up and assume that the person really does not want to be bothered to talk with you. The caller should not ake these situations personally. It is just part of the culture. ard Edward Hayes first came to Brazil in 1964 as an employee of Chase Manhattan Bank. Since then Hayes has worked directly and as an advisor for a number of Brazilian and international banks and companies. Currently he is a fret lance consultant and can be contacted at 1921ouvre*oLcont.hr,
Paulista Patois Going to Sao Paulo? Then you need to talk the talk. And what people speak there is n Portuguese or Brazilian. They have a language of their own, known as Paulistes. Here's a sample: t out on a rush) - Let's St air na carte a Bagulho, bola. basy - marijuana something Balada - big party Sarado (a) - beautiful, sexually appealing Bumba, busao - bus Se pa cu vou a algum pico - I might go out E ai, truta?! E ai, tru? - How is it Surfar (to surf) - to shag E novas - For sure Sussu - cool, A OK Fala, mano! - Tell me, bro! Taradona (sex maniac woman) - pretty Firmeza - cool guy sexy clothes Fubanga, mala veia - ugly man o Tipo assim (type like that) - I Lou - born vivant Tosco - ugly, disgusting, bad Lupa - shades Trocar urn procede - have a talk Major falba - a mistake was made To feio na foto (I look ugly in the picture) - I'm Matina - morning high on drugs Megaton - fist blow TO na fita (I'm in the movie) - I'm game Miou a ideia - case closed Varno cola Ia - Let's go there NOia, noinha - high on drugs Vamo na minha goma, biqueira, pull Let' Parei corn as drogas (I'm not doing drugs any to my house more) - I won't go out with ugly people Vou empinar pipa (Fm going to fly a kite). Povverfull, style - high quality stuff getting a joint Pa e tal, derrepentemente... -Let's go for kisses, Vou nessa barca (I'm taking this boat) - Count heavy petting and maybe more me in Vou pa bola - I'll go in no time Rato cinza, gamba, porco fardado (G Vou subir teu gas (I'll raise your gas)-I'll beat skunk, pig in uniform) - cop or kill you Resolver uma treta - to fight 7
BRAZZIL - APRIL 2003
An exhibition of paintings by the Dutch History artist, Albert Eckhout has The Wa We Were sparked a revival of interest in the history of Brazil. His works allow present-day Brazilians to see what their forebears f _almost 400 years ago looked like. JOHN FITZPATRICK memig Living in a metropolis like Sao Paulo, one can be forgiven for imagining that the local people ha ie little sense of history. There are few buildings which are more than a century old, ro historic center and the rapid urban development has shown little mercy to older buildings, which have simply been swept away regardless of their architectural or historical interest. The obscene scale ofthe giant concrete and glass constructions has made the city not only ugly but inhuman, as these monstrosities tower over the people and reduce them to ants. Only a handful of the mansions puilt by the coffee barors remain in Avenida Paulista and few have been well looked after. One is even rented out for events, which have ranged frbin dog sales to a reception for a sex magazine. The banner of this magazine was dtaped across the front ofthe building. Ratite- than see this as an affront to their city 's cultural wealth, the people of Sao Paulo passed on by or went an in, as was their won.. I The magazine itself is called Brazil, so i f the owners can get away with purloining the name ofthe cour try to peddle pornography why should they not desecrate the city's historic assets as well?) As most Sao Paulo people are cescendants of immigrants or migrants from other parts of Brazil, perhaps their historical memories are short. hi previous articles I have commented on fne sad state ofthe original city center where scores of attractive buildings have been neglected, defaced and abandoned. Some have been taken over by squatters while others have been teamed into seedy hotels and cinemas showing sex films. The geneeal decline and lack of security has left the center to those who are miserable, abandoned and criminal. Having said that, an exhibition ofpaintings by the Dutch artist, Albert Eckhout, which " has just opened, has sparked a revival of interest in the history of 3razil, if not Sao ?aulo itself Thousands ofPaiilisranos have been visiting the exhibition---AlbertEckhourvolta co Brasil I644-2003—in the Pinacoteca art gallery near the Estacao da Luz railway station. Eckhoutspentabrtsevenyearspaintingthepeopleandvegeationofthatpartofthe Northeast of Brazil which was in Dutch hands in the 17' century. He came to Pernambuco in 1637 at the age of 26 as part of a scientific mission ordered by the govemo-, the splendidly-named Johan Mauritz van Nassat-Siegen, to collect information or this fascinating part of the New World. The mission included a botanist, a zoologiv. and another painter, Frans Post. While Post concentrated on sketching and painting the landscape and architecture, both Dutch and Portuguese, Eckhout concentrated on people and plants. He was o be of the first European painters to portray the people of this emerging country and his works allow present-day Bra.ziIians to see what their forebears of almost 400 years ago looked Eckhout painted eight life-sized portraits showing the different razes and mixtures— a black man and a black woman, a Tapuia Indian man and woman, a Tupi Indian man and woman, a mulatto man of European and African descent and a mameluca woman of European and Indian descent The men areall armed, with the Indians and the black man oesnying bows, arrows, clubs and knives while the muhtto has a gun and sword although he is barefooted. The women carry baskets and are sometimes accompanied by their children. The Tapuia Indian woman has a severed human leg in her basket and is holding a human hand, showing that, even under Dutch rule. cannibalism was still prevalent among some Indians. The most striking work is a painting, about 10 feet wide, called "The Dance of the Tapuias" which shows a group ofIndians dancing and vvieldir_g sneers and clubs. The men's faces are fierce and you can ahrtost hear the stamp of their feet on the ground as they mark what appears to be a warlike ritual. Two women are looking on and commenting to each other, possibly reckoning who is the best dancer. This dynamic painting contrasts dramatically with the others, which are fairly static. It shows that the Brazilian Indians were fearsome enemies and not the kind of gentle pacifists which recent historical revision would have us believe. In fact, the Dutch, Portuguese and French all recruited allies amongst he Indians to fight their fellow E iropeans. Dutch rule ended in 1654 after an occupation of only around 30 years and one cannot but wcnder how the Northeast of Brazil would have developed had they remained. It is unlikely mat they would have penetrated far inland as they were more interested in trade than territory, but if they had maintained control then present-day Brazil would be very different. It is possible that it could have even split into various countries as the Spanish colonies in Latin America did. In any case, it is interesting to see how these brief colonizers left their stamp on Brazil, not only in the canals and buildings they constructed in Recife and forts they left scattered along the coast, bin In presenting portraits of the people who formed the evolving ,„ Brazilian nation. Is it too much to hope that the citizens of Sao Paulo who visit the exhibition will wonder why. so often, foreigners show ater interest in Brazilian culture and history than Brazhians themselves? John Fitzpatrick is a Scottish journalist who first visited Brazil in 1987 and has lived in Sho Paulo since 1991 lIe on politics and finance and rum ha own company, Celtic Comunicaches—vvww.celt.com.hr ,which specializes in editorial and translation services for Brazilian and foreign clients. You can reach him at ifQcelt.corn.br
8
BRAZZIL - APRIL 2003
When the ABL, Academia Brasileira de Letras, on October 28, 2002, chose Paulo Coelho as the newest member of its body of Brazilian writers, it raised more than a few eyebrows. Although translated into 56 languages and with a stunning sale ofmore than 53 million books, many critics find him light weight and only borderline literary. However, there is no doubt of his domestic and international success. He ranks among the ten best selling authors in the world. It is certainly of interest to take a closer look at this man, who has so many devotees and opponents. "I believe in the concept of 'anima mundi' (soul of the world), where each person, through total dedication to what he does, comes into contact with the inspiration of the universe."
Immortal at Last So many readers complained that they could not find his books in Portuguese that Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho, one of the world's bestselling authors, took an unheard of decision: he put all of his 10 books online. For free. KIRSTEN WEINOLDT
Paulo Coelho, a native Carioca (from Rio), was born on August 14, 1947. In school he won a poetry prize, and at the age of 17, he announced his intention to become a writer. His parents were very opposed to his decision, partly because of the state of censorsh ip under the military dictatorship at the time, which often persecuted artists and intellectuals. Many of his contemporaries suffered imprisonment and torture for their opinions. Because of his rebellious behavior, his parents had him committed to a mental institution, where he received shock treatment. He escaped, but was brought back three times. In the sixties, Paulo Coelho was an active participant in the counterculture of Brazil, experimenting with drugs and hanging out with rock musicians. While still in his twenties, he achieved his goal of becoming a writer and worked as a playwright, theater director, journalist, and song writer—writing songs for Elis Regina and Raul Seixas. In 1974, in Coelho's own words, "his life collapsed." He was arrested three times that year, the first time as an innocent bystander at a bank robbery, the second time for speaking out against the establishment at a pop concert. After he was released by the police, he was arrested a third time by paramilitaries who tortured him for a week. Later in the seventies, he became an artistic director for CBS in Brazil. In 1979, however, he was suddenly fired without any explanation. The next two years were spent trying to get back into the music industry. In the eighties, he went to Europe trying his luck there. He became acquainted with a Catholic sect dating back to 1492, which studies the language of symbols: RAM—Regnus Agnus Mundi. He progressed within the sect — and attained the rank of magus. In 1986, on instructions from his mentor within RAM, Paulo Coelho went on a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, in Spain. 9
3RAZZIL - APRIL 2003
Inspired by his trip, he wrote The Pilgrimage about his experiences on the 'Road of Santiago.' Then, in 1988 came the book that would make him internationally known, 0 Alquimista - The Alchemist, considered by many his classic work. It tells the story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy, who dreams of traveling the world to find treasure and sets out to realize his dream. Like most of his works, it attempts to tackle fundamental questions relating to the human condition—good versus evil, joy and despair, light and dark. It is a story about following one's destiny and being open to the universe of signs and symbols. 0 Alquimista became a best seller— number one in 29 countries—and has gone on to sell over 11 million copies around the world. His books have since been translated into 56 languages and published in more than 150 countries. According to Publishing Trends magazine, The Alchemist was one of the top ten international bestsellers of 1998. Paulo Coelho has won more than 15 international awards for his writing, including the prized French award, the Insignia of Arts and Letters in 1996. His writing has been praised by one critic, according to Paulo Coelho's own website, for its "symbolic language that does not speak to our brains, but to our hearts" and others have especially praised his poetic, realistic, and philosophical style. And certainly, the public has proved its loyalty by buying his books in droves. The Times in the U.K. describes his books as 'life enchanting,' but critics in general tend to be more dismissive of the simplicity of his work, suggesting that he "panders to the lowest common denominator of new age gullibility," according to another British paper, The Guardian. All of his books use symbols, dreams, and archetypes to convey simple but universal truths. Before starting a new book, he looks for a white feather. As he prints out the first draft, he touches the plume to each page. Academia The Academy dates back to ancient Greece, the year 387 B.C., near Athens, where the philosopher Plato founded the school dedicated to the muses and the hero Akademos. There, the teachings were informal through lessons and dialogues among the masters and the disciples. The philosopher intended to unite contributions from diverse areas of knowledge such as philosophy, mathematics, music, astronomy, and the law. The young followers gave continuity to this work, which came to constitute one of the most important chapters of the history of western knowledge. The school consisted of a library, a residence, and a garden. Looking up the word in the Aurelio dictionary of the Portuguese language we have our first contact with the origin of the term and its multiple contemporary meanings. But what interests us here is underlining its ninth definition: in Brazil, when we refer simply to Academia, we're talking 10
about the Academia Brasileira de Letras. That achievement in day-to-day lingo transforming the Academia de Letras into Academia par excellence, owes itself to its history, which along its hundred years of existence has succeeded, among its members, authors who contributed to the formation of Brazilian literature, literary and historical critics, social scientists, journalists, politicians, and scientists, whose work and professional life constitute a reference to their respective areas of excellence. The creation of the Academia was the idea of a group of young writers realizing the initial proposals of Llicio Mendonca and Medeiros e Albuquerque. In 1896, successive meetings in the editorial office of Revista Brasileira, then under the leadership ofJose Verissimo, assumed the preparatory, formative sessions. On the 15th of December, Machado de Assis was named president of the Academia Brasileira de Letras, and this had its leadership and its statutes defined on the 28th of January, 1897. Paulo Coelho was elected for chair number 21 of the Academy—originally occupied by black abolitionist Jose do Patrocinio—on the 25th of July, 2002. He received 22 votes against the 15 obtained by the other candidate, sociologist Hello Jaguaribe. The swearing-in of the writer was the third of the Academy of the year. Already sworn in were the jurist Raymundo Faoro, who holds chair number 6, and the writer Zelia Gattai, who succeeded her husband, the late Jorge Amado, in chair number 23. The vote for Paulo Coelho into the ABL had one ofthe largest registered quorums in the history of the institution. In order to be a candidate for the vacancy, the writer had total support and incentive from another immortal: the academic Arnaldo Niskier. When he first heard about the nomination, Paulo Coelho responded to the many critics, who find him less than literary and stated that "the Brazilian people knows how to choose." Before taking possession ofthe chair at the ABL, he spoke about the upcoming ceremony and how the reading audience had made its choice. "Contrary to what people say," referring to the election of Lula for the presidency of the Republic, and to the critics who call him a bad writer in spite of having sold over 50 million copies around the world, according to his calculations, "I see the election with optimism and have confidence in the people, who know how to choose, contrary to what people say, because a large part of the critics who did not like my work, are the people who don't know how to choose or buy books." He classified the electoral process as a "show of democracy." He did not reveal his vote and praised the eight years ofFernando Henrique's government. "He is a president the future will see as being just." With the ceremony, scheduled for 9 pm, he said he
would be able to "expose more" of his soul and his sentiments in the sessions at the ABL. "I always participated in the political process, though not openly. The primary is with relation to the image of Brazil in the exterior, which is absolutely twisted." Coelho, who maintains an institute for 320 children in Copacabana, where he lives, says that the fact that he is a celebrity, obligates him to have a political point of view. "I cannot change my country, my state, my city, or my neighborhood, but I can change my block," he said. The writer explained that the choice of the Dia de So Judas Tadeu, known as the saint of the impossible, for the ceremony does not relate to the criticisms he receives. "He is the patron of possible causes, because I believe that everything you ask for will come true." Posing for photos with the group before assuming the chair, something most academics refrain from doing, he anticipated passages of his discourse, in which he would quote Vinicius de Moraes, Gertrude Stein, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Recollections The day of the induction, with a discourse that exalted utopia and faith, Paulo Coelho, 55, the youngest immortal of the Academy spoke about other occupants of the seat, such as the economist Roberto Campos, and quoted his old partner, Raul Seixas, the late singer. Coelho recollected a visit he made to the ABL when he was a student: "What was a utopia of adolescence became, at the beginning of the 90's, a true heresy. But, with some heresies, this too was transformed into reality. I fought for that dream, confided in my friends, fought the good fight and maintained the faith. I learned with Jorge Amado that utopias are possible." The gala was one ofthe most elegant of the Academy and attended by scores of dignitaries and members of the Academy. At the beginning and the end of his speech, Coelho quoted a phrase from Saint Paul "Sic transit gloria mundi" (the glory of the world is transitory). He also made references to composer and poet Vinicius de Moraes, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Malba Tahan. Speaking of Raul Seixas, he declared that the musician "well describes the happiness in the heart of the warriors, when he writes: I prefer being a walking metamorphosis to having that old formed opinion about everything." He also referred to his predecessor in chair 21, economist Roberto Campos, and remembered how when he was young, he protested against "his economic politics" and later came to admire him. The author quoted a phrase by Campos "the violence of the arrow dignifies the target." And added: "Many times, in moments when I felt judged with excessive severity by the critics, I recalled that phrase. And I remembered the dream that I wasn't ready to give up: to one day be a member ofthe Academia Brasileira de Letras. BRAZZIL - APRIL 2003
www.paulocoelho.com The Paulo Coelho website is a generous collection ofinformation and free downloads in a number of languages. For instance, in Portuguese, fans can download the entire version of0Alquimista, 92 pages. In English the download possibilities are a little more limited, but perhaps that is just a matter of time. One can also email Mr. Coelho, and someone actually answers questions. A prompt and friendly answer arrived a few hours after the undersigned requested permission to use excerpts from the website for this article, and the request was granted. The following is the prologue of The Alchemist downloaded from the website.
PAULO COELHO
Onze minutes
The Alchemist picked up a book that someone in the caravan had brought. Leafing through the pages, he found a story about Narcissus. The Alchemist knew the legend ofNarcissus, a youth who daily knelt beside a lake to contemplate his own beauty. He was so fascinated by himself that, one morning, he fell into the lake and drowned. At the spot where he fell, a flower was born, which was called the narcissus. But this was not how the author of the book ended the story. He said that when Narcissus died, the Goddesses of the Forest appeared and found the lake, which had been fresh water, transformed into a lake of salty tears. "Why do you weep?" the Goddesses asked. "I weep for Narcissus," the lake replied. "Ah, it is no surprise that you weep for Narcissus," they said, "for though we always pursued him in the forest, you alone could contemplate his beauty close at hand." "But.... Was Narcissus beautiful?" the lake asked. "Who better than you to know that?" the Goddesses said in wonder, "After all, it was by your banks that he knelt each day to contemplate himselfl !" The lake was silent for some time. Finally it said: "I weep for Narcissus, but I never noticed that Narcissus was beautiful. I weep because, each time he knelt beside my banks, I could see, in the depths of his eyes, my own beauty reflected." "What a lovely story," the alchemist thought. The website appears, in addition to Portuguese, in Spanish, English, Italian, French, Russian, German, Farsi, Japanese, Polish, Romanian, Chinese, Czech, and Arabic. That makes it a widely readable website for the majority of the world population. It includes a biography, books for free download, a photo section, meditations—a section with thought provoking and calming quotes for personal, quiet moments. It also lists Coelho's books as well as the different editions, a TV online section with footage from a variety of television appearances by the author, and the agenda for the author with his appearances around the world. There is a section of FAQ (frequently asked questions), a chapter describing the
BRAZZIL - APRIL 2003
Paulo Coelho Institute, its purpose and charter as well as information on how to support the institution with money or computers. There is press information for those whose intention it is to write about Paulo Coelho and his work. A chapter called Road to Santiago outlines the road Coelho himself took on his pilgrimage. And for those who want to send a literary e-card to someone, a multitude of photos of the author will make for a welcome card to any fan ofhis. For anyone new to the writings of Paulo Coelho, this website gives a diversity of knowledge about the man and his work. What other People Have to Say: If diverse commentary about a person is a sign of greatness, then certainly Paulo Coelho is great There is hardly anyone in Brazil, who doesn't have a strong opinion about him and a willingness to utter it. From Rodrigo Zavala at Folha online we find the following: "For almost a decade, I have heard literary critics touting the 'magician' Paulo Coelho as a fraud. Others don't even stoop to mentioning him in their columns in the cultural publications, according to the old saying that 'you don't kick a dead dog.' And, when questioned about the growing popularity of Coelho, they are categorical: "We're talking about popular cretinism." Be that as it may, the cretinism appears to have arrived at the cultural elite. Elected to chair number 21 at the Academia Brasileira de Letras, Coelho had 22 votes while his adversary, sociologist Hello Jaguaribe, received 15 votes. In spite of the 'dreadful literature' he has become a reference in the country. Popular composer converted to writer against the media, Paulo Coelho reflects his own literary, contemporary image— easy, superstitious, and consoling. Writing, in which the verb to satisfy suffocates the rest—educate, entertain, transform— in the practice of imagery. In the triumph of the majority, who loses is the quality of the formation of the people. One cannot deny that the work of Paulo Coelho is competent material for entertainment. Finally, it is an international success, contrary to what happens to the books of Carlos He itor Cony, who always found 'the magician' deplorable. At a time in which the Thinker (o Pensador) is Gabriel, literature and the ABL appear to have forgotten their role. In the era of the sound-byte, it is only appropriate to provides bytes of a different kind, namely those excerpts from articles about Paulo Coelho and his works from around the world that describe how people feel about him. "The success of Coelho's works [in Poland] is due to his extraordinary ability of presenting the everlasting problems of humanity using simple literary symbols. It is also because of the fact that every reader easily recognizes the spiritual closeness of the heroes." Magazyn Literacki [Literary Magazine], Poland, 12-13 October 2002 "The books ofthe Brazilian writer have 11
made "magic realism" probably the most Observateur, France, May 1998 spirituality." Globus Revija, Croatia, March fashionable literary trend of a year." Ex"The simplicity of Coelho's prose is 2000 pert, Russia, September 2002 very far from customary style of various Quotes "His success is an edition phenom- samples ofmodern prose, where the primiOver the years, Paulo Coelho has given enon, the most astonishing success in the tiveness of ideas is packed into a motley countless interviews in a variety of media latest years." Le Monde, France, March fabric ofeloquence."NezavisimoyaGazeta, all over the world. His literary agent 1998 Russia, September 2002 www.santjordi-associados.com - has com"One of the few to deserve the term "Paulo Coelho is the favorite writer of piled ideas and statements he has made publishing phenomenon." The Indepen- sports champions according to a survey in about a number of different subjects. dent on Sunday, England, March 1998 L 'Equipe." Le Journal du dimanche, Greatest Virtue "Paulo Coelho proposes in his books a France, June 1998 I'm a brave person. He who dares, wins. model for individual spiritual search, stress"In this hard time for books, we have to Greatest Failure ing the great concerns of modern man- admit that Coelho is one of the few authors Lack of Patience kind." Le Courier de L 'Unesco, France, who are able to stimulate people to turn off Hobby/entertainment March 1998 the TV and pick up a book." Vecernji List, Walking "Brazil Wizard makes books disappear Croatia, January 2000 Catalytic Experience from stores." The New York Times, US, "In Chile, as in so many other parts of I was close to the universe of madness December 1999 the world, the writer Paulo Coelho has Source of Inspiration "Paulo Coelho writes books that cap- become without doubt, a true publishing People ture the world." Neue Zuricher Zeitung, phenomenon." La Nacion, Chile, April Greatest Fear Switzerland, August 1998 2001 Speaking in public "As to the foreign literature, it is repre"Paulo gives his readers a hint to find Greatest Hope sented only by one author. But in five pleasure in life." AnAn, Japan, March 2001 To carry on with my writing books, four of which take four uppermost "I have never seen such a long line, and Next Mountain lines of a rating. "Brazilian Magus" Paulo I only wish that the day will come that The one that happens to be in front of me Coelho, for a long time already subdued people will stand in line like this for an Friends Moscow, begins the triumphal procession Israeli author." EriStematzky, owner ofthe The greatest treasure in life on cities and villages of Russia.... Only biggest chain of bookstores in Israel, Octo- Women because there were just five books by Paulo ber 1999 From them one learns love in all its Coelho published.... Some places in our "Two thousand visitors patiently waited forms rating remained for the Russian writers." for the autograph of one writer, in a country Men Kommersant-Weekend, Russia, November where book print-runs are measured only From them one learns discipline 2002 by the hundreds." Slobodna Dalmacija, Truth "Paulo Coelho represents the legend of Croatia, March 2000 A treacherous word. The only definition a wise storyteller." Corriere della sera, "Coelho does not so much address his of truth is the word of Jesus Christ: "You Italy September 1995 readers as confide in them. His style is a will know truth, and truth shall set you "Paulo Coelho has, for a long time, kind of eavesdropping, full of lyrical whis- free!" been more than an average bestselling au- perings and confessional asides." Sunday Time thor. He is a global phenomenon, and mere Express, UK, September 1999 The present moment logic can't explain the impact he makes. "He doesn't consider himself a spiri- Fame With Coelho the boundaries between real- tual leader, he doesn't pretend to change An abstract notion for a writer ity and magic are dissolving—this trade- the course of history nor the mentality of Fortune mark puts him in the same league with the people, but he doesn't write only to enter- Behind fortune there is always tragedy very best of the South American literary tain either; all his books are an instant and Impossible tradition." Profil, Austria, February 2000 lasting success." Para Ti, Argentina, April Again, a misleading word. People let "Paulo Coelho exhibits an amazing vir- 1999 themselves get discouraged, not because tue of transparency that makes his writing "The books of the writer are therapeu- things are impossible, but because we like a fresh stream running through a lush tic. They are inspirational. This is some- actually want them to be. But nothing is forest, a path of energy that inadvertently thing that I have discovered reading from impossible. leads readers to themselves, toward their The Alchemist to Veronika." 0 Happiness mysterious and faraway souls." Figaro Independente, Portugal, July 1999 The most mediocre thing in the world. Litteraire, France, May 1994 "A poetic, realistic and philosophical I'd rather go by the idea of joy. "By taking in hands Coelho's book, the style, a symbolic language not talking to Work reader is already doomed: He becomes an our minds, but to our hearts." Gazzetta di Work equals passion alchemist himself" Itogi Magazine, Rus- Mantova, Italy, September 1999 Beauty sia, September 2002 "In his style, clear and simple and at the The honesty of the soul "Paulo Coelho is an energetic and vital same time philosophic and transcending, Serenity magician, who—with just a smile—trans- Coelho offers a pile of reflections on the It is not absence of movement, but forms a rainy afternoon into a bright, sunny place of our personal dreams, wisdom, the absolute concentration day." La Republica, Italy, October 2000 battle between the feminine and masculine It appears that Mr. Coelho's inspiration "If we thought that those were too big aspects of our personality, or a surprising stems from his involvement in the Regnus aspirations for such small book, Coelho relation between destiny and personal de- Agnus Mundi and his pilgrimage years has proved us wrong. From this we can cisions." La Vanguardia, Spain, March ago. His website dedicates several pages to clearly see that the key to the phenomenon 2000 this determining event in his life with referof Coelho is knowing how to say'the grand "Coelho, unlike some other authors, ences to a multitude ofthings. It seems clear truths with simple words." El Periodic°, does not write novels which are bought like that he wants to share his experiences and Spain, March 2000. relics not to be read... His books are not inspiration with his readers and perhaps "Paulo Coelho's strength lies undoubt- status symbols of the modern age, which— cause some of them to find a new path to edly in the fact of his simple, clear and pure after the first glance—end up on shelves. improve their lives. language. Don't misunderstand: there is Coelho is an author whose books are read, Under 'El Camino de Santiago' on the nothing more difficult to do than the simple, and whose ideas are practiced by ordinary website, you will fmd a map—a clickable the clear, and the pure." Le Nouvel people who in this way empower their map of the Camino by clicking on the 12
BRAZZIL - APRIL 2003
proper icon. A UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) icon will take you to the Course Syllabus for Spanish 122. It is also possible to join an Internet Discussion Group on the Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. Furthermore, one can search the archives of the Santiago listserv for historical and practical information on the Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela as well as visit the home of the American Association of Friends of the Road to Santiago for up-to-date information on the pilgrimage to Compostela today. The website contains several links to UCLA, which has presented several programs regarding the subject. One is "Program of the Symposium on the Tomb ofthe Apostle in Santiago de Compostela," and there aro, others. 2002 also saw a UCLA Summer Study Abroad course on the history, literature, art, and architecture of the Camino in France and Spain, called "Pilgrim Roads to Santiago de Compostela," which took place in June and July of last year. The website advises that 'new pilgrims on the Road to Santiago should first learn about the difficulties of the Journey:' "Everyone, then, must worship Santiago in all places, he who comes to the aid of those who receive him in all places without delay.... Now we are going to talk about the Route of the Pilgrims. "The pilgrim route is a very good thing, but it is narrow. For the road which leads man to life is narrow; on the other hand, the road which leads to death is wide and spacious. The pilgrim route is for the good people: the lack of vices, the mortification of the body, the increase of virtues, pardon for sins, penitence for the penitent, the road of the just, love of the saints, faith in the resurrection and the reward for the blessed, distancing from Hell, protection of the Heavens. It takes one away from succulent foods, makes voracious obesity disappear, restrains voluptuousness, contains the appetites of the flesh which attack the fortress ofthe soul, purifies the spirit, invites man to the contemplative life, humbles the haughty, raises up the humble, loves poverty. It hates the censure of the man dominated by avarice. It loves, on the other hand, the person who gives to the poor. It rewards the austere who do good works; and, on the other hand, it does not snatch the miserly and sinful from the talons of sin." Translated by John Dagenais It appears that Paulo Coelho serves up more than just a passing element of entertainment to be forgotten when put down and offers to the reader a tool to shape and improve—intellectually and spiritually— his or her individual path in life. Kirsten Weinoldt was born in Denmark and came to the U.S. in 1969. She fell in love with Brazil after seeing Black Orpheus many years ago and has lived immersed in Brazilian culture ever since. Her e-mail: kwracing*erols.com
Bibliography 0 Didrio de um Mago (The Pilgrimage), 1986 - Paulo Coelho's first book describes the author's 1986 pilgrimage, along the Road to Santiago, in Spain. 0 Alquimista (The Alchemist), 1987 - Sheperd Santiago has a recurring dream: he must seek out a treasure buried near the pyramids in Egypt. Brida (Brida), 1990- The story ofthe Irish enchantress Brida O' Fern, and her path through the Wicca pagan tradition. 0 Dom Supremo (The Gift), 1990 Based on the book "The Greatest Thing in the World", which discusses St. Paul's letter to the Corinthians. As Valkirias ( The Valkyries ), 1992 - An account ofthe 40 days the author and his wife, Chris, spend in the Mojave Desert in California. Na Margem do Rio Piedra Eu Sentei e Chorei (By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept), 1994 - The story of a love encounter between Pilar and a seminarist, her childhood friend. O Monte Cinco (The Fifth Mountain), 1996- The exile of prophet Elijah, who is faced with the Syrian invasion. O Manual do Guerreiro da Luz (Manual of the Warrior of the Light), 1996- Selected texts published in newspapers. Cartas de Amor do Profeta (Love Letters from a Prophet), 1998 - Love letters between Lebanese poet Kahlil Gibran, and American professor Mary Haskell. Veronika decide Morrer (Veronika Decides to Die), 1998—Mental illness as seen by Veronika, Coelho's alter ego. 0 Demonio e a Senhorita Ptym (The Devil and Miss Prym), 2000 — Meditation on intolerance and terrorism. Historias de Pais, Filhos e Netos (Fathers, Sons, and Grandsons), 2001 — Collection of short stories. His next project, for 2003, is a "book about sex"--Onze Minutos (Eleven Minutes), issue date for which is planned for April.
Major Prizes and Decorations: "Best Fiction Corine International Award 2002 for The Alchemist (Germany 2002). "Club of Budapest Planetary Arts Award 2002" as recognition of his literary work (Germany 2002). "Bambi 2001 Award" (Germany 2001) "XXIII Premio Intemazionale Fregene (Italy 2001). "Crystal Mirror Award" (Poland 2000). "Chevalier de l'Ordre National de la Legion d'Honneur"(France 1999). "Crystal Award" World Economic Forum (1999) "Golden Medal ofGalicia" (Spain 1999) Finalist for "International IMPAC Literary Award" (Ireland 2000 and 1997). "Comendador de Ordem do Rio Branco" (Brazil 1998). "Golden Book" (Yugoslavia '95, '96, '97, '98, '99, and 2000). "Super Grinzane Cavour Book Award" (Italy 1996) "Flaiano International Award" (Italy 1996) "Knight of Arts and Letters" (France 1996). "Prix Lectrices d'Elle (France 1995). 13
BRAZZIL - APRIL 2003
Thank You, George, Thank You Brazilian bestselling author thanks President Bush for uniting a fractioned world: "Thank you for allowing us—an army of anonymous people filling the streets in an attempt to stop a process that is already underway— to know what it feels like to be powerless." PAULO COELHO Thank you, great leader George W. Bush. Thank you for showing everyone what a danger Saddam Hussein represents. Many of us might otherwise have forgotten that he had used chemical weapons against his own people, against the Kurds and against the Iranians. Hussein is a bloodthirsty dictator and one of the clearest expressions of evil in today's world. But this is not my only reason for thanking you. During the first months of 2003, you have shown the world a great many other important things and, therefore, deserve my gratitude. So, remembering a poem I learned as a child, I want to say thank you. Thank you for showing everyone that the Turkish people and their Parliament are not for sale, not even for 26 billion dollars. Thank you for revealing to the world the gulf that exists between the decisions made by those in power and the wishes of the people. Thank you for making it clear that neither Jose Maria Aznar nor Tony Blair give the slightest weight to or show the slightest respect for the votes they received. Aznar is perfectly capable of ignoring the fact that 90 percent of Spaniards are against the war, and Blair is unmoved by the largest public demonstration to take place in England in the last 30 years. Thank you for making it necessary for Tony Blair to go to the British Parliament with a fabricated dossier written by a student ten years ago, and present this as 'damning evidence collected by the British Secret Service'. Thank you for allowing Colin Powell to make a complete fool of himself by.showing the UN Security Council photos which, one week later, were publicly challenged by Hans Blix, the Inspector responsible for disarming Iraq. Thank you for adopting your current position and thus ensuring that, at the plenary session, the French Foreign Minister, Dominique de Villepin's anti-war speech was greeted with applause—something, as far as I know, that has only happened once before in the history of the UN, following a speech by Nelson Mandela. Thank you too, because, after all your efforts to promote war, the normally divided Arab nations, at their meeting in Cairo during the last week in February, were, for the first time, unanimous in their condemnation of any invasion. Thank you for your rhetoric stating that "the UN now has a chance to demonstrate its relevance", a statement which made even the most reluctant countries take up a position opposing any attack on Iraq. Thank you for your foreign policy which provoked the British Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, into declaring that in the 21st century, "a war can have a moral justification", thus causing him to lose all credibility. Thank you for trying to divide a Europe that is currently struggling for unification; this was a warning that will not go unheeded. Thank you for having achieved something that very few have so far managed to do in this century: the bringing together of millions of people on all continents to fight for the same idea, even though that idea is opposed to yours. Thank you for making us feel once more that though our words may not be heard, they are at least spoken—this will make us stronger in the future. Thank you for ignoring us, for marginalizing all those who oppose your decision, because the future of the Earth belongs to the excluded. Thank you, because, without you, we would not have realized our own ability to mobilize. It may serve no purpose this time, but it will doubtless be useful later on. Now that there seems no way ofsilencing the drums ofwar, I would like to say, as an ancient European king said to an invader: "May your morning be a beautiful one, may the sun shine on your soldiers' armor, for in the afternoon, I will defeat you." Thank you for allowing us—an army of anonymous people filling the streets in an attempt to stop a process that is already underway—to know what it feels like to be powerless and to learn to grapple with that feeling and transform it. So, enjoy your morning and whatever glory it may yet bring you. Thank you for not listening to us and not taking us seriously, but know that we are listening to you and that we will not forget your words. Thank you, great leader George W. Bush. Thank you very much. Brazilian Paulo Coelho is one of the world's bestselling authors, with his books translated and published in more than 150 countries. His 1996 work Warrior of Light: A Novel, was just released in the United States. Translated by Margaret Jull Costa BRAZZIL - APRIL 2003
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her interview with the US soldier who was involved? She actually tried to humiliate him on live TV. If you really were a Marine you'd know that once a country unleashes the dogs they're going to howl. Come on man, you know that most of the people of that region of the world want to see all US citizens dead! Given the opportunity they'd do it themselves. Why? Because they're ignorant of all except what they want to believe and no hypersensitive concern of US image is going to change their opinions. That US soldier did what came natural in war and as far as I'm concerned he did what's RIGHT. He deserved it and it made me proud to see it. Show some pride, dude.
THE BEST ANTI-AMERICANISM Mr. Amaral's article (The Art of Deception - www.brazzil.corn/p11 9apr03.htrn ) is the epitome of Brazilian solipsism. He believes Americans don't know what is going on in America while he instead knows everything and perhaps something more. Well, the problem is that almost EVERY Brazilian of my acquaintance, no matter how illiterate, believes exactly the same. According to these people, Americans are duped by their government-controlled media, while we Brazilians learn directly from the only reliable sources in this world: Brazilian babbling, Cuba's "Granma", Noam Chomslcy and Iraq's Ministry of Information... PS - I have been examining http:// www.newamericancentury.org/. Mr. Amaral saw in it a "plan for the United States to conquer the world". Please everybody: go there and see with your own eyes: Mr. Amaral is unable to distinguish between world domination and world leadership. His interpretation of Mr. Kristol's project is anti-American communist disinformation at its best.
Dan Via Internet The author responds:
You are invited to participate in thisdialogue Write to Letters to the Publisher P.O Box 50536 Los Angeles, CA 90050-0536 or send E-mail to brazzil@brazzil.com
TOOK WORDS FROM MY MOUTH Mr. Fitzpatrick. I found your article "I'll Miss You, -Fernando" -www.brazzil.com/ p106jan03.htm - in the Magazine Brazzil while browsing the net and could not contain my urge to write you about it. Your point of view on tie Brazilian people is sure to be controversial if you are to share it with Brazilians, because like most people, one is always likely to try and defend his own country from similar negative comments. I could not stop reading the article because it is a representation of everything that I have felt and observed in my life in Brazil. Your descriptions about the lateness without apologies when conducting business might be excused as a colorful characteristic ofLatin Americans, but I think it is about time people call it like it is: irresponsibility, which you came close to doing. "The Brazilian, therefore, avoids confrontation and by doing so sweeps the dirt under the carpet and avoids reality." There is not a better description about what Camaval and "Copa do Mundo" does to Brazil. What is the point of being the best in soccer in the world when most of your children are uneducated and have poor future prospects. It is enlightening to see someone who is finally able to recognize why Brazil will never be a world power, neither politically nor economically. Unfortunately, the Brazilian National Anthem seems to capture a sad reality with its "Deitado eternamente em berg() esplendido." It seems like this sleeping giant will be hard to wake on its own. I just wanted to thank you for pointing out to other Brazilians like me that we are not the only one dissatisfied with the prospects of this culture of apathy and irresponsibility.
Gustavo Araujo Via Internet SHOW YOUR PRIDE! Philip, I happened to run into your "insights" in Brazzil — "War: Brazil, I Beg to Differ" - www.brazzil.corn/p126apr03.htm and found myself dropj awed at your opinion of the US flag on Saddam's face incident. Your statement of "That young Marine should have restrained himself because failing to do so was disrespectful" in my book puts you right on the same level as Baghdad Paula Zahn. Did you sec 16
Dan, thank you for your feedback. I served in Vietnam in a helicopter squadron during the Easter Offensive, which was second only to the famous Tet Offensive of 1968. My outfit arrived just after the North Vietnamese came out with hand held heat seeking missiles. I lost good friends in action. My outfit participated in the mining ofHaiphong Harbor in North Vietnam, a perilous task to be sure. I have three Vietnam Campaign medals, a Republic of Vietnam Cross of Valor, a Republic of Vietnam medal for Civic Action and, of course, the Vietnam Service Medal. I also received a Philippine Presidential Unit Citation for participating in post typhoon flood relief and served on staff at Fleet Marine Force Atlantic HQ in Norfolk, VA under General Axtell. I. probably don't need to remind you that serving in Vietnam in the US armed forces was a more-or-less thankless chapter in any young American's life at that time. But lessons were learned and, for that, I am thankful. One of those lessons had to do with assuring that service to the nation should not diminish the image of our nation around the globe. There was a term at that time, "the ugly American", to define the tarnishment of that image and many of us dedicated ourselves to overcoming it. I have many good friends from "that part of the world", as you refer td the Middle East, and helped one of them secure refugee status for his family when they fled the war in Afghanistan following Soviet invasion. You're entitled to your opinion. You even have the right to refer to me as "dude", although I believe I've earned the right to more consideration. I've certainly earned the right to my own opinion.
Olavo de Carvalho Rio de Janeiro, Brazil YOU PROVE! Re: Thaddeus Blanchette s article Are Brazilians Corrupt? Prove It." www.brazzil.corn/pIllapr03.html. In defense of Anglo-American gringos, I rarely hear from those who have chosen Brazil to be their home, that this country is mortally corrupt. I don't know why the author has concocted th is idea and specifically targeted AngloAmerican ex-pats. It is erroneous to posit that "allBrazilians are corrupt", it is equally fraudulent to say that all Anglo—Americans believe this. I certainly don't subscribe to either of these blatantly ignorant stereotypes. The subject is ripe for discussion because the issue is widely reported in the media and felt at many levels. You can't dismiss that there is a problem with corruption in Brazil. Will the country crash and burn because of this? Of course not. Does it mean that every Gringo who sets foot in Brazil rants on at lengths about corruption?
RM Via Internet FOR MANY MORE LETTERS AND ENTIRE LETTER SEE: httpliwww.brazzilcom
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100 Days With Lula 100 Days Without Cardoso Former President Fernando Henrique Cardoso treated the audience, which had paid a lot of money to hear him, to a rather flat lecture on world affairs which was lacking in ideas and wit. He sounded like the kind of Bushbasher who fills the opinion columns and letters pages of the Brazilian media. JOHN FITZPATRICK
The Lula go ernment has just passed its first 100 days and this milestone h s been marked by events and articles here and abroad. 1 will desist from adding to the torrent of opinion from every commentator in the land since I think it is far too early to draw -* any real conclusion. So far, Lula has behaved responsibly and maintained tremendously high popularity ratings. However, he has yet to face a real crisis, domestic or international. When that happens he will be truly tested. At the moment, however, the government is basically following in the tracks of ex-President Fernando Henrique Cardoso. It was, therefore, ith great interest that I attended a meeting in So Paulo last eek—the 6th Seminario sobre Perspectivas da Economia Bra ileira spcinsored by Tendencias, a consulting company—at hich the main speaker was none other than Cardoso. After spending most of the first three months of the year abroad, Sardoso has returned home and is raising his profile. He has given a number of interviews, started writing a regular newsp er column for Rio's 0 Globo and o Estado de S. Paulo and c eated a research foundation. Diplomati Silence Some peop e may feel that the views of a former president are now only o historical interest, since he no longer has any power. I woul • go along with this view were it not for the fact that there have been some reports that Cardoso may be asked to run in the n- t election. Since he will be in in his mid 70s in three or four ears time this is unlikely, but you can never g in politics. Also, since Cardoso left a great discount an impact during is twG terms of office, his views still have some value. It was, the efore, disappointing that Cardoso made almost no reference t domestic matters in his speech. Presumably he did so for "di lomatic" reasons but since he is not a diplomat but a public f ure, who is the leader of the main opposition party, I cann t understand his reticence. The PT might be continuing wi most of the Cardoso government's policies but the party was obstructive force during his administrations. Cardoso may hink that hostile comments by him could upset the country's image abroad, but Brazil is a democracy and voters are ent led to know his views. Unfortunately, Cardoso treated the aus ience, which hadyaid a lot of money to hear him, to a rather fl lecture on world affairs which was lacking in ideas and wit. Cardoso might have been a good president but, if this was an example of his lecturing style, I am glad I was not one of his students during his years as a professor of sociology. Even more depressing to an admirer like me was his decision to make a thinly-veiled attack on the United States for behaving "unilaterally" in various spheres, from the attack on Iraq to the refusal to sign the Kyoto protocol. At times he sounded like the kind of Bush-basher who fills the opinion columns and letters pages of 17
BRAZZIL - APRIL 2003
the Brazilian media. (I defy anyone to reform the European Union's scandalous) imagine a worse way to start the day than agricultural protectionist polices. Perto turn to the second and third pages of haps, instead ofcozy dinners with Jacques} the Estado de S. Paulo where these cor- Chirac or Lionel Jospin in Paris, Cardoso respondents thrive. should have tried to get to know Bush! He Stoops to Conquer better personally. Some common sense! At one point Cardoso stooped to about might also have helped. When President the lowest point imaginable when he asked Bush claimed a few months ago that rhetorically: "After Iraq, what next? Saddam Hussein had tried to kill his I Chile? India? ...Brazil?" To see a man of father, George Bush Senior, Cardoso ; Cardoso's stature play to the gallery and should have known (as the rest of us did) fall to this level left my heart sore. At that nothing would save Saddam Hussein. least, he did not take the bait of the Cardoso also raised the matter of the chairman, an ex-TV interviewer with an unfairness ofthe Security Council, which inflated idea of his own importance, who excludes the world's second and third almost tut-tutted when referring to the largest economic powers—Germany, and US marine who had briefly covered the Japan. Presumably he did not see the I head of the Saddam Hussein statue with irony here since both Germany and Japan an American flag. (This was particularly rich, since Brazilians are the world's and defeated by the US and then subsegreatest flag wavers, inside and outside quently pulled back to their feet with their own country, regardless of the feel- American armed and financial support. I ings of anyone else.) would have liked to put my rhetorical I Otherwise Cardoso showed great question too: "After Germany and naivety and a lack of understanding, not Japan... Iraq?" The Security Council has only of the US position but of the psy- never been the kind of chummy, collechology of George W. Bush, and his giate body Cardoso, and other supporters relations with the UK Prime Minister, of a permanent seat for Brazil, imply and, Tony Blair. Cardoso said it had been in fact, the consensus on Iraq after the difficult to understand why Bush had invasion of Kuwait was one of the few waited until now to attack Iraq and had times it agreed unanimously. not done so after the terrorist attacks of PSDB out in the Cold September 11, 2001. Since Cardoso was The rest the event was pretty dull in power at the time, it is strange that he since there was little to talk about. One did not know that Bush's first reaction speaker tried to create a few sparks by had been to attack Iraq. saying the old-style PT element was still According to British press reports it alive in the government. He cited a few was Blair who persuaded him to hold off reckless comments on land reform and and concentrate on Afghanistan, before the attacks which have been made on the turning to Iraq. The US also did try to get regulatory agencies. Although these comLula is not a hypocrite like the backing of the UN Security Council ments were valid it, is difficult to take although Cardoso made no mention of them seriously at the moment. Another France's Jacques Chirac. Brazil this. Since France had said it would veto top speaker, the PT President, Jose knows it makes no sense to irritate any attempt to send in troops, what pur- Genoino denied that there was a"new" or Washington unnecessarily over pose going to the Security Council would "old" PT at all. He said the party was have served is questionable. As to the trying to bring together as many left- this war. The country has enough other members of the Security Council, wing and centre interests. trade disputes with the US to get Russia "unilaterally" invaded AfghaniThis is certainly true and the stan and China "invaded" Tibet and has government's recent success in winning involved in a matter which has threatened to invade Taiwan on count- a vote in the Lower House of Congress to little to do with Brazil's strategic less occasions. reform the financial system proves it. J'Accuse President Monsieur Bush This vote—which could lead to an inde- interests. Mais Pas President Chirac pendent Central Bank and abolish the JOHN FITZPATRICK Francophi le Cardoso, who headed to absurd constitutional ceiling of 12 perParis after handing over the presidential cent on interest rates—was backed by the Brazilians have been watching the sash on January 1st, made no reference to opposition as well as most of the 12 war in Iraq on the TV sets like the rest of the constant "unilateral" acts of France in parties which back the Lula government. the world but, for the moment, it is a war sending its forces to former African colo- These are likely to be joined by the takingplace far away with little relevance nies, using the South Pacific to test its PMDB, which will them leave the PSDB— to this country. According to local press nuclear devices and blocking efforts to and Cardoso—out in the cold. reports, President Luiz Iliad° Lula da
Iraq Brazil Watches and Waits
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Silva has spoken three times this week to the UN secretary general Koffi Anan. The government has also set up various , bodies to monitor the situation and is, of course, concerned at any effects which a drawn-our conflict could have on Brazil's still shaky economy. However, a waitand-see policy seems to be in place and fingers are crossed that the conflict will be over quickly. Officially, the government is against the US action but, despite his talks with Anan, Lula has put forward no proposals to resolve the issue and is keeping out of the limelight Lula was initially critical of the US for attacking Iraq without a UN Security Council resolution. The US did not have "the right to decide, on its own, what was good or bad for the world", he said. This was Lula talking from the hip but he could easily have been harsher and played to the anti-American gallery within the PT and the country as a whole but, wisely, did not. Despite these initially strong words he later toned down his comments and, overall, the government's reaction has been downbeat. In turn, the US embassy issued a statement in what it said it respected Brazil's right "to disagree on the best way to achieve the aim we both share: an Iraq which no longer represents a threat to other countries." Thankfully, Lula is not a hypocrite like France's Jacques Chirac who regularly sends troops into former French colonies in Africa without a by-yourleave from anyone, yet made any Security Council resolution pointless by saying he would veto it. The Brazilian government knows that the situation could change completely if Iraq were to use chemical weapons, as it did in the first Gulf War against Iran and against its own Kurdish citizens in the 80s. It also knows that the Americans are almost certain to win and it makes no sense to irritate Washington unnecessarily. Brazil has enough trade disputes with the US to get involved in a matter which has little to do with Brazil's strategic interests. The truth is that Brazilians are not really that interested in what happens outside their own vast country, especially a country ,as far away as Iraq. Although the Brazilian press has reflected the overwhelmingly anti-American popular feeling, it has also been fair enough to present the horrors of Saddam Hussein's Iraq. This means that there is virtually no support for the Iraqi regime. We have also seen none of the mass anti-war protest which have affected other countries, including in the US and UK. There have BRAZZIL - APRIL 2003
been a few scattered protests, atten ed mainly by students, at which polit al parties and trade union organizations h vp been noticeable by their absence. The truth is that there are simply ot enough reasons for Brazilians to bee me upset by the American action. By att. king Iraq, the US is not attacking Br. il. Iraq is not an ally. Iraq is not a fri d. There are few Brazilians in Iraq or e region. This was not always the case In the 70s and 80s there were many busi ess s ties in the oil, construction and sector. There were also allegations at Brazilian scientists had helped Iraq s evelop nuclear weapons, which em arrassed the Brazilian government. Following the invasion of Kuwa in 1991 several hundred Brazilians w rking in Iraq were prevented from lea ing and kept as effective hostages for o months before being let go. In fact the main Brazilian export to this regio in recent years seems to have been foot • all players and managers. The Brazilian oreign ministry has been working to al ow these expatriates to leave Kuwait nd Turkey. It was interesting to note that ula mentioned the millions of Brazil ans whose ancestors came &dm the Mi die East. This is true but strikes few ch rds since once again Iraq has few cultur. 1 or
family ties unlike Lebanon or Syria. Most Brazilians of Middle Eastern descent are of Lebanese and Syrian Origin. They are also mainly Christian and, since their ancestors fled the tyranny of the Moslem Ottoman empire, there is no sense of religious solidarity with the mainly Moslem Iraqis. Brazilians of Arab descent are well entrenched in politics and business but have distanced themselves publicly from the troubles in the Middle East. (This does not mean they have not provided help to their ancestral homelands any more than Brazil's Jewish community has not helped Israel but this has been done with discretion.) The focus on the Foz de Iguacu region, which has a large population of Arabs and people of Arab descent, as a center for terrorism is a relatively new phenomenon resulting from the influx of recent mainly Moslem immigrants. John Fitzpatrick is a Scottish journalist who first visited Brazil in 1987 and has lived in Sao Paulo since 1995. He writes on politics and finance and runs his own company, Celtic Comunicacoes— www.celt.com.br, which specializes in editorial and translation services for Brazilian and foreign clients. You can reach him at . jMcelt.com.br
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Lula has a lot to apologize for. Instead of giving Brazil a shiny, new economic model, he simply warmed up former President Fernando Henrique Cardoso's old one. After eight years of attacking Cardoso's proposals to reform social security and taxes, he conceded that Cardoso was right after all. He announced a "Zero Hunger" campaign modeled on the American food stamp program, without mentioning that the previous administration under Cardoso had already instituted innovative anti-hunger and antipoverty programs. In all the key policy areas—land reform, environmental protection, affirmative action, and foreign policy—Lula's policies are almost indistinguishable from those introduced by Fernando Henrique Cardoso. This may mean that Brazil has finally matured to the Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum stage of party politics, with a broad consensus on the major issues. No one wins an election by praising the other side, and Cardoso's popularity was so low that even his own party's candidate gave him only grudging recognition. Cardoso and Lula are old friends, going back to the long struggle against the military regime. They have similar goals - for Brazil, and they are practical men who have no desire to go down in glorious defense of impossible dreams. After eight years in office, Cardoso left Brazil significantly better off than he found it. Lula will be doing well if he can say the same in four or eight years. If this were merely a private matter between friends, there would be little need for an apology. They both understand political rhetoric, and Lula has expressed his appreciation of Cardoso's help in the transition. But a public apology would be good for the country. Not so much to correct the historical record, but to help Brazilians understand what happened to Lula's vision of a new economic and social model that would transform the country. All through the campaign, Cardoso was frustrated because he could never pin Lula down on policy issues. Lula said he was against what Cardoso was doing, but he never explained what he would do instead. Would he renationalize industry or restructure the debt? How would he lower interest rates without increasing the debt and inflation? How would he increase salaries without increasing inflation? How would he implement and subsidize a more rapid land reform? In response to these hard policy questions, Lula just said that he would get together with the interested parties and negotiate. He never said what his own position would be. Lula won the election without ever really answering Cardoso's questions. People were content to vote for images, without knowing exactly what policies would be used to implement them. The 20
Lula or Cardoso? Who's Brazil's President?
l long time. i The question is not whether another ; Brazil is possible, but which of the many possible Brazils is most feasible. In my view, the best possibility for Brazil is to model itself on Chile. I don't mean the , Chile ofAllende or the Chile of Pinochet, but the democratic socialist Chile of the , last fifteen years. Chile has cut poverty in .. half while raising everyone's standard of • living and protecting human rights and democratic freedoms. Brazil could do 1 the same. There is no great secret to 1 Chile's success. It was achieved through , four main policies: i • Working hard to maintain a poI litical consensus, including sending important bills to the opposition parties for • advice and consent; i • Reducing government expendit/ tures so as to maintain a budget surplus 1 and cut inflation; '4 • Increasing taxes to fund higher I spending on education, health, youth I training and housing for the poor; • Greatly increasing the investIn all the key policy areas— ment rate, including direct foreign inland reform, environmental vestment; ' This is more or less what Fernando , protection, affirmative action, and Henrique Cardoso tried to do, and Lula is 'trying to do it even better. Brazil started foreign policy—Lula's policies are down the right road ten years ago with the ,' Real Plan. It made progress down that almost indistinguishable from Iroad, but it didn't get as far as it hoped. those introduced by Fernando 'Lula hopes to go farther down the same /road, and he will need all the help he can Henrique Cardoso. A Lula public "get. He will need people to be patient !when he encounters roadblocks and deapology to Cardoso would be /tours along the way. c Fernando Henrique was less popular good for the country. than Lula primarily because he told people xactly what he was doing. Lula won the TED GOERTZEL popularity contest by offering vague promises and utopian visions. This is very much in the tradition of Latin American politics, and it certainly worked in the election. But it can be a recipe for disaster when people become disillusioned because the promises cannot be realized. A public apology to FHC would correct the false impression that Lula has a revolutionary new model for Brazil—and the illusion that Brazil needs one. Workers Party's campaign centered on a
meaningless slogan: "Another Brazil is Possible." Of course, many other Brazils are possible. And many ofthem would be worse rather than the one we have now. Brazil could rally around apopulist demagogue like Venezuela or default on its debts like Argentina. A few in the leftover left would like Brazil to be a Marxist dictatorship like Cutit4 or North Korea. Almost everyone would like Brazil to be more like Sweden, but that will take a
Ted Goertzel, Ph.D. is Professor of Sociology at Rutgers University in Camden, NJ. He is the author of a biography of Fernando Henrique Cardoso, available in English and in Portuguese. He can be contacted at goertzelcamden.ruteers.edu and his WEB page can be found at httn://goertzel.oreted
BRAZZIL - APRIL 2003
Brazil, a Nation at Peace The days leading into a unilateral Anglo-American invasion of Iraq seem to be numbered. Brazil is just one among scores of nations solidly united against the American aggression, and deeply wary of the harm it will bring to the Middle East and to emerging markets the world over. NORMAN MADARASZ
Lula da Silva, Brazil's President, is a man ofpeace. Such resolve has never weakened his drive tofight for social change and justice. Fate has decided that his country would neither be a permanent nor a temporary member of , the United Nations Security Council during these most trying times of olitical wheeling and dealing. There is little consensus, however, over whether this is a blessing ; r Brazil. For no less than belligerence, pacifism may prove to have long term economic costs. Taking both imports and exports together, Brazil's main trading pirtner is the US. In 2002, 24 percent of Brazil's production headed north, while 23 percent of its imports came from the US. Due to the debt it has contracted with the International Monetary Fund, Brazil's currency Is hedged against the American dollar. Meanwhile, the European Union is Brazil's most consistent export market, covering close to 30 percent of output. With the dollar's recent slide in value, the Euro has become even more attractive or foreboding—depending on which side of the trade relation you sit. With respect to either of these z6nes, Brazil's trading activity amounts to only a sliver of its potential. It is only a matter of course, then, for the country's new government, itun by a labor conscious coalition of trade unionists leftwing intellectuals and conservative businessmen to favor clearer trade regulations with both the US and EU. Yet last year, the US slapped bitter tariffs on steel imports in it different manufactured forms. Brazil is a leading exporter of high-grade iron-ore pellets and slabs, both central to manufacturing steel. US congressmen from trade-sensitive areas are well aware of Brazil's potential. Onl congratulations greeted Bush's facile protectionist solution to the ailing American conventional steel sector, once a pillar of American industry. Steel wasn't enough to snub the international free-trade disciplines of the Washington Consensus. The Bush administration also decided to ape what has been the common policy of tlite EU, led in that regard mainly by France, by applying massive subsidies on agricultural imports. With its Goc -given climate, Brazil's agriculture and livestock industry produce some of the most succulent fruit and vegetables to be found anywhere on the planet. Its orange juice has no need for Sunkist manufacturing techniques, as its citrus has been blessed by nature's overabundant warmth. Brazil's cattle graze outdoors year-round and taste a close to famed Argentine beef as its own southern pampas allow. But neither oranges, juice, nor beef make it into North American Free Trade Zone (NAFTA) without tariffs hoisting prices a fifth higher—and straight out of the competitive range. Were Free Trade and Open Markets actually to refer to a state of rea ity, instead of a Wolfowitzian ideological veil for democratic imperialism, few would be more faithful adherents to its principles than Brazilians. Supply and demand are the driving force of their traders and industrialists with national governments only too willing to leave the floor to business. So when there is international conflict, and whe7 there is a real market, one may also find the Brazilian business class showing the smarts of circumvention. Brazilian-Arab Trade The Brazilian-Arab Chamber of Commerce (CCAB) delivered a study to the Minister of Development, Luiz Fernando Furlan, last month in which it claimed that exports to Arab countries could leap by 270 percent by 2006. In 2002, sales from Brazil to the 22 Arab countries registered at US$ 2 6 billion. It was a 16 percent increase over 21 BRAWL - APRIL 2003
2001. According to the CCAB's study, this figure could reach US$ 7 billion within four years. The sectors meant to profit most from the boost are machinery and equipment, aviation, services, defense material, banking, tourism, industry and agro7 business. Crude oil is the commodity most in the spotlight. Over the last two decades, South America has grown to be a major oil producer. Venezuela, for instance, has been the second oil-supplier to the US after Saudi Arabia, and fourth largest in the world. By September 2002, Brazil's state oil company, Petrobras, had broken another monthly , record, reaching the average of 1.59 million barrels a day. The country is Latin-America's third major oil-producer, after Venezuela and Mexico. In light of this progress, the CCAB is advocating the creation of a South American OPEC, which would work in partnership with Arab countries in the areas of production, refineries and petrochemistry. A pacifist nation hedges its politics against trade especially when it slides as a world economic power. Brazil's GDP hovered 9d' globally four years ago as it had for over a decade. Last year, after two slow years of growth and the slashing of its currency value by a half, Brazil now rests as the 12th economic power, falling below South Korea. According to the president of the CCAB, Paulo Sergio Atallah, the perspective of a war between the US and Iraq is one of the main reasons for the increased partnership between Brazil and the Middle East. Most attractive in the Arab market is the region's low import tariffs, ranging at roughly 5 percent. In a country as paradisiacal as Brazil, it is interesting to note that the Arab world holds the title for exoticism. Brazil's large "Syro-Lebanese" population is the silent fourth leaf to the national phenomenon of "m iscegenation", or admixture of Indian, Portuguese and African peoples. The three-border region at the Falls of Iguacu, between Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay, has moreover drawn the interest of the CIA and New York Times for the doings of its large and prominent Arab immigrant population. Still, Brazil remains one of the few countries in the world where the Jewish, Muslim and Christian descendants of the Middle East continue to practice harmonious relations. Dialogue and common public declarations are set on a tone familiar to the Middle East at least before the Six-Day War, or no later than the Nakbah. Celebrating the Arab World Indeed, during a time of fierce antiArab backlash in the mass media of the USA, often indistinguishable from ex22
plicit racism, Brizil's major television torical record for the country in 2002. channel, Globo, celebrated the Maghreb The business sector is less optimistic. in one of their famous novela soapWith high energy costs and costly techoperas called The Clone in 2001-2002. I nological imports, Brazilian industries As hundreds of Innocent Arabs were 1, are estimated to be working at only 85 imprisoned in the USA and stripped of I percent capacity. For the time being, their legal rights, Brazilians were awash though, no one is contesting the record in belly-dancing ecstasy, Muslim wedUS$ 2.079 billion dollar trade surplus. dings, citations from the Koran, and the A weaker currency does have its exotic scenery of Fez as Jade, the series' drawing points for industry. What taxes protagonist, sought to leave her husBrazilian's economy from within, howband, Said, in order to rejoin her teenage ever, is the sky-high cost of borrowing love, Lucas—or the clone made of his money. The prime lending rate was inidentical twin, Leo, to her utter ignocreased two weeks ago to 26.5 percent, rance. The series won not only ratings after Lula had vowed to dramatically success, but it also reaped numerous lower it. He has allowed his Vice-Presiprizes in recognition of its social role in dent, Jose Alencar, to criticize the suffofighting racism and discussing drug cating effects of the rate on local busiabuse. ness, and Minister Furlan has projected The Moroccan veil, foreign music a drop in interest rates in the second half CD stalls replete with belly-dancing of the year. In the meantime, the CCAB music, and common Arab words and is clearly aiming at benefiting from the expressions eerily brought back Portuchanging cultural tides affecting the gal's own Muslim past, meshed in with Middle East as a whole. Neither Europe, the splendor of the Andalousian civilinor the US should have a monopoly over zation until the 12th century. the emerging markets when their Despite such cultural and climatic macropolitical policies are so harmful resemblance, Brazil's position regardto the developing world. ing the Ameritan war on Iraq is becom- 4 The days leading into a unilateral ing increasingly tested. Lula has clearly ! Anglo-American invasion of Iraq seem voiced his position against war in gen- I to be numbered. Secretary of State Colin eral, and any unilateral American-Brit- !Powell's potential opposition seems to ish attack and invasion. Brazil voted in I have completely been undermined by favor of UN Resolution 1441. And one 1 the administration as it has made him of its key international diplomats, now ' 'into the leading spokesman for the dotambassador to the UK, had led the United trines of his rival, Paul Wolfowitz. On Nations Agency for the Prohibition of March 10, Lula reiterated his opposition Chemical Weapons, oneofwhose stated to war on Iraq. He gave his most sincere goals was to rally Iraq to become a fullposition when speaking in the Sao Paulo fledged member—and abide by the automobile-industry heavy "ABC" reAgency's inspections criteria. on. To a crowd ofthousands, whom he • Yet as the US has failed its bid to once led as a union leader, Lula declared maintain allies, let alone to assemble a himself against the war. "Common majority to carry a new resolution to people and humanity care more about wage war. Brazil's reasonable and ratioeducation, health, food and peace than a nal calls for peace have begun to weigh war that will only bring damage to the heavily. Its international political anapoorest part of the world.' lysts have begun putting the government One can rest assured that this is no on guard regarding the consequences of minority view of a trade-union leader. a too-vocal opposition. These voices Lula is the living voice of the Brazilian lead all the way back to former president people and nation. And Brazil is just one Fernando Henrique Cardoso. He is reamong scores of nations solidly united ported to have cautioned President Lula against the aggression, and deeply wary about forging too close an alliance with ofthe harm it will bring to the region and France on the conflict. to emerging markets the world over. It is The country's economy has been also one of the rare governments in the buoyant despite massive speculation on world today—the democratic world— the currency and outflow of capital in that represents the will of its people, at the uncertainty of the run-up to Lula's Ifeast on this matter. election. The export sector has been the i one to bring in vitally needed foreign Canadian philosopher, Norman i capital, helping companies reimbursed i • Madarasz, holds a Ph.D. from the their private debt to government, and in !-, University of Paris. He currently lives turn allow the government to service its In Rio de Janeiro, from where he Writes massive debt to the IMF, amounting to on philosophy and international some 65 percent of GDP. political and economic relations. He Development Minister Luiz Fernanwelcomes comments at do Furlan estimates exports to grow by normanmadarasz2Qhotmail.com 10 percent this year, after setting a hisBRAZZIL - APRIL 2003
Every Saturday for the past three weeks, people have been taking the streets ofthe world to rally against the war in Iraq. The war, however, started almost a week ago and it's getting bloodier and bloodier. Moreover, internal a • support fot the belligerent governments increases every AAtU DO imPtano day. Something is wrong with the preaching for peace. A theoretically unquestionable humanitarian cause is not reaching the expected results, in spite of intense mobilization. ** Hypothesis I: Pacifists forgot to prioritize the preMoloraagrenatevair‘hr*Mtestoaaeit*pse;&Opesoqdkvniotricaraiescarimentliebn4.1tapiral requisite Of non-violence. Some rallies are extremely aggressive and confront basic principles of the antibellicose doctrine. ** Hypothesis 2: Pacifists have forgotten that pacifism requires absolute neutrality. ** Hypothesis 3: Marches have become narcissistic happening0. Once the march is over, participants go to the TV monitor to check the latest combat news. No usel blaming the press or looking for conspiracies. Part of the American media may be sporting combat uniforms but another part, maybe the most prestigious ••• •••••• ••••••00. ••• ••• • 04.1. one, is not. Irrefutable proof are the large pacifist rallies in New York, Chicago and San Francisco. The big British press, specially BBC, is providing competent and balanced coverage. Nonetheless, public opinion is steady in supporting the coalition with the U.S.. The case of Brazil is exemplary: the Brazilian press behaves in correct fashion, in spite of the habitual failings of a teChnical nature (fragmentation of the newscasts, for example). Coverage has been generous with all pacifist marches, but the ones taking place in Brazil are far from irripressing in terms of numbers. The result is that the reaction from the Brazilian government to the Anglo-American attack was, at most, discreet. The terrible truth is that the logi of war prevailed over the spirit of peace. The new information technologies (ab ve all videophones and digital cameras) are bringing the fighting inside every home, live, in color, with every sound, scream and voice of command. This logic of war makes the more sensitive pacifists, the ones concerned with the humanitarian issue, wish for a brief war. What they don't realize is that, by doing so, Just as the "ordinary citizen" they are betting on the capitulation of Iraq and/or its devastation. The more politically engaged pacifists, on the other hand, hope that the Iraqi resistance of Iraq cannot be generalized as a (following the exhibition of imprisbned or dead soldiers) is able to demoralize the American commanding officers. They don't realize that they are betting on the clone of Saddam, the Yankee exacerbation of the rage. We need to constantly be reminded: pacifism is anti-triumphalist by nature. This "ordinary citizen" cannot be seen is a commitment and a burden that not all pacifists realize. as violent as Bush. We must be The political schemes confronting each other in this war may have different institutional bases, but they are precisely the same in their conviction: both are reminded that, in 1942, when the totalitarian and fanaticized. The utter misfortune is that this perception escapes a Nazis sank Brazilian ships, mobs great number of opinionists, most o all our domestic ones. And this is where one of the failures of pacifist preaching n1ay be hiding: they appeal to violence. Verbal aroused by newspapers grabbed violence, for the time being; but it may soon feed the other violence, this one German citizens living peacefully effective. If the famous columnist from FOlha de S. Paulo proclaims she will never drink and legally in our country and Coca-Cola again, in retaliation to gush's unilateralism, let's applaud her: our own guarana, no doubt about it, tastes Inuch better (Sunday, 3/23, Front Page headline). lynched them to death. Cause for concern, though, is when la political analyst who has had a permanent seat for years in the opinion pages of the same newspaper writes the following: ALBERTO DINES "...The ordinary citizen of the United States has the specific culture of fighting, of violence. It is not by chance that the only film genre Americans have created is the western, the struggle between the good guy and the bad guy..." etc., etc. (Saturday, 3/22, page 2). Taking aside his lack of motion picture history knowledge, what the writer, a member of the Academy of Letters, is saying is that the ordinary citizen of the U.S. is as violent as Bush., Just as the "ordinary citizen" of Iraq cannot be generalized and stigmatized as a clone of Saddam, the Yankee "ordinary citizen" eating a sandwich at the fast-food joint while watching on CNN the images of the bombing in Baghdad cannot be seen in such a totalitarian and unfair way.
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Just like at every moment of great commotion, what is in force here is the marketing ofindignation—through which all those with little to say, or too lazy to engage in reflection, appeal to simplistic and reductionist vociferation. The "Letters from Readers" section of the newspapers show that the Brazilian "ordinary citizen" is often more sophisticated than some of those who are paid to enlighten him or her. As detestable as Bush's troupe may be, anti-Americanism is as reprehensible as anti-French ism, anti-Germanism, antiArabism or anti-Judaism. They are all manifestations of prejudice and racism (in its broad sense) which, in instances of paroxysm such as now, can produce extremely dangerous results. We must be reminded that, in spite of the much celebrated Brazilian cordiality, in 1942, when the Nazis sank Brazilian ships, mobs aroused by newspapers grabbed German citizens living peacefully and legally in our country and lynched them to death. If the U.S. is no good and the American press is junk, then everything goes. This type of worn-out reasoning, quite frequent today in certain pockets of our domestic journalism, does nothing to stimulate the ability to reflect. A pacifism built with this type of ingredients is prone to be confused with bellicosity. In these same pockets of the press we notice a visible complacency with the regime of Saddam Hussein. To the extent that the Iraqi dictator manages to embody anti-Americanism, his crimes are gradually emptied out and thrown under the carpet. Elio Gaspari, last Sunday (3/23, Globo, Folha and Zero Hora) denounced a worrisome episode of the "whitening" of the dictator in the Brazilian Congress last week. When the Iraqi ambassador in Brasilia came to the joint session of the Foreign Relations committees of both House and Senate, the representatives of the Brazilian people made clear that the Baghdad regime is legitimate, generous and decent. The gentleman was not asked a single question about human rights in his country. Besides their monumental ignorance in international affairs, our legislators unveiled something even more serious: this ignorance results from the publications they make in their own heads. The notion of imminent catastrophe is built into the culture of peace. Pacifists may paint their faces, show their rear end, carry posters, chant songs and prayers. But they can't dispense with the major part of their spiritual equipment: their sense of tragedy. [Text completed on 3/25 at 10:00 a.m.] Translated by Tereza Braga, email: tbragaling@cs.com 24
War and the Empire of Baloney While we haven't seen many cases of adulteration of images in the international press, twisting captions has become in vogue—specially in Brazilian newspapers. There are tens of cases in which the editor introduces non-mentioned subjective ingredients in the original caption, which aren't evident by the pictured situation. ALBERTO DINES From the Aurelio dictionary, here are the definitions for "cascata" in Portuguese: I. Small waterfall 2. Pop. Old and wrinkled woman. 3. Braz. Slang - lie 4. Braz. Slang—baloney, "hot air" 5. Braz. Journ. Inconsistent, rhetorical, non-factual, generally long story The Anglo-American coalition has made 90 percent of all the mistakes it could have made: from the moral to the political, from the strategic to the tactic, from the historical to the propagandistic. Although the military campaign seems to be victorious as it stands, it's not hard to pinpoint its critical points and clamorous mistakes. And, above all, to imagine its future difficulties, some of which are insurmountable. Therefore, with a minimum of theoretical knowledge, a bit ofjournalistic expertise and some doses of maturity, one can easily Erros estrategices "aertsfont3rn a '•guen2 era prep.-e arn:,z,111.1 ;Ira a ;Iresiderte ameririno, fill entire pages of well-founded and consisitiquiet,Fr7S1 trait, seJ Pa`r6ris,a tent analysis against this military insanity. What cannot be done is to take advantage of the generalized opposition to the war and build a journalistic "everything-goes". Like all others, it will eventually be unveiled. At some point, it will end up compromising the world consensus against the conflict. At some point, this state of exception will likely become the rule. The old expedient of "cascata" is being legitimized by a holy indignation. The marketing of sacred wrath has blended with personal marketing, both tooled by folly and oversimplification. The member of the Brazilian Academy of Letters cum journalist of page 2 of Folha de S. Paulo, who was nudged in this forum and is now sorry, now recognizes that one can't mix Bush with American cultural contributions (Sunday, April eh). The montage built a few days ago by the Los Angeles Times photographer is an example of an increasing and worrisome wave of rascality. The photographic "cascata" was caught by the paper's publishers and its author was immediately punished. The author admitted the breach and explained that his idea was to enlarge the dramatic effect of the situation. Plus, with editors constantly stuck in long meetings or lunches, who is going to take the trouble to denounce the prevaricating co-worker? The montage or rearrangement of photos was not invented in this war. The two most famous ones happened during the Second World War, but were harmless. The first is related to the famous scene of the Marines raising the American flag in the island of Iwo Jima, in the Pacific. All indications are that the photographer (now dead) improved the dramatic composition, aided by the soldiers. There was no falsifying, the flag was in fact being hoisted up in the recently re-conquered island, but maybe in a pose of less impact. The second montage was made by the Soviet propaganda machine when it put the Russian flag in the hands of a soldier on top of the Reichstag, in Berlin, right before BRAZZIL - APRIL 2003
Questions a ising from the seriousness of this accusation: the German capitulation, in May 1945. It was not news: the Russians have always possessed an enviable know-how in why didn't the iaper publish it before? If the reporter was in putting or removing characters from official photographs and Bagdah for ma y days, why didn't he mention the iron-clad thus rewrite contemporary history at the whim of the Kremlin's system of censo ship of Saddam' s regime while he was there? Didn't want to lose his source, as alleged by Peter Arnett? moves. The death of civilians in this war—the so-called collateral Afraid of repris Is? Okay: he could have said so in the story, effects—doesn't need to be invented, magnified or dramatized then—he is sa in Aman. Things of this relevance cannot by ambitious and irresponsible photographers. There are no remain implied as "innuendo" (a Latin expression meaning intelligent bombs or "clean" wars. The Iraqi population is insinuation, us d in the Yankee journalistic jargon). And for paying a very high price for the insanity of Saddam Hussein. what reason di • n't the newspaper highlight the sensational The violent and terrifying picture doesn't need to be manipu- accusation on it front page? Would it be too anti-Saddam and lated; the numbers are available and can be documented. Good thus politically incorrect? Folha deci • ed, instead, to highlight an interview with a journalism can only help good causes. Bad journalism can only "bomb-man" p otographed in Aman, with no hood or any other harm them. disguise. Until he man blows himself up (as he promised to Indomitable, unbeatable While so far we haven't seen many cases of adulteration of do), the nevvsp per remains a nominee for the Peter Arnett images in the international press, twisting captions has become Award for lnte ational "cascata". And since e have mentioned the New-Zealander journalin vogue—specially in Brazilian newspapers. There are tens of cases in which the on-call editor introduces non-mentioned ist, we should i ention the title of the story /sto E used to greet subjective ingredients in the original caption which aren't even him: "Indonnita le". You can't discuss good taste, of course— made evident by the pictured situation. Due to lack of knowl- specially whe you consider that the magazine calls itself edge of the English language (used in all captions sent by "independent". But the adjective seems to be slightly displaced international agencies and built into the photos) or maybe the when we kno that, after acknowledging that he had done a need to complete the empty space or a mere inclination for "stupid" thing, men picked up three fat contracts to remain in dramatizing—for all this and more, "supplements" are in- the same line o work. The king of "cascata" visited Rio once serted, which end up providing unwary readers with a different and stated tha the journalism school who invited him was better than Am rican journalism schools. Unbeatable. interpretation of the actual scene. Some cases follow: Alber o Dines, the author, is a journalist, founder and ** On the front page ofJornal do Brasil on Monday (3/31), researcher a LABJOR—Laboratorio de Estudos Avancados an armed U.S. soldier, his back to the camera, and beside him, em Jornalis o (Laboratory for Advanced Studies in Journalcrouched and facing the camera, a civilian. Caption: "Iraqi man ism) at UNIC MP (University of Campinas) and editor of the is subdued by a coalition soldier... after offending him". Where is the proof that the Iraqi civilian disrespected the Observat6rio s a Imprensa. He also writes a column on cultural issues for the io daily Jornal do Brasil. You can reach him by soldier? Pure imposition. email at obsimpia.com.br ** In Folha, same day, also on the front page, children Tra slated by Tereza Braga, email: tbrazalingaks.com sitting down at the door of a house, facing an armed U.S. soldier: "Iraqi children are removed from their houses by U.S. Marines..." Sat down or squatted (accompanied by two women), they look at the photographer beside the soldier. There is no indication that the children were being removed. Pure rhetoric. ** In 0 Globo, Saturday, 3/29, front page, huge photo of an Iraqi woman with two children (one on her lap), with columns of smoke in the background and, on the foreground, a coalition armored vehicle: "Mothers with children flee the city of Basra... where violent confrontations have been happening: the British accuse Iraqi paramilitary groups of shooting civilians". There is no indication whatsoever of the presence of Iraqi military or paramilitary personnel intimidating the small family. The presence of the armored vehicle pointing in the direction contrary super@brazilexplore.com to the escape route denies the possibility that the woman and children had been the target of Iraqi fire. Pure inference. ** In Estado de S. Paulo, Friday (4/4), front page: a strong smoke column raises from a building in flames: "Fire and smoke in Bagdah: Iraqis burn fuel to impair visibility for enemy pilots". There is a lot of smoke coming from other buildings, but the darkness is certainly due to the time when the photo was taken. There are lights on in neighboring buildings and all indications are that it happened at dawn. There are no deposits of fuel in a large urban center and the fire in the wells occurred in the southern region of Basra. Pure imagination. If journalism instructors in our 'diploma factories' were real professionals, they would have serious topics to suggest to their students for their final papers. The captioning of war photos is one of them. The accusation by Folha's special envoy Sergio Davila, published on Sunday (4/6, page A25) deserves a special reflection. Title: "Bagdah, the forbidden city". Subtitle: "The result of the control of information and numerous denials is that few 10826 Venice Blvd.#105 people really know what is happening in the Iraqi capital". Well, it is known that the reporter received instructions to leave Culver City - CA - 90232 Bagdah a few days ago and is now in Aman, the Jordanian capital, from where he dispatched the story.
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A Trap for Blacks Brazil now has quotas for blacks and a law requiring the teaching of Afro-Brazilian History in school. These measures are obviously racist. Besides, the history of Africa is the history of tribal warfare and slavery, stoning to death for adulterers, sexual mutilation as custom. This will bring no contribution to Brazilians' self-esteem. JANER CR ISTALDO
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Until very recently, black activist groups always fought for the elimination of the item "color" in identification documents in Brazil. With the unfortunate quota legislation devastating college education these days, black students insist in putting down their color when registering for vestibular (college entrance exam). These same black groups have always deemed any supposedly scientific criteria to establish a person's color as racist. The question becomes, then, Who is black, for legal purposes? In the case of the Rio de Janeiro state law and the federal legislative bill, the criterium is selfstatement. A person is pardo(a) (brown) or negro(a) (black) if he or she says so, even if they look white. Well, in this country of the "Gerson law" (always look for the benefit to be gained), not a few whites claimed to be blacks in the last UERJ vestibular (Rio de Janeiro State University), the first Brazilian public university to establish the quota system. Then came the cry from the black leaderships: let's determine scientifically who is white and who is black, and sue the whites who have declared to be black. Conclusion: words of command from afrodescendants are more changeable than the clouds. Clouds, however, change in every direction, while these words change in one direction only, which is the direction of obtaining advantages for blacks, not only by dispensing with merit but also by trampling over the eventual merits of those declaring to be whites. Our current President is far from being the first ignoramus to take office in this country. Both the House and the Senate are full of juridical illiterates who understand nothing about lawmaking and can't even distinguish major from minor laws. Loaded with stupid words of command usually originated in the United States, they create irresponsible legislation with the tranquility of one who doesn't have to report to anyone. Such is the case of the quota law. Only now, after the UERJ vestibular and a torrent oflawsuits, astute analysts have found out that the notorious law goes against article 5 of the Constitution: "all are equal before the law, with no distinction of any nature". As if we needed more than this gross juridical error—which will now serve only to further clog the already clogged courts and generate handsome profits for lawyers, who are the real beneficiaries of the quota law—the President, scarcely in office, sanctioned the law requiring the inclusion of Afro-Brazilian History and Culture in the official elementary to high school curriculum. The classes wilr cover everything from history of Africa and Africans to the black struggle in Brazil. Such legislative measure is obviously racist. And why not the history of Portugal and Portuguese struggle in Brazil? Or the history of Italy and the struggles of the Italians? Or the history ofJapan and the struggles of the Japanese? Brazil is a melting pot of cultures and the African contribution to its development is far from being the only one, or the most important one. The study of Afro-Brazilian history has, however, its complications. For the chiefs of the black movement, it is not enough to tell the story of Afro-Brazilian culture; we need to embellish it. That's what one infers from the prohibition of the book Banzo, Tronco e Senzala (Blues, Stocks and Plantation Slave Quarters), written by Elzi Nascimento and Elzita Melo Quinta, in the Federal District schools, by order of governor Joaquim Roriz, upon request from petista Senator Paulo Paim (PT—Workers Party). A boy is said to have been deeply affected by the information contained in the book saying that "Negroes lost their human condition as soon as they were imprisoned in Africa and became mere merchandise at the disposal of whites" and that to imprison blacks was not difficult. "Especially after the merchants started getting help from traitor blacks who imprisoned people oftheir own race in exchange for tobacco, cachaca (sugar cane rum), gun powder and guns". "What is the self-esteem of a black child when he or she receives a book saying that if these people have one day been slaves, it's the fault of blacks and not of the Europeans of the time, merchant of slaves?"—asks Paim. The Senator seems to ignore—or purposefully omit—the fact that slavery was not an invention of the Europeans. It is as old as the Bible and neither prophets nor patriarchs condemn it. Not even Paul, the reformer of the Old Book, condemned it. It ruled in Greece before Europe even existed. Centuries before the first European slave ship entered port in BRAZZIL -APRIL 2003
the African continent slavery already existed, with no interference from the West. The President of Senegal, Abdoulaye Wade, is the first one to admit it. Commenting on the claims of black activists, he identified himself as a descendent of a rich family of slave owners and asked if anyone was going to ask him for reparation money. Good thing he didn't ask that question in the newspapers of the Brazilian Federal District, or he would be censored by Governor Joaquim Roriz. That black tribal chiefs eased the merchants' task, selling slaves from other tribes, isn't ignored either. They did sell, and they are still selling them now, in the 21" century. In Mauritania, Sudan and Ghana, in Benin, Burkina Fasso, Mali and Niger, slavery still persists, just like in the times of slave ships. Last year, cable TV GNT showed European whites buying slaves in Sudan. These buyers were not merchants—these were representatives of European NG0s, buying blacks in order to free them. The purpose might be noble, but demand generates supply and the only thing that these NGO dollars was doing was to stimulate slave trafficking. This is the history of Africa. And if any author relegates slavery to past times, the book is outdated. The new law signed by the President adds to the school calendar the anniversary of the death of Zumbi (November 20th) as National Day of Black Conscience. This patriotistic ambition for heroes, typical of underdeveloped countries, has led black politicians to elect Zumbi as a hero of the race. Well, the black hero was also a slave owner. Where do we stand now? Will the authorities censor any BRA2ZIL - APRIL 2003
book attesting the status of Zumbi s a slavist? By defending quota systems in niversities, Brazilian blacks have f lien into a clumsy trap. They may fi d it easier to obtain a diploma today, but tomorrow who will hire the services of a professional who entered college thr sugh the back door? By demanding the i elusion of African history in the curri ula, they have fallen into-a more sop isticatecl trap. The history of Africa is the histo of tribal warfare and slavery, stonin to death for adulterers, physical mutil lion as punishment and sexual mutilati in as custom. Democracy, human rights, eedom of the press and female eman ipation are unknown institutions in that ontinent. Six thousand girls have their litoris extirpated every day in twenty c s untries, in the Middle East and Africa. his is done by local barbers or midw yes, with instruments that are not sterili ed. Africa, to this day, tends more t s Idi Amin Dada than to Mozart. Mor towards Bokassa than towards Einstei . To study its history, past or present, hel s no child with no self-esteem.
Blacks and Whites. We're All Brazilians Just when the Americans discover mestigos, Brazilian black activists want to eliminate them from the national picture. In a servile imitation of the Yankee press, Brazilian newspapers start using the term "afrodescendant" to define the population that the
Translated by Tereza B aga, c com email: tbra alin
Census Bureau classifies as negro or brown. JANER CRISTALDO In a recent chronicle, I made comments about the quota system for blacks in Brazilian universities and the African History requirement in school curricula. My article gave rise to a hailstorm of messages, most of them irate, in which I am invariably accused of being a racist. "The disease of racism is a European invention"—writes one reader—"You cannot infect someone with the disease and hope not to get sick yourself. Your article shows the disease you still have". The objections were so many that it is impossible for me to answer all of them. I will limit myself, therefore, to comments on the most recurring points in them, such as racism, quota system, slavery and the history of Africa. I will leave aside my surprise to acknowledge that the Hutus and Tutsis who cut each other into pieces in Rwanda are contaminated with a European invention. Let's start with my alleged racism I was born in Rio Grande do Sul, a state that, due to its strong European colonization, has the reputation of being the most racist in Brazil. Although our population has an expressive white ma27
jority, it was the first state in the country seven feet high te• o separate to elect a black governor, Alceu Collares. negroes from whites. Well, not even Bahia, a state with a In Arizona, any marriage between definite black majority, ever had a black a person with Caucasian blood and governor. Collares was not only gover- another with negro, Mongol, Malay nor but also mayor of Porto Alegre, the or Hindu blood was declared null. In capital city, which is also a mainly white Florida,marriage between whites and city. Before he was mayor of the gaficho blacks was forbidden, even if they capital, he was the mayor of Bage, a city were fourth generation descendants. in the western border of Rio Grande do In that same state, if a negro were to Sul, where whites constitute the over- share a room with a white woman for whelming majority. one night, both would be punished All through my childhood and during with imprisonment not to exceed 12 my whole school life, from elementary months and fines of up to 500 dolschool through college, I had familial lars. relationships with blacks. During my In Georgia, beer or wine had to Porto Alegre years, I was a regular at the be sold exclusively to whites or to table of Lupicinio Rodrigues, whom I blacks, but never to both races at the much admired, at the Adelaide bar. same location. In Mississippi, even Lupicinio—who wrote the most beauti- prisons had separate meal-rooms and ful samba lyrics in Brazil—was univer- sleeping quarters for prisoners of sally loved by all gafichos. each race. In Texas, it was up to the Today, I realize that I had good friends state to provide schooling for white among the black population. Why do I and black children. The Jim Crow say "today"? Because at that time I didn't laws explain the Yankee mauvaise even notice that they were blacks. With conscience (ill conscience), which the recent stirring up ofthe racial struggle, resulted in affirmative action. we now live amongst people who insist in We Brazilians don't recognize defining themselves as black, when be- this institutionalized racism fore we didn't even think about them as Blacks and whites inter-marry, black. drink and eat in the same restaurants, In some of the email messages I re- work and make friends in the same ceived, I am accused of defending the classrooms. If there are less blacks argument that there is no racism in Bra- than whites at the universities, this is zil. In a certain way, I do defend it. Some due to economic, but never juridical form of racism we all have, or we would factors. Poor whites--and there are lenot be human. But never at the level of gions of them—have the same difficulty the U.S. or European countries. A black to access upper level education that poor person, if rich or successful, is esteemed blacks have. Rich blacks-and they also and even envied in Brazil. Millions of exist have the same easiness of access Brazilian whites would feel extremely that rich whites have. There is no reason, honored to be photographed next to a though, for this hatred to be exported to Pele. In the case of a poor or destitute Brazil. In this country, from the legal black person, it's the reverse. In this case, point of view, blacks were never disthe distancing factor is not the blackness criminated. of the black person, but his or her destiI always say that Brazil tends to imtution. Except for Catholic priests and port the worst practices ofthe First World. social workers, nobody likes poverty. In the 2000 census, almost seven million Not even blacks like poor blacks. Americans were for the first time authoIn Brazil we never had any laws de- rized to identify themselves as part of nying blacks any rights. The so-called more than one race. The most common Jim Crow laws, declared unconstitutional interracial categories mentioned in the by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1954, were Census were white and black, white and the legal basis for discrimination against Asian, white and native American or blacks in the southern states, beginning native of Alaska, and white and "some in 1880,.and went all the way to prohib- other race". iting a student to pass a schoolbook to The United States is abandoning the another student who was not of the same one-drop rule, by which a citizen is alrace. In Alabama, no hospital could hire ways considered to be black even if he a white nurse if a black person was being only has one single drop of black blood in treated in that hospital. Bus stations had his ascenddncy. The country is discoverto have separate waiting areas and ticket ing the mestico. While the U.S. begins to counters for each race. Buses also had recognize multi-raciality, some black separate seats. And restaurants had to groups in Brazil wanted even mulatos to provide partitions measuring at least declare themselves black on the last cen28
sus. The purpose is obvious, which is to put pressure on the legislative power. Black Brazilians represented only 5.4 percent of the general population in 1999. With the additional 39.9 percent of the niu/ato contingent, Brazil would be close to be defined as a country of black majority, as it is, by the way, already considered today by many Americans and Europeans. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, in his already proverbial want of culture, fell into this trap when he stated that Brazil is the second black nation in the world. It is not. Blacks are actually the lowest minority in Brazil. Unless we want to deny the existence of this hybrid specimen, the mulato, like the U.S. did. So, just when the Americans discover mesticos, Brazilian black activists want to eliminate them from the national picture. In a servile imitation of the Yankee press, tupimquim newspapers start using the term "afrodescendant" to define the population that IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics) classifies as negro or brown. However, while a negro is obviously afrodescendant, brown people are both afro and eurodescendant. If we adopt the new nomenclature, I will BRAZZIL -APRIL 2003
be forced to declare myself eurodescendant. No tarnish there, as far as I'm concerned. The word 'racism', not very frequent in the Brazilian press of past decades, now deluges the pages of newspapers, following the fall of the Berlin Wall. Apparatchicks, nostalgic of the Cold War, seeing their ideals of class struggle demoralized, proletariat versus bourgeoisie, work versus capital, hurried up to find a new dichotomy, so they could hurl brothers against brothers. Do we have blacks and whites in Brazil? Marvelous. Let's hurl them into fratricidal conflict. Absurd laws are created under the pretext of fighting racism, but they end up stimulating it. Today, in Brazil, if you insult a black person, you incur in a heinous crime, with firm arrest and no bail allowed. But if you kill a black person, the law is more lenient. If you are a first-time offender, you are free while you wait for trial. That is: if you have insulted a black person in a moment of anger, and wish to escape immediate imprisonment, there is only one way out: kill him. According to this absurd law, murder is less serious than a verbal offense. And now the quotas Given this habit of ours of importing from the First World its worst finds, we ended up establishing racial quotas in universities. This is one more ofthe many laws manufacturing racism. How can a poor, white kid face without animosity a black student who has taken his place in college only because the latter is black? When federal judge Bernard Friedman established the policy of affirmative action in the Law School of the University of Michigan, Americans began to realize that the quota policy was a wretched idea. In 1977, Barbara Grutter, a white student who was refused acceptance into
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BRAZZIL -APRIL 2003
the law school, filed a civil action. For Friedman, giving consideration to the race of students as a factor in accept nce decisions is not unconstitutional. Acc rding to the judge, the policy of affirm ive action in sehools is similar to the q ota system, which determines that a ce amn percentage of students has to come • om minority groups. When he ordered the school to abandon that policy, he ote: "Approximately 10 percent of the va ancies in each class are reserved for embers of a specific race, and these va ancies are removed from the competiti n". Last year, the show 60 Minutes i terviewed a professor who demons ated the injustice of the system. From 51 hite students applying for a university program, only one was accepted. Amon ten black candidates, all ten were aece ted. The university adopts a kind of re erse Jim Crow law, accepting any black candidate and refusing whites. While A encans realize that affirmative action olicies do not constitute a good or fair dea, Brazilian authorities decide to adh re to this nefarious policy. There is alre dy a bill passed by the Science and Tec nology Committee of the House of R presentatives, -according to which 25 percent of black or mulato actors m st be hired for theater plays, films and t levision shows. Leaving film and TV aside, just agine what complications a director as to go through if he is planning to st ge a play by Ibsen or Tchekhov, and thi king about how to insert blacks in Sla ic or Nordic contexts? How about if th play calls for one single character? At least one fourth of the monologue will h veto be performed by a black actor? On y the noodles of an illiterate could co e up with this politically correct "pearl' . The U.S. is beginning to abandon the uota system and Brazilian members o Congress wish to adopt it, even in there.lm of
entertainment. When I stated that blacks captured blacks in Africa, there was no lack of interlocutors claiming that, if slavery existed, it's because there was a demand for slaves in Europe. Several readers threw the opprobrious label onto Europe. This intellectual attitude denotes a lack of reading in History. Slavery is much older that Europe. It already existed in Socratic Greece, when Europe was just the name of a virgin abducted by Zeus, transvestited into a bull. Enough to say that slavery is seen as a perfectly normal thing in the Book that we hold as the foundation of the West. One reader quotes the Eclesiastes, when Salomon talks about a man' who dominates another man in order to ruin him. This reader takes this as a universal declaration applying to all races and not just one race. And he considers it to be intellectually irresponsible to invoke the Bible without highlighting this fact. This reader forgot to read Exodus: "Ifyou buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free, without paying anything. If he comes alone, he is to go free alone; but if he has a wife when he comes, she is to go with him. If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and only the man shall go free. But if the servant declares, 'I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,' then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door of the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life." Just like some black activists who don't like to hear that African tribal chiefs sold slaves to Eurppean whites, many Catholics don't like to hear that the Bible endorses slavery. Well, nothing we can do about that. In the Book we find: "If a man beats his male or female slave with a rod and the slave dies as a direct result, he must be punished, but he is not to be punished if the slave gets up after a day or two, since the slave is his property". Leviticus legitimizes the purchase of foreign slaves. "Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves. You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property. You can will them to your chil29
dren as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly". Therefore, there is nothing original in the fact that Europe was a slavish continent. It was simply following the precepts ofthe book on which it was founded. Slavery permeates the Book from start to finish; one would have to refuse to see, in order not to see it. It wouldn't be likely for Portugal, a good Christian country, to fail to perpetuate biblical tradition. Today Brazilian blacks demand millions in indemnification from the Republic, in the name of past slavery. There is a problem, though, because republican Brazil did not know the institution of slavery. The Lei Aurea (Golden Law) dates from 1888—coincidentally, at the same time the heinous Jim Crow laws ruled in the U.S. The Republic was proclaimed in 1889. If blacks want indemnification, the bill should be sent to Portugal. Is there slave work today in Brazil? Yes, there is. But no law legitimizes it; on the contrary, it is a crime and it is punished as such. It would be foolish on our part to deny the existence of our ailments in order to embellish the history of our homeland. And now we come to the topic that provoked the highest level of protest about my article—the statement that the history of Africa is the history of tribal warfare and slavery, adultery punished with stoning, physical mutilation as punishment and sexual mutilation as custom. There was a flood of email messages mentioning past deeds and ancient cultures. Someone even held Egypt by the handle as one of the exponents of black culture. As if the bankrupt thesis that Athens was black were not enough, now we have Egypt inserted into the afro debate. From Dhakar, one reader sends me references about Cheikh Anta Diop, a Senegalese man of letters who defends the idea that ancient Egypt is part of black Africa. It may be. But such a thesis is far from constituting unanimity among historians. Even if it were so, the argument is worth-
less. If a hypothetically black Egypt ever had a glorious trajectory, it is over now. The trajectory was interrupted somewhere along the way and today Egypt lives the hour of Islam—nothing glorious there. Besides everything else, ancient Egypt was slavocrat—just ask the Hebrews!— and this doesn't help the argument in favor of Africa either. There was no lack of readers accusing me of being an ungrateful son; after all, all our ancestors would have first appeared in African land. This argument is counterproductive. If we all descend from Africa, it was necessary to abandon Mother Africa for humankind to evolve. And after all, to attach oneself to the glorious past ofa country in order to feed one's self-esteem is a disease of narrowmindoinationalists. It's even worse when the attachment is to the past of a single ethnicity: now we are entering the narrow fringe that separates ethnic pride from racism. Before we belong to one or another nation, to this or to that ethnicity, we belong to the human race. I stated that the study of African history, be it past or present, doesn't help any child with any self-esteem. I see that I have hurt many readers. Several of them, armed with a computer, have sent me their messages using a modem, in almost instantaneous speed, via Internet. These are literate people, which in this world of ours is already a privilege. Most of them have a college education, as I gathered. All of them enjoy the easiness of modern means ofcommunication and the freedom to express their thoughts in the countries where they live. They are fed with information via satellite and they can follow, almost in real time, the Conflicts going on in our small planet, comfortably settled in front of a television set. They certainly make use of jets and automobiles to get where they need to go, they eat in good restaurants and they were educated in good universities. That is, they enjoy the best of the West. This heritage, most dear friends, does not come from Africa. That Africa may be a tender remem-
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brance of an immemorial past, that's all right. Today, though, it has no lesson to teach to the West. When Africans have free elections and democracy, the fundamentals of human rights, a press and freedom of the press, women with the same rights as men, and when clitoris are no longer mutilated nor women stoned to death, we can talk again. Did Africa make contributions to humanity? Long live Africa. What is unacceptable, though, der penalty of falsifying history, is to gnore its current ailments. For the time being, I repeat, Africa leans more towards Idi Amin Dada than towards Mozart. When someone talks to me about the xcellence of some primitive cultures, I tend to remember Brian's Life, from the Monty Python folks. With the Jewish conspirators assembled, the leader asks: what have the Romans brought us? Roads, somebody answers. All right. But besides roads, what did they give us? Hospitals, someone else says. Sure! But what else, besides roads and hospitals? Aqueducts, suggests a third person. And the discussion goes on and on, until a manifest is issued: although they have brought us roads, hospitals, aqueducts, schools, sewers, Romans go Rome! I understand the study of History as the study of what happened. No historian can subtract facts only because such facts dishonor the history of a people. During one whole century—the last century— communists built a fictitious history in orderto picture as a paradise what in fact was a hell right here on Earth. Let black activists not wish to repeat such infamy. The one from last century still weighs on us, and is far from being rooted out of our memories. Janer Cristaldo—he holds a PhD from University of Paris, Sorbonne—is an author, translator, lawyer, philoso'pher and journalist and suffers Sic) Paulo. His e-mail address is cristal@baguete.-com.br Translated by Tereza Braga, email: tbragaling@cs.com
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Brazil's Rock of Ages Hans Stern, the man behind Brazil's gemstone dynasty At age 80, Hans still presides over H. Stern. He still arrives at his office every morning, his sole concession being that he now arrives t8.30 rather than 8 AM as he once did. He remains fully informed of ongoing activity. PHILLIP WAGNER
The elderly gentleman behind the desk was wading through a large sta of correspondence whenan assistant ushered me into the room. My passing broke the shafts of sunlight that pen trated the penthouse windows. Noting my arrival, the gentleman paused before briefly returning his attention to a ocument that I concluded he must have ,been deliberating on. I remember feeling a little awkward and embarrass d; I was surely imposing. But then he quickly laid the document to one side and welcomed me with such warmth a d sincerity that I was caught off-guard. "Would you like some coffee", he asked in a soft, but clearly audible, to e. I indicated that I would. I was about to experience Brazilian cafezinho for the first time. That was seven years ag , and I was immediately 'hooked'. I've never since attended to the criticism of Brazil's coffee exports, which exp rts consistently label "mediocre" and/ or "inferior". The quality of the harvest notwithstanding, I learned that pre aration is the real key to a good cup of coffee. And I discovered that the gentleman behind the desk takes as mu h care with people as he does for the acclaimed products associated with his name. I tried to apologize for arriving in blue jeans and a T-shirt, explaining th t I had been en-route to my hotel when advised that I would only have this brief opportunity before interviewing m sic artist Marisa Monte. But the kindly old man gently waved off my concerns with a purposeful right hand and in ited me to sit down with him. Although I enjoyed our 'interview', I was so impressed with the reception I received that my professionalism lapsed. I took notes but, in retrospect, asked few meaningful questions. And even if I had, I wouldn't have worked them into a story at that time. he most important things I gained from that experience were an awareness that Hans Stern was as special as his su cess was remarkable, arid a realization that everyone seemed to want something from him. The stack of correspo • ence before him consisted of requests for favors, for sponsorships, for donations, for ... well, you get the idea. For me, the residual impact of that, almost chance, meeting was power I. An ongoing kindness to periodically correspond over these years has heightened it. In these difficult times, whe patriotism has become so fashionable in the United States, I am reminded of these words, inscribed on a memoria in my city of Indianapolis .....The true patriot best supports his government by creating friendliness through kin ess and generosity wherever fate may carry him". Hans Stern is the only child of Kurt and Ilse Stern, and was born in Esse ,Germany on October 1, 1922. It seems likely that the Sterns, or their predecessors, may have arrived in Essen in th preceding century since its population exploded from fewer than 5,000 in 1818 to about 120,000 shortly after 1900. Immigrants originated in Poland, Silesia and East & West Prussia. Most arrived looking for work in the Ruhr alley mines that would fuel Germany's industrial revolution. Friedrich Krupp founded a cast steel factory in Ess n in 1811. Prussia was granted authority over Essen by the post-Napoleon Congr ss of Vienna, which was conducted by such notable 19th century diplomats as the manipulative Prince Metternic of Austria, the flamboyant Talleyrand BRAZZIL -APRIL 2003
31
of France and pragmatic Lord Castlereagh of England. The intrigue and machinations of the three, most particularly the Austrian Metternich were later emulated by Henry Kissinger in the form of his Middle East "shuttle diplomacy". War Times The first decade of Hans' life was more or less carefree and happy, although he struggled through a slight physical handicap. Hans enjoyed a wide circle of friends, a number of which also survived the war; Hans has maintained intermittent contact with some of them over these many years. Hans' father Was a "successful and well to do" selfemployed electrical engineer in Essen, supplying installations in houses and apartments. But Hans' idyllic world began to disintegrate in the 1930s. In early March of1933 Essen exhibited a degree of independence that didn't sit well with the new National Socialist Party, which failed to receive a major, ity of votes in the region's local elections. The Jewish population could hardly have orchestrated the result, since it accounted for only about 4,500 of the several hundred thousand, perhaps a half million or more people residing in or in close proximity to Essen at that time. But Hermann Goering angrily advised Nazi followers that "You're allowed to settle up with the traitors, we stand to our words and it will be settled". The term "traitors" referred to Jews and other "undesirables". A book burning that took place in Gerling Square on June 21" presaged an untenable future for the Sterns in Essen, and life there became progressively more threatening for them. It seemed only a matter of time before everyone's worst fears would be realized. Legislation referred to as "the Nuremberg Laws", which took effect in September of 1935, deprived German Jews of their citizenship by reclassifying them as "subjects of the state". On the nights of November 9 and 10, 1938, National Socialist 'brown shirts' terrorized Essen's close-knit Jewish community. Known as Reichslcristallnacht, or the "Reich's' night of broken glass", mobs of Nazi's and Nazi sympathizers went on a rampage. Jewish owned businesses and homes were destroyed. One source indicates that "Shortly after Crystal Night, ... it was ... reported to Goering that 7,500 Jewish owned businesses (throughout Germany) were wrecked, 191 synagogues and 171 apartment houses were burned, and 36 German and Austrian Jews were killed". The interior of Essen's famed Steelerstrasse Synagogue, "considered one of the most beautiful in Germany", was gutted. Hans recalled that life had suddenly become "full of anxiety due to violent anti-Semitism and rumors of war". In an ugly twist of purported justice, German authorities began to take Jewish males over the age of 15 into "protective custody" and relocate them to concentration camps. Hans, his father and a grandfather fled to Cologne ("Koeln" or "101n" in German) by car. There they were secreted away by the librarian at the palace of the Archbishop of Cologne for three nights. It seems certain that their lives were spared by that act of kindness. The horrors of Kristallnacht, and their near brush with death, were taken by the Stern family as a clear sign that they should leave Germany at the earliest possible opportunity. Shortly after returning from Cologne, Han''s father began 32
corresponding by letters and telegrams with an uncle, Alexander Kamp, who three years earlier had immigrated to the homeland of his Brazilian wife Gabrielle. Gabrielle was the sister of Roberto Burle Marx, the respected painter, sculptor, architect, poet and landscape artist whose reputation since that time has achieved legendary status. Marx's global influence reaches as far as Malaysia, where the cultivation of rubber trees prematurely ended Brazil's rubber boom in the early 20th century. The Malaysian rubber stock had originated from seeds that British agents smuggled out of Brazil in 1876. But today, Malaysia is equated with the Petronis twin-towers which, post 9/11, have supplanted New York's World Trade Center as the world's most famous free standing skyscrapers. From the observation decks of these towers one can view the "beautiful mosaic of peaceful gardens" at Kuala Lampur City Center Park that were designed by Burle Marx. Hans' uncle managed to obtain immigration visas for the Sterns. Brazil, which eventually accepted 13,000 German Jews fleeing Nazi oppression, offered the only available refuge for Hans' family at that time; there were no other options. Ironically, the Ruhr Valley in which Essen is located was then renown as a "hotbed for typhoid fever, cholera, dysentery and malaria" each of which might have been more commonly equated with late 1930s Brazil than Germany. A curiosity, at least for me, is that Karl Baedeker's first travel guidebook was published in Esser( in 1829; I have relied on my 'Baedeker Brazil' guide since first traveling to Rio and SAo Paulo in 1995. The prospect of uprooting and relocating initially further unsettled young Hans, but he was relieved to be escaping the horrors of persecultion and his thoughts quickly turned to "expectations about 'exotic' Brazil". In February of 1939, the Sterns booked trait, passage to Hamburg, which had been established as a free( port in 1888 and which had become one of the largest storage *cations for two Brazilian imports, coffee and cocoa. There, !with a dozen or two other Jews seeking refuge from the coning holocaust, they boarded a ship for Rio de Janeiro. ,No Stern famili member who remained in Germany survived; a grandfathereommitted suicide. Essen also fared poorly. Having been dub* an "Armory of the Reich" as early as 1859, when it was sttllpart of greater Prussia, it was targeted by 272 allied air raids in World War II. On a single night it suffered more than 2,000 casualties, almost 500 killed and more than 1,500 wounded, with 50,000 more residents left homeless. By the end of the war "ninety percent of the city center and sixty percent of the remainder" of Essen had been destroyed. Most Essen Jews who did not leave before the war, about 1,600, perished in concentration and/or extermination camps. Thirty years after the war $ssen was home to about 170 Jews. New Home The Brazil Hans first encountered was "inuch more civilized than (he had) anticipated. My uncle was waiting for us. We arrived in Rio oh a ship called Cap Norte in the Brazilian summer, which is very similar to the German summer but the nights are longer. I really do not remember much about the sea voyage except that it was very rough and everybody onboard BRA2OL - APRIL 2003
got sick.". Hans' family stayed only briefly with the Marx family in a house overlooking a huge garden. Young Hans favored the local food, mainly black beans and rice, and was immediately happy. Hans and his father, Kurt, had to find work quickly. All of their belongings, save what little they'd been able to hide away and carry with them, had been confiscated in Germany. They were virtually penniless. Hans' father was hired to operate a power plant built by Engenharia in the city of Parnaiba in the northeastern state of Piaui. That was interrupted in the early 1940s when he was very briefly interned as a 'German enemy alien' on Brazil's entry into the war against the Axis powers. Hans initially found work trading stamps in a philatelic shop. About ayear after arriving in Brazil he secured a position, as a typist at Cristab, a family owned exporter of minerals and precious stones. He noted that "Like many working youngsters in Brazil at that time, I had taken an evening course in shorthand. But I had previously learned typing in Essen through my father's secretary. She visited us in Rio after the war". Hans was immediately captivated by the then modest variety of, and the products produced from, the rocks and gemstones that Cri stab acquired. At that time, "Cristab's main business was exporting quartz crystals for the U.S. war effort, as well as mica and gems". Hans recalled that when he left Cristab in 1943, it was still doing well. "But it was a family business depending on its sole owner, and it closed down some years later". At sixteen and seventeen, Hans supported his mother and himself through his father's internment on his own income. The two of them moved into a small apartment on a hill in Copacabana. Hans 'picked up' Portuguese as he went along; his English was self-taught, mostly from reading Time magazine. The Stern family was reunited after three years when Kurt Stern accepted a position in Rio, at Servix, performing the kind of work he had done in Germany. Although the Stern family joined Rio's then very small German-Jewish synagogue, Hans' Jewish upbringing was very liberal, almost 'Reform'. "My father adjusted very well" to Brazil, he noted "but my mother never could speak Portuguese fluently". Hans had already laid a strong foundation for future success, and had identified potential buyers, by the time he set out on his own. His enthusiasm and initiative at Cristab had earned him opportunities to travel and procure gemstones. And he had learned to cut and polish the stones. Some of the local jewelers at that time were selling items with facetted Brazilian gems as a sideline, but mostly only to the few visitors from abroad who came to Rio before and during the war. The local public had not developed an appetite for these 'semi-precious' stones. Hans correctly guessed that, with the war ended, tourist traffic would increase. He realized that, using his knowledge of gem sources and local cutters, he could be successful wholesaling gems to the local jewelers. That became his initial focus as an independent young entrepreneur. The Start of H. Stern Hans formally established the company now known as H. Stern in late 1945, in a rented downtown office building, with $200 he received from the sale of a beloved accordion. It was one of the few personal possessions he still had from Germany. BRAZZIL - APRIL 2003
"I was very fond of it and played reasonably well, mostly at social gatherings with my friends" he recalls. "I rented a small, one-room office with a desk, 2 chairs, and a telephone and hired a young girl to an wer it during my absence". Hans personally procured his gems.tones. "The closer you are to the sources" he notes, "the better prices you obtain". Hans first focused mainly on aquamarine from Minas Gerais, tourmaline from Minas, topaz from Minas, citrine from Goias and Rio Grande do Sul, and amethyst from Rio Grande do Sul, all for t e purpose of being set into jewelry. But diamonds from Minas, Bahia, Para and Mato Grosso, emeralds from Minas, Goias and Bahia, opals from Piaui, corundum from Mato Grosso, and agates from Rio Grande do Sul were also procured, ctt, polished and marketed by the vertically integrated H. Stern. According to the Rio Incomparable netguide "H. Stern Jewelers (became) the only fully integrated jewelry concern, handling everything, from the mining of raw materials in the wilds of Brazil to the design and sale of its jewelry". H. Stern today accounts for a majority of the Brazilian aquamarines, emeralds, topazes, amethyst and tourmalines produced and di tributed around the world. But when the young immigrant first struck out on his own, none of these save emeralds were prized. It was Hans who first realized, and acted to capitalize on, the intrinsic value ofthese geological wonders. His innate ability to see that Brazil was poised to realize a natural windfall rrom mining, cutting, polishing, designing, mounting and ma keting them was rooted in a childlike passion for exploration, d scovery and revelation. His 'product vision' was complemented by marketplace savvy. Hans could see that local jewelers, rooted in traditional paradigms, continued to think of tourist sales as a sideline business. "They failed to recognize the potential of promoting colored gemstones as something as typical of Brazil as coffee, oranges, samba and futebor" he says. Hans understood that visitors wanting to return home with a small 'piece of Brazil' represented a lucrative constituency for these untapped natural products. Seeing tourists disembark from their boats, he seized the opportunity to preempt established competitors, who were satisfied to remain in their shops waiting for business to literally "fall into their laps". The enterprising Hans sold gemstones right on the docks, erected waterfront kiosks and initiated the now commonplace practice of setting up hotel displays in the fashionable south beach zone districts of Leme, Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon. Hans' customer base grew steadily, mostly by word of mouth. "From the outset' he said, "I sold a good product at a fair price with an ironclad uarantee and superior after-sales service". It didn't hurt that ans' self-education, as with gems and languages, extende to understanding people: Dale Carnegie's How to Win Frie ds and Influence People taught Hans how to judge and motiv te them. But Hans, ch racteristically, credits his employees for H. Stern's accompli hments. "Brazilians", he notes "are a wonderful source fo the development of a competent and loyal work force". At ge 80, Hans still presides over H. Stern as president. He still arrives at his office every morning, his sole 33
concession being that he now arrives at 8.30 rather than 8 AM as he once did. He remains fully informed of ongoing activity and, remarkably, still participates in at least one annual field trip to 'show the flag'. "Brazil always surprises us with new finds", says Hans. "If I were to list all the nearby little villages, I would fill a page with their names, and you would not find most of them on your maps". But he refrains from interfering too much. Hans' faith in the next generation, which has benefited immeasurably from his vision, strength and personal passion for excellence, seems nearly equal to the kindness and consideration he extends to everyone around him. Hans Stern is truly Brazil's 'Rock of Ages'. Credits:
Historical data gathered from "Essen—History at http:// www.eurotravelling.netigermany/egsen/essen history.htm". "The Jews of Essen Germany at http:// www.edwardvictor.com/Essen.htm and http:// www.edwardvictor.com/ GermanyFrame2main.htm#kristallnacht". Special Note: 'Reform' is one of many variants ofJurdaism, and is generally considered to represent the most liberalvariant in terms of the way adherents interpret and practice their faith.
the politically and religiously oppressed, victims of "euthanasia", Sinti and Roma, the so-called "Outsiders", and homosexuals—were murdered under National Socialism. Their names are known. But only a few still remember the people behind the names. Reviving the memory of these people is what the Old Synagogue in Essen has set out to do with this Memorial Book Project. The project targets the interested public, school classes and other groups, giving them the chance to personally study the life of one of Essen's oppressed and murdered victims of National Socialism. In taking on a sponsorship, the sponsor agrees to research the life of one of those murdered and to write a memorial biography. Traces of these people, and clues to their hopes, dreams, expectations and fears are found in the memories of their surviving friends and relatives, or in historical materials in the Old Synagogue's archive. The Old Synagogue aids in research, provides information to start with, and—if possible—contact with relatives. It supports and advises the sponsors in their work. Contact:
Alte Synagoge Essen - Steeler StraBe 29 45127 Essen- Tel.: +49-201-88 45 218 - Fax: +49-201-88 45 225 - E-mail: infoAalte-synagoge.essen.de
Recommended reading:
The Congress of Vienna; A Study in Allied Unity; Author: Harold Nicolson. The following information was found by the author online and is reprinted here in honor of Hans, the Jews of pre-WWII Essen, Germany, and those Jews who have emigrated to and enriched Brazil in so many ways: The Memorial Book—A project by the Old Synagogue in Essen
Phillip Wagner is a freelance photojournalist whose credits include coverage of the Israeli-PLO accords, film and music industry activity and travel. He's authored and co-authored many stories focusing on Brazil and maintains an extensive personal web site at http://www.iei.net/—pwagner/brazilhome.htm. The author welcomes correspondence from readers at pwagner(diei.net
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Urn homem foi bater a porta do rei e disse-lhe, Dame um barco. A casa do rei tinha muitas mais portas, mas aquela era a das peticOes. Como o rei passava todo o tempo sentado a porta dos obsequios (entenda-se, os obsequios que lhe faziam a ele), de cada vez que ouvia alguem a chamar a porta das peticOes fingia-se desentendido, e so quando o ressoar continuo da aldraba de bronze se tornava, mais do que notOrio, escandaloso, tirando o sossego a vizinhanca (as pessoas comecavam a murmOrar, Que rei temos nos, que nao atende), é que dava ordem ao primeiro-secretario para ir saber o que queria o impetrante, que nao havia maneira de se calar. Entao, o primeiro-secretario chamava o segundosecretario, este chamava o terceiro, que mandava o primeiro-ajudante, que por sua vez mandava o segundo, e assim por ai fora ate chegar a mulher da limpeza, aqua!, 'la° tendo ninguem em quem mandar, entreabria a porta das peticOes e perguntava pela frincha, Que é que tu queres. 0 suplicante dizia ao que vinha, isto é, I always thought that for pedia o que tinha a navigation there are only two pedir, depois instalava-se a um canto true masters, one that's the da porta, a espera sea, the other one that's the de que o requerimento fizesse, de boat, And Ithe sky, you are urn em um, o camiforgetting he sky, Yes, of nho ao contrario, ate chegar ao rei. course, the sky, The Winds, Ocupado como The Clouds The sky, Yes, the sempre estava corn os obsequios, o rei sky. demorava a resposJOSE SARAMAGO ta, e já nao era pequeno sinal de ateficao ao bernestar e felicidade do seu povo quando resolvia pedir urn parecer fundamentado por escrito ao primeiro-secretario, o qual, escusado seria dizer, passava a encomenda ao segundo-secretario, este ,ao terceiro, sucessivamente, ate chegar outra vez a mother da limpeza, que despachava slim ou nao co4orme estivesse de mare. Contudo, no caso do homem que queria urn bar iio, as coisas nao se passaram bem assim. Quando a mulher da limpeza lhe perguntou pela nesga da po , Que é que tu queres, o homem, em lugar de pedir, cOmo era o costume de todos, um titulo, uma condecciracao, ou simplesmente dinheiro, respondeu, Quero filar ao rei, Ja sabes que o rei no pode vir, esta na porta dos obsequios, respondeu a mulher, Pois entail:, v i la dizer-lhe que nao saio daqui ate que ele venha, essoalmente, saber o que quero, rematou o BRAZZIL - APRIL 2003
35
homem, e deitou-se ao comprido no limiar, tapando-se corn a manta por causa do frio. Entrar e sair, sO por cima dele. Ora, isto era urn enorme problema, se tivermos em consideraga° que, de acordo corn a pragmdtica das portas, au i sO se podia atender um suplicante de cada vez, donde resultava que, enquanto houvesse alguem a espera de resposta, nenhuma outra pessoa se poderia aproximar a fim de expor as suas necessidades ou as suas ambicOes. A primeira vista, quem ficava a ganhar corn este artigo do regulamento era o rei, dado que, sendo menos numerosa a gente que o vinha incomodar corn lamnrias, mais tempo ele passava a ter, e mais descanso, para receber, contemplar e guardar os obsequios. A segunda vista, porem, o rei perdia, e muito, porque os protestos pablicos, ao notar-se que a resposta estava a tardar mais do que o justo, faziam aumentar gravemente o descontentamento social, o que, por seu t,sno, ia ter imediatas e negativas consequencias no afluxo de obsequios. No caso que estamos narrando, o resultado da ponderacao entre os beneficios e os prejuizos foi ter ido o rei, ao cabo de tres dias, e em real pessoa, a porta das peticOes, para saber o que queria o intrometido que se havia negado a encaminhar o requerimento pelas competentes vias burocraticas. Abre a porta, disse o rei a mulher da limpeza, e ela perguntou, Toda, ou so urn bocadinho. 0 rei duvidou por um instante, na verdade nao gostava muito de se expor aos ares da rua, mas depois reflexionou que pareceria ma!, alem de ser indigno da sua majestade, falar corn um sudito atraves de uma nesga, como se tivesse medo dele, mormente estando a assistir ao colOquio a mulher da limpeza, que logo iria dizer por at sabe Deus o que, De par em par, ordenou. 0 homem que queria urn barco levantou-se do degrau da porta quando comecou a ouvir correr os ferrolhos, enrolou a manta e pos-se a espera. Estes sinais de que finalmente alguem vinha atender, e que portanto a praca nao tardaria a ficar desocupada, fizeram aproximar-se da porta uns quantos aspirantes a liberal idade do trono que por au i andavam, prontos a assaltar o lugar mal ele vagasse. 0 inopinado aparecimento do rei (nunca uma tal coisa 36
havia sucedido desde que ele andava de coroa na cabeca) causou uma surpresa desmedida, nao s6 aos ditos candidatos mas tambem a vizinhanca que, atraida pelo repentino alvoroco, assomara as janelas das casas, no outro lado da rua. A Unica pessoa que nao se surpreendeu por ai alem foi o homem que tinha vindo pedir um barco. Calculara ele, e acertara na previa:), que o rei, mesmo que demorasse tres dias, haveria de sentirse curioso de ver a cara de quem, sem mais nem menos, corn notavel atrevimento, o mandara chamar. Repartido pois entre a curiosidade que nao pudera reprimir e o desagrado de ver tanta gente junta, o rei, corn o pior dos modos, perguntou tees perguntas seguidas, Que 0 que queres, Por que foi que nao disseste logo o que querias, Pensaris tu que eu nao tenho mais nada que fazer, mas o homem sof) respondeu a primeira pergunta, Dame urn barco, disse. 0 assombro deixou o rei a tat ponto desconcertado, que a muffler da limpeza se apressou a chegarlhe uma cadeira de palhinha, a mesma em que ela prOpria se sentava quando precisava de trabalhar de linha e agulha, pois, alem da limpeza, tinha tambem a sua responsabilidade alguns trabalhos menores de costura no palacio como passajar as peirgas dos pajens. Mal sentado, porque a cadeira de palhinha era muito mais baixa que o trono, o rei estava a procurar a melhor maneira de acomodar as pernas, ora encolhendo-as ora estendendo-as para os lados, enquanto o homem que queria um barco esperava corn paciencia a pergunta que se seguiria, E tu para que queres um barco, pode-se saber, foi o que o rei de facto perguntou quando fmalmente se deu por instalado, corn sofrivel comodidade, na cadeira da muffler da limpeza, Para ir a procura da ilha desconhecida, respondeu o homem, Que ilha desconhecida, perguntou o rei distal-9=d° o riso, como se tivesse na sua frente urn louco varrido, dos que tern a mania das navegacOes, a quem nao seria born contrariar logo de entrada, A ilha desconhecida, repetiu o homem, Disparate, ja nao hd ilhas desconhecidas, Quem foi que te disse, rei, que já nao hd ilhas desconhecidas, Estao todas nos mapas, Nos mapas so estao as ilhas conhecidas,
E que ilha desconhecida 0 essa de que queres ir a procura, Se eu to pudesse dizer, entao nao seria desconhecida, A quern ouviste tu falar dela, perguntou o rei, agora mais seri°, A ninguem, Nesse caso, por que teimas em dizer que ela existe, Simplesmente porque 6 impossivel que nao exista uma ilha desconhecida, E vieste aqui para me pedires um barco, Sim, vim aqui para pedir-te urn barco, E tu quem Os, para que eu to de, E tu quern Os, para que nao mo des, Sou o rei deste reino, e os barcos do reino pertencem-me todos, Mais lhes pertenceras tu a eles do que eles a ti, Que queres dizer, perguntou o rei, inquieto, Que tu, sem eles, Os nada, e que eles, sem ti, poderao sempre navegar, As minhas ordens, corn os meus pilotos e os meus marinheiros, Nao te peco marinheiros nem piloto, sO te peg° urn barco, E essa ilha desconhecida, se a encontrares, sera para mim, A ti, rei, s6 te interessam as ilhas conhecidas, Tambem me interessam as desconhecidas quando deixam de o ser, Talvez esta nao se deixe conhecer, Entao Liao te dou o barco, Daras. Ao ouvirem esta palavra, pronunciada corn tranqiiila ftrmeza, os aspirantes a porta das peticOes, em quem, minuto apt's minuto, desde o principio da conversa, a impacienciavinha crescendo, e mais para se verem livres dele do que por simpatia solidaria, resolveram intervir a favor do homem que queria o barco, comecando a gritar, Dá-the o barco, dathe o barco. 0 rei abriu a boca para dizer a mulher da limpeza que chamasse a guarda do palacio a vir restabelecer imediatamente a ordem publica e impor a disciplina, mas, nesse momento, as vizinhas que assistiam das janelas juntaram-se ao coro corn entusiasmo, gritando como os outros, Dá-the o barco, da-lhe o barco. Perante uma tao iniludivel manifestacao da vontade popular e preocupado corn o que, neste meio tempo, j haveria perdido na porta dos obsequios, o rei levantou a mar) direita a impor silencio e disse, Vou dar-te um barco, mas a tripulacao tells de arranja-la tu, os meus marinheiros sao-me precisos para as ilhas conhecidas. Os gritos de aplauso do priblico nao deixaram que se percebesse o agradecimento do homem que viera pedir urn barco, alias o movimento dos labios tanto teriapodido ser Obrigado, meu senhor, como Eu cá me arranjarei, mas o que distintamente se ouviu foi o dito seguinte do rei, Vais a doca, perguntas Ia pelo capitao do porto, dizeslhe que te mandei eu, e ele que te de 0 BRAZZIL -APRIL 2003
barco, levas o meu cartdo. 0 homem que ia receber urn barco leu o cartao de visita, onde dizia Rei por baixo do nome do rei, e eram estas as palavras que ele havia escrito sobre o ombro da mulher da limpeza, Entrega ao portador um barco, a() precisa ser gande, mas que navegue bem e seja seguro, nAo quero ter remorsos na consciencia se as coisas lhe correrem mal. Quando o homem levantou a cabeca, supoe-se que desta vez 6 que iria agradecer a dadiva, já o rei se tinha retirado, se estava a mulher da limpeza a olhar para ele corn cara de caso. 0 homem desceu do degrau da porta, sinal de que os outros candidatos podiam enfim avancar, nem valeria a pena explicar que a confusdo foi indescritivel, todos a quererem chegar ao sitio em primeiro lugar, mas corn tdo ma sorte que a porta já estava fechada outra vez. A aldraba de bronze tornou a chamar a mulher da limpeza, mas a mulher da limpeza ndo esta, deu a volta e saiu coin o balde e a vassoura por outra porta, a das decisoes, que é raro ser usada, mas quando o d, é. Agora sim, agora pode-se compreender o porque da cara de caso corn que a muffler da limpeza havia estado a olhar, foi esse o preciso momento em que ela resolveu ir atras do homem quando ele se dirigisse ao porto a tomar conta do barco. Pensou ela que já bastava de uma vida a limpar e a lavar palacios, que tinha chegado a hora de mudar de oficio, que lavar e limpar barcos é que era a sua vocacao verdadeira, no mar, ao menos, a agua nunca lhe faltaria. 0 homem nem sonha que, ndo tendo ainda sequer comecado a recrutar os tripulantes, já leva atras de si a futura encarregada das baldeacdes e outros asseios, tambem deste modo que o destino costuma comportar-se connosco, já esta mesmo atras de nos, já estendeu a mdo para tocar-nos o ombro, e nos ainda vamos a murmurar, Acabou-se, nao ha mais que ver, é tudo igual. Andando, andando, o homem chegou ao porto, foi a doca, perguntou pelo capitdo, e enquanto ele ndo chegava deitou-se a adivinhar qual seria, de quantos barcos all estavam, o que iria ser O seu, gande ja se sabia que ndo, o cartdo de visita do rei era muito claro neste ponto, por conseguinte ficavam de fora os paquetes, os cargueiros e os navios de guerra, tao-pouco poderia ser ele tao pequeno que resistisse mal As forcas do vento e aos rigores do mar, o rei tambem BRAZZIL - APRIL 2003
havia sido categerico neste ponto, Que navegue bem e seja seguro, foram estas as suas formais palavras, assim implicitamente excluindo os botes, as falua e os escaleres, os quais, sendo bons navegantes, e seguros, conforme a condicdo de cada qual, nao tinh m nascido para sulcar os oceanos, qut 6 onde se encontram as ilhas desconhec id s. Urn pouco afastada dali, escondida por tras de uns.bidoes, a mulher da limptza correu os olhos pelos barcos atracad s, Para o meu gosto, aquele, pensou, porem a sua opinido ndo contava, nem sequer havia sido ainda contratada, vamos ouvir antes o que dira o capita() do porto. 0 capita() veio, leu o cartao, mirou o homem de alto a baixo, e fez a pergunta que o rei se tinha esquecido de fazer, Sal)es navegar, tens carta de navegacao, ao que O homem respondeu, Aprenderei no mar. 0 capitdo disse, Ndo to aconselharia, capita° sou Cu, e ndo me atrevo corn qualquer barco, Da-me entdo um cm que possa atrever-me eu, tido, um dethes ft°, da-me antes um barco que eu respite e que possa respeitar-me a mim, Eisa linguagem é de marinheiro, mas tu nao es marinheiro, Se tenho a linguagem, 6 como se o fosse. 0 capitdo tornou a ler o carldo do rei, depois perguntou, Poderas dizerme para que queres o barco, Para it A procura da ilha desconhecida, Já nao ha ilhas desconhecidas, 0 mesmo me disse O rei, 0 que ele sabe de ilhas, aprendeuo comigo, E estranho que tu, sendo homem do mar, me digas isso, que já tido ha ilhas desconhecidas, homem da terra SOU eu, e ndo ignoro que todas as ilhas, mesmo as conhecidas, sao desconhecidas enquanto Tido desembarcarmos nelas, Mas tu, se bem entendi, vais a procura de uma onde nunca ninguem tenha desembarcado, Sabe-lo-ei quando la chegar, Se chegares, Sim, As vezes naufraga-se pelo caminho, mas, se tal me viesse a acontecer, deverias escrever nos anais do porto que O ponto a que cheguei foi esse, Queres dizer que chegar, sempre se chega, NA° serias quem es se ndo o soubesses ja. 0 capitdo do porto disse, Vou darte a embarcacdo que te convem, Qual 6 ela, E urn barco corn' muita experiencia, ainda do tempo em que toda a gente andava A procura de ilhas desconhecidas, Qual 6 ele,
Julgo ate que encontrou algumas, Qual, Aquele. Assim que a mulher da limpeza percebeu para onde o capita.° apontava, saiu a correr de detras dos biddes e gritou, E o meu barco, e o meu barco, ha que perdoar-lhe a insolita reivindicacdo de propriedade, a todos os titulos abusiva, o barco era aquele de que elatinha gostado, simplesmente. Parece uma caravela, disse o homem, Mais ou menos, concordou o capita°, no principio era uma caravela, depois passou por arranjos e adaptacdes que a modificaram um bocado, Mas continua a ser uma caravela, Sim, no conjunto conserva o antigo ar, E tern mastros e velas, Quando se vai procurar ilhas desconhecidas, é o mais recomendavel. A mulher da limpeza ndo se conteve, Para mim nao quero outro, Quem es tu, perguntou o homem, Nao te lembras de mim, Ndo tenho iddia, Sou a mulher da limpeza, Qual limpeza, A do palacio do rei, A que abria a porta das peticdes, Ndo havia outra, E por que ndo estas tu no palacio do rei a limpar e a abrir portas, Porque as portas que eu realmente queria ja foram abertas e porque de hoje em diante se limparei barcos, Endo estas decidida a ir comigo procurar a ilha desconhecida, Sal do palacio pela porta das decisoes, Sendo assim, vai para a caravela, ye como esta aquilo, depois do tempo que passou deve precisar de uma boa lavagem, e tern cuidado corn as gaivotas, que ndo sdo de fiar, NA° queres vir comigo conhecer o teu barco por dentro, Tu disseste que era teu, Desculpa, foi se porque gostei dele, Gostar provavelmente a melhor maneira de ter, ter deve ser a pior maneira de gostar. 0 capita() do porto interrompeu a conversa, Tenho de entregar as chaves ao dono do barco, a um ou a outro, resolvam-se, a mim tanto se me da, Os barcos tern chave, perguntou o homem, Para entrar, TA°, mas Ia estao as arrecadacoes e os paiois, e a escrivaninha do comandante corn o diario de bordo, Ela que se encarregue de tudo, eu you recrutar a tripulacdo, disse o homem, e afastouse. A muffler da limpeza foi ao escritorio do capitdo para recolher as chaves, depois entrou no barco, duas coisas lhe valeram al, a vassoura do palacio e a prevencdo 37
contra as gaivotas, ainda nao tinha acabado de atravessar a prancha que ligava a amurada ao cais e já as malvadas estavam a precipitar-se sobre ela aos guinchos, furiosas, de goela aberta, como se aui mesmo a quisessem devorar. Nao sabiam corn quern se metiam. A mulher da limpeza pousou o balde, meteu as chaves no seio, firmou bem os pes na prancha, e, redemoinhando a vassoura como se fosse urn espadao dos tempos antigos, fez debandar o bando assassino. Foi s6 quando entrou no barco que compreendeu a ira das gaivotas, havia ninhos por toda a parte, muitos dales abandonados, outros ainda corn ovos, e uns poucos corn gaivotirihos de bico aberto, a espera da comida, Pois sim, mas o melhor é mudarem-se daqui, urn barco que vai procurar a ilha desconhecida nao pode ter este aspecto, como se fosse um galinheiro, disse. Atirou para a agua os ninhos vazios, quanto aos outros deixouos ficar, ate ver. Depois arregacou as mangas e pos-se a lavar a coberta. Quando acabou a dura tarefa, foi abrir o paiol das velas e procedeu a urn exame minucioso do estado das costuras, depois de tanto tempo sem irem ao mar a sem terem de suportar os esticOes saudaveis do vento. As velas sac) os m6sculos do barco, basta ver como incham quando se esforcam, mas, e isso mesmo sucede aos miisculos, se no se lhes da uso regularmente, abrandam, amolecem, perdem nervo, E as costuras sao como os nervos das velas, pensou a mulher da limpeza, contente por estar a aprender tao depressa a arta de marinharia. Achou esgarcadas algumas bainhas, mas contentou-se corn assinalalas, uma vez que para este trabalho nAo podiam servir a linha e a agulha corn que passajava as peugas dos pajens antidizer, aindaontem. Quanto gamente, quer, aos outros pai6is, viu logo que estavam vazios. Que o da pOlvora estivesse desmunido, salvo uns pozinhos negros no fundo, que primeiro mais the pareceram caganitas de rato, no the importou nada, de facto nao esta escrito em nenhuma lei, pelo menos ate onde a sabedoria duma mulher da limpeza capaz de alcancar, que ir em busca duma ilha desconhecida tenha de ser forgosamente uma empresa de guerra. Já a ralou, e muito, a falta absoluta de municOes de boca no paiol respectivo, 38
nao por si propria, que estava mais do que acostumada ao mau passadio do palacio, mas por causa do homem a quern deram este barco, nao tarda que o sot se ponha, e etc a aparecer-me al a clamar que tern fome, que e o dito de todos os homens mal entram em casa, como se s6 des é que tivessem estomago e sofressem da necessidade de o encher, E se já traz marinheiros para a tripulacao, que sao uns ogres a comer, entao é que nAo sei como nos iremos governar, disse a mulher da limpeza. Nao valia a pena ter-se preocupado tanto. 0 sot havia acabado de sumir-se no oceano quando o homem que tinha um barco surgiu no extremo do cais. Trazia urn embrulho na mao, porem vinha sozinho e cabisbaixo. A mulher da limpeza foi espera-lo a prancha, mas antes que eta abrisse a boca para se inteirar de como lhe tinha corrido o resto do dia, etc disse, Esti descansada, trago aqui comida para os dois, E os marinheiros, perguntou ela,Nao veio nenhum, como podes ver, Mas deixaste-os apalavrados, ao menos, tornou eta a perguntar, Disseram-me que já nao ha ilhas desconhecidas, e que, mesmo que as houvesse, nao iriam ales tirar-se do sossego dos seus tares e da boa vida dos barcos de carreira para se meterem em aventuras oceanicas, a procura de urn impossivel, como se ainda estivessemos no tempo do mar tenebroso, E tu, que lhes respondeste, Que o mar a sempre tenebroso, E nao lhes falaste da ilha desconhecida, Como poderia falar-lhes eu duma ilha desconhecida, se nao a conheco, Mas tens a certeza de que eta existe, Tanta como a de ser tenebroso o mar, Neste- momento, visto daqui, corn aquela agua cor de jade e o ceu como urn incendio, de tenebroso nao the encontro nada, E uma ilusao tua, tambern as ilhas as vezes parece que flutuam sobre as Aguas, e nao é verdade, Que pensas fazer, se te falta a tripulacao, Ainda nao sei, Podiamos ficar a viver aqui, eu ofereciame para lavar os barcos que vem a doca, e tu, E eu, Tens corn certeza um mester, um oficio, uma profissao, como agora se diz, Tenho, tive, terei se for preciso, mas
quero encontrar a ilha desconhecida, quero saber quem sou eu quando nela estiver, Nao o sabes, Se nao sais de ti, nAo chegas a saber quern es, 0 fil6sofo do rei, quando nao tinha que fazer, ia sentar-se ao pa de mini, aver-me passajar as peugas dos pajens, e as vezes dava-the para filosofar, dizia que todo 6 homem e uma ilha, eu, como aquilo no era comigo, visto que sou mulher, nao lhe dava importancia, tu que achas, Que necessario sair da ilha para ver a ilha, que la° nos vemos se nao nos saimos de n6s, Se nao saimos de nOs pr6prios, queres tu dizer, NA° é a mesma coisa. 0 incendio do ceu ia esmorecendo, a agua arroxeouse de repente, agora nem a mulher da limpeza duvidaria de que o mare mesmo tenebroso, pelo menos a certas horas. Disse o homem, Deixemos as filosofias para o filOsofo do rei, que para isso e que the pagam, agora vamos n6s comer, mas a mulher nao esteve de acordo, Primeiro, tens de ver o teu barco, sO o conheces por fora, Que tat o encontraste, Ha algumas bainhas das velas que estao a precisar de reforco, Desceste ao porao, encontraste agua aberta, No fundo ve-se alguma, de mistura corn o lastro, mas isso parece que pr6prio, faz bem ao barco, Como foi que aprendeste essas coisas, Assim, Assim como, Como tu, quando disseste ao capita() do porto que aprenderias a navegar no mar, Ainda no estamos no mar, Mas já estamos na agua, Sempre tive a ideia de que para a navegacao s6 ha dois mestres verdadeiros, urn que é o mar, o outro que e o barco, E o ceu, estas a esquecer-te do ceu, Sim, claro, o ceu, Os ventos, As nuvens, 0 ceu, Sim, o ceu. Em menos de um quarto de hora tinham acabado a volta pelo barco, uma caravela, memo transformada, nao (Id para grandes passeios. E bonito, disse o homem, mas se eu nao conseguir arranjar tripulantes suficientes para a manobra, terei de ir dizer ao rei que já nao a quero, Perdes o animo logo a primeira contrariedade, A primeira contrariedade foi estar a espera do rei tres dias, e nao desisti, Se ilk) encontrares marinheiros que queiram vir, ca nos arranjaremos os dois, Estas doida, duas pessoas sozinhas nao seriam capazes de govern& urn barco destes, eu teria de estar sempre ao lame, e tu, nem vale a pena estar a explicar-te, uma loucura, Depois veremos, agora vamos mas é comer. Subiram para o castelo de popa, o homem ainda a protestar contra o que chamara loucura, BRAZZIL -APRIL 2003
e, au, a mulher da limpeza abriu o farnel que tinha trazido, um pdo, queijo duro, de cabra, azeitonas, uma garrafa de vinho. A luajá estava meio palmo sobre o mar, as sombras da verga e do mastro grande vieram deitar-se-lhes aos pés. E realmente bonita a nossa caravela, disse a mulher, e emendou logo, A tua, a tua caravela, Desconfio que nao o sera por muito tempo, Navegues ou nao navegues corn ela, é tua, deu-ta o rei, Pedi-lha para ir procurar uma ilha desconhecida, Mas estas coisas ndo se fazem do pe para a mdo, levam o seu tempo, já o meu aye dizia que quem vai ao mar avia-se em terra, e mais lido era ele marinheiro, Sem tripulantes ndo poderemos navegar, Já o tinhas dito, E ha que abastecer o barco das mil coisas necessarias a uma viagem como esta, que ndo se sabe aonde nos levara. Evidentemente, e depois teremos de esperar que seja a boa estacao, e sair corn a boa mare, e vir gente ao cais a desejar-nos boa viagem, Est& a rir-te de mim, Nunca me riria de quem me fez sair pela porta das decisoes, Desculpa-me, E ndo tarnarei a passar por ela, suceda o que suceder. 0 luar iluminava em cheio a cara da mulher da limpeza, E bonita, realmente e bonita, pensou o homem, que desta vez nAo estava a referir-se a caravela. A mulher, essa, ndo pensou nada, devia ter pensado tudo durante aqueles tres dias, quando entreabria de vez em quando a porta para ver se aquele ainda c:ontinuava Id fora, a espera. Nap sobrou migalha de pdo ou de queijo, nem gota de vinho, os carocos das azeitonas foram atirados para a agua, o chdo esta tdo limpo como ficara quando a mulher da limpeza the passou por cima o ultimo esfregao. A sereia de urn paquete que saia para o mar soltou um ronco potente, como cleviam ter sido os do leviatd, e a mulher disse, Quando for a nossa vez faremos menos barulho. Apesar de estarem no interior da doca, a agua ondulou um pouco a passagem do paquete, e o homem disse, Mas baloicaremos muito mais. Riram os dois, depois ficaram calados, passado um bocado um deles opinou que o melhor seria irem dormir, Nao é que eu tenha muito sono, e o outro concordou, Nem eu, depois calaram-se outra vez, a lua subiu e continuou a subir, em certa altura a mulher disse, HA beliches la em baixo, o homem disse, Sim, e foi end° que se levantaram, que desceram a coberta, ai a mulher disse, Ate amanha, eu you para este lado, e o homem respondeu, E eu BFtAZZIL - APRIL 2003
you para este, ate amanha, nao disseram bombordo nem estibordo, decerto por estarem ainda a praticar na arte. A mulher voltou atras, Tinha-me esquecido, tirou do bolo do avental dois cotos de vela, Encontrei-os quando andava a limpar, o que ndo tenho é fesforos, Eu tenho, disse o homem. Ela segurou as velas, uma em cada mao, ele acendeu urn fosforo, depois, abrigando a chama sob a cupula dos dedos curvados, levou-a corn todo o cuidado aos velhos pavios, a luz pegou, cresceu lentamente como faz o luar, banhou a cara da mulher da limpeza, nem seria preciso dizer o que ele pensou, E bonita, mas o que ela pensou, sim, Ve-se bem que s6 tern olhos para a ilha desconhecida, aqui esta como as pessoas se enganam nos sentidos do olhar, sobretudo ao principio. Ela entregou-the uma vela, disse, Ate amanhd, dorme bem, ele quis dizer o mesmo doutra mane Ka, Que tenhas sonhos felizes, foi a frase que lhe saiu, daqui a pouco, quando Id esti ver em baixo, deitado no seu beliche, vir-I edo a ideia outras frases, mais espirituo as, sobretudo mais insinuantes, como se espera que sej am as de um homem quando esta a sas corn uma mulher. Perguntavase se ja dormiria, se teria tardado a entrar no sono, depois imaginou que andava a procura dela e nao a encontrava em nenhum sitio, que estavam perdidos os dois num barco enorme, o sonho e urn prestidigitadorhAbil, muda as proporcOes das coisas e as suas distancias, separd as pessoas, e elas estao juntas, reime-as, e quase ndo se \teem uma a outra, a mulher dorme a poucos metros e ele !IA° soube como alcancd-la, quando e tAo &di ir de bombordo a estibordo. Tinha-lhe desejado felizes sonhos, mas foi ele quem levou toda a noite a sonhar. Sonhou que a sua caravela ia no mar alto, corn as tres velas triangulares gloriosamente enfunadas, abrindo cam inho sobre as ondas, enquanto ele manejava a roda do leme e a tripulacdo descansava a sombra. Nao percebia como podiam au i estar os marinheiros que no porto e na cidade se tinham recusado a embarcar corn ele para ir a procura da ilha desconhecida, provavelmente arrependeram-se da grosseira ironia corn que o haviam tratado. Via
animais espalhados pela coberta, patos, coelhos, galinhas, o habitual da criacdo domestica, debicando os graos de milho ou roendo as folhas de couve que um marinheiro lhes atirava, ndo se lembrava de quando os tinha trazido para o barco, fosse como fosse era natural que ali estivessem, imaginemos que a ilha desconhecida e, como tantas vezes o foi no passado, uma ilha deserta, o melhor sera jogar pelo seguro, todos sabemos que abrir a porta da coelheira e agarrar um coelho pelas orelhas sempre foi mais facil do que persegui-lo por montes e vales. Do fundo do pordo veio agora urn coro de relinchos de cavalos, de mugidos de bois, de zurros de asnos, as vozes dos nobres animais necessarios para o trabalho pesado, e como foi que vieram eles, como podem estar numa caravela onde a tripulacdo humana mal cabe, de subito o vento deu uma guinada, a vela maior bateu e ondulou, por tras dela estava o que antes Tido se vira, um grupo de mulheres que mesmo sem as contar se adivinha serem tantas quantos os marinheiros, ocupam-se nas suas coisas de mulheres, ainda nao chegou o tempo de se ocuparem doutras, esti claro que isto se pode ser urn sonho, na vida real nunca se viajou assim. 0 homem do leme buscou corn os olhos a mulher da limpeza e nap a viu, Talvez estej a no beliche de estibordo, a descansar da lavagem da coberta, pensou, mas foi um pensar fingido, porque ele bem sabe, embora tambem IAD saiba como o sabe, que ela Ultima hora ndo quis vir, que saltou para o cais, dizendo de la, Adeus, adeus,jA que se tens olhos para a ilha desconhecida, you-me embora, e tido era verdade, agora mesmo andam os olhos dele a procurd-la e ndo a encontram. Neste momento o ceu cobriu-se e comecou a chover, e, tendo chovido, principiaram a brotar inumeras plantas das fileiras de sacos de terra alinhadas ao longo da amurada, nAo estdo aui porque se suspeite que ndo haja terra bastante na ilha desconhecida, mas porque assim se ganhard 39
tempo, no dia em que la chegarmos so teremos que transplantar as arvores de fruto, semear os graos das pequenas searas que vac) amadurecdaqui, enfeitar os canteiros corn as fibres que desabrocharao destes botoes. 0 homem do leme pergunta aos marinheiros que descansam na coberta se avistam alguma ilha desabitada, e eles respondem que nao veem nem de umas nem das outras, mas que estao a pensar em desembarcar na primeira terra povoada que lhes apareca, desde que haja la um porto onde fundear, uma taberna onde beber e uma cama onde folgar, que aqui no se pode, corn toda esta gente junta. E a ilha desconhecida, perguntou o homem do leme, A ilha desconhecida é coisa que nab existe, nao passa duma iddia da tua cabeca, os geOgrafos do rei foram ver nos mapas e declararam que ilhas por conhecer é coisa que se acabou desde ha muito tempo, Devieis ter ficado na cidade, em lugar de vir atrapalhar-me a navegacao, Andavamos a procura de urn sitio melhor para viver e resolvemos aproveitar a tua viagem, No sois marinheiros, Nunca o fomos, Sozinho, nao serei capaz de govern& o barco, Pensasses nisso antes de ir pedi-lo ao rei, o mar lap ensina a navegar. Entao o homem do leme viu uma terra ao longe e quis passar adiante, fazer de conta que ela era a miragem de uma outra terra, uma imagem que tivesse vindo do outro lado do mundo pelo espaco, mas os homens que nunca haviam sido marinheiros protestaram, disseram que all mesmo é que queriam desem-
barcar, Esta é uma ilha do mapa, gritaram, matar-teemos se nao nos levares la. Entao, por Si mesma, a caravela virou a proa em direccao a terra, entrou no porto e foi encostar muralha da doca, Podeis ir-vos, disse o homem do leme, acto continuo salram em correnteza, primeiro as mulheres, depois os homens, mas no foram sozinhos, levaram corn eles ospatos, os coelhos e as gal inhas, levaram os bois, os burros e os cavalos, e ate as gaivotas, uma apOs outra, levantaram voo e se foram do barco transportando no bico os seus gaivotinhos, proeza que nao tinha sido cometida antes, mas ha sempre uma vez. 0 homem do leme assistiu a debandada em silencio, ndo fez nada para reter os que o abandonavam, ao menos tinham-no deixado corn as arvores, os trigos e as flores, corn as trepadeiras que se enrolavam nos mastros e pendiam da amurada como festi-5es. Por causa do atropelo da saida haviam-se rompido e derramado.os sacos de terra, de modo que a coberta era toda ela como um campo lavrado e semeado, sO falta que venha um pouco mais de chuva para que seja urn born ano agricola. Desde que a viagem a ilha desconhecida comecou que no se ve o homem do leme corner, deve ser porque esta a sonhar, apenas a sonhar, e se no sonho lhe apetecesse urn pedaco
de pao ou uma maca, seria urn puro invento, nada mais. As raizes das arvores já estao penetrando no cavername, no tarda que estas velas icadas deixem de ser precisas, bastard que o vento sopre nas copas e vá encaminhando a caravela ao seu destino. E uma florestaque navega e se balanceia sobre as ondas, uma floresta onde, sem saber-se como, comecaram a cantar passaros, deviam estar escondidos por al e de repente decidiram sair a luz, talvez porque a seara já esteja madura e opreciso ceifa-la. Entao o homem trancou a roda do leme e desceu ao campo corn a foice na mao, e foi quando tinha cortado as primeiras espigas que viu umasombra ao lado dasua sombra.Acordouabracado mulher da limpeza, e ela a ele, confundidos os corpos, confundidos os beliches, que ndo se sabe se este 0 o de bombordo ou o de estibordo. Depois, mal o sol acabou de nascer, o'homem e a mulher foram pintar na proa do barco, de urn lado e do outro, em letras brancas, o nome que ainda faltava dar a caravela. Pela hora do meio-dia, corn a mare, A Ilha Desconhecida fez-se enfim ao mar, a procura de si mesma. Portuguese author Jose Saramago was awarded the 1998 Nobel Prize of Literature. This text was published as 0 Conto da Ilha Desconhecida by Companhia das Letras (www.companhiadasletras. com.br), SAo Paulo, 1998. Companhia das Letras has published several books by the author, including Ensaio Sobre a Cegueira and 0 Evangelho Segundo Jesus Cristo.
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Brazil is a slave ship bound for the future. A slave shi , with millions of excluded poor in the holds lacking food, education, healthcare, and an elite above deck enjoying a high standard of living and bound for a disastrous future. Because our economy has been based upon social exclusion and upon the short term, Brazil is a slave ship Titanic, insensitive both to those in t e holds and to the icebergs ahead. One hundred fifteen years after Abo ition, our economy still treats poor Brazilians as if they did not figure in its objective and views long-term planning as if it did not exist. Our economy has been admini tered in a manner insensitive to the present necessities of the poor and the future o jectives of the nation. During our entire history, those above deck have thrown leftovers to those in the holds, the better to maintain a living workforce and to prevent violence. We created an economy for the few and assistance to delude the rest. In the times of slavery, the economic texts taught how, where, and at what price to buy a slave; how to feed him or her at the least possible cost, while maintaining maximum profitability; how to limit violence so as not to cripple the slave. A- the same time, the economic texts functioned as protective entities for slaves, although they did not advocate abolition. The slave-ocratic system ended but the assistance-instead-of-abolition era continued uring Brazil's entire Throughout our history since Aboli ion in 1888—and, above all, in the last two decades of full democracy—the Brazlian economy has made no commitment to his ory, those above deck abolition. At best, it stimulated assistan • - . We gave assistance to street children, while ha e thrown leftovers to believing it impossible to abolish chil abandonment; we gave assistance to child prostitutes, while believing it impossib e to abolish child prostitution; with pride we tho,e in the holds, the better announced that the number of working hildren had diminished but did not make the effort necessary to abolish child labor; e say we have 95 percent of children enrolled to maintain a living in school but neglect to ask for forgiven ss from the 5 percent who are abandoned, just wo kforce and to prevent as in 1870 it was said that "only" 70 pe cent Of black Brazilians were slaves. After the one hundred fifteen years since Abolition and the Proclamation of the vio ence. We created an Republic, Brazil now has a governm nt committed to replacing assistance with abolition. To constructing an aboliti in economy. An economy that, instead of ec. nomy for the few and concerning itself only with increasing w alth, will formulate ways to abolish poverty; as- istance to delude the one that will view unemployment as a agedy to be confronted and not as a lack of equilibrium to be coldly described; an conomy that will give priority to producing res food for the poor in the holds and not fo export to pay for the orgies above deck. An economy that will consider spending o education and healthcare as a priority. CRISTOVAM BUARQUE During the time of slavery, many favor of abolition said that there were no resources to acquire the owners' veste property rights by buying the slaves before liberating them. Others said that abolit on would disrupt the process of production. Today we say the same thing about spending on the educatio , healthcare, and feeding of our people. The public sector's commitment to vested rights does not permit lfilling the resource needs for education and healthcare in the public sector budgets. An abolition economy must remain vigilant ofmonetary stability because inflation weighs most heavily on those in the holds of Ship Brazil; it is impossible to increase the enormous fiscal burden already weighing upon all Brazil; nor can we igno e the strength of the creditors. But a country - with our national income, with ti e power of our public sector to collect taxes, has the resources necessary to plement an abolition economy serving its people, one that guarantees edu ation, healthcare and food for all. Our major problem is not th lack of resources; rather, it is the legacy of centuries of a society accustom d to traveling above deck while despising those in the holds and feeling satisfied with providing merely short-term assistance. Brazil elected a different g vernment in October of 2002, but this new government will only show its true face at the end of 2003 when the publicsector budget will be decided u on. Only then will we discover if Brazil is going to swerve its titanic desti y around the iceberg and begin bringing the excluded part of its slave ship u from the holds. To do this, all Brazil must m nifest its will to choose abolition and leave assistance behind, directing its p blic spending with the radicalism necessary to attend to the needs of the excluded. The true victory of a president lies not his election but, rather, in the budget that he succeeds in approving afterwards. While h selection augments his political résumé, the budget consolidates his legacy as a statesman. Unlike dictators, kings, and prime ministers, a presid nt of the Republic has the major task of persuading his people what future course their country shou d take. President Lula is persuading us that the time has come to leave behind assistance and complete the process of abolition, to leave behind a Republic with an aristocracy in favor of a Republic of c itizens: it is time to swerve from the iceberg's course and bring the poor above deck.
Titanic Brazil
Cristovani Buarque - cristovambuari ue Minister of Education. He was the rec and the g Tran BRAZZIL - APRIL 2003
m.br 59, Ph.D. in economics, is Brazil's r of the University of Brasilia (1985-89) vernor of the Federal District (1995-98). lated by Linda Jerome LinJerome@cs.com 41
A Day Out in the City of God There is a different, heavier atmosphere on this side of the road; a lot of loitering young men, soldiers of The Red Command who rule the roost, watch us intently.... Now we walk through tightly packed, identical blocks of flats all tied together with washing lines and low-hanging electrical cables. DAVID ALEXANDER ROBERT
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City ofGodis the Brazilian film ofthe moment. Suddenly the name of one of Rio's so-called most dangerous favelas is sprawling across cities. A place previously avoided by most Brazilians and known only to a handful of foreigners working for NG0s, Cidade de Deus (in its native language) has now attained fashionable status. Thus, I could not resist the opportunity of spending a day there. It's not the sort of place I would just wonder into, especially in the capacity of a voyeur. I had an inroad, a contact in the local community who would accompany me during my day. I had met my facilitator, Tony, long-time resident and photographer, when I had been taken in one evening by the NGO Viva Rio, for a night of rap music, part of the Urban Connections music project. I was to learn that far from being a neighborhood of violence, it is a land of creativity. Though I awake early, the day is already cruelly hot. It takes me two buses to get from my apartment in the safety of the southern zone. I arrive punctually at the agreed hour of 9am at the designated meeting place, the district's main square. No sign of Tony. I wait and watch a world already in full swing of activity, when my mobile rings. It's Tony: "I'm just going to take a quick shower. I'll meet you at the bakery." There's no tea at the bakery, only coffee. They can't do the standard Brazilian breakfast of hot French bread with cheese as the hot plate's broken. I have it cold. I've already been clocked, my clothes are different, I'm different and I speak Portuguese with a strong accent. Shoeless individuals drift towards me requesting coffee and bread. Young teenage girls with mobile phones stuffed down
their impressive cleavage stop, stare and sm i le. Tony arrives, greets me fondly and buys some bread so we can have breakfast at his sister's house. We enter the street where she lives and we are confronted by a burnt out VW transport van. I should explain that such vans are the key to the local transport system. Drivers rent them from co-operatives and for the same price as a bus (about 36 cents) they'll get to any one of the neighbouring districts or right into the southern and central zones anytime of day or night. The driver and door-opening, faircollecting assistant get half the money. A guy and his son, 'neighbours of Tony's sister, are scraping off the burnt paint of the van's interior. They amusingly explain that this is all about a tale of the green devil, since an embittered wife set light to the van in a jealous rage and now the co-operative is taking civil action against her. The husband's paying for the repairs. I receive a warm welcome at Tony's sisters Where I finally get a cup of tea, anise taken from the neighbour's overhanging plant. The small, yet cosy, front room is full of sun-kissed children with bright eyes and dazzlingly white teeth. They tear their gaze away from the television, featuring the infamous Xuxa (once girlfriend of both Pele and the formula one driver, Ayrton Senna), to talk to this guy who speaks Portuguese funny. Tony asks me what I want to do during the day. Good question, what do I want out of my day? I just want to go walkabouts really, see the different parts of the district and taste a bit of daily life. "Ok," he says, "I've got people to see, people I reckon you'll find interesting and I've got a bit of work to do." Sounds BRA7_21L - APRIL 2003
good to me. Our first stop is the local Samba School, Mocidade Unida de Jacarepagua. Amongst discarded costumes of frogs, alligators, princes and knights, a woman tells me that they're awaiting the result ofthe parade ofGroup E, the bottom group. The result is due at 3pm, and if they win the now dormant drums of varying sizes resting behind her will get swooped up to make their musical magic in street revelry. Tony reminds the two women present about a project meeting taking place that evening at 8pm at the Residents' Association Centre. They already know about it and they'll be there. Off we go again, passing the motorbike taxi stand. I'm offered a tour of the neighbourhood on the back of a bike, visiting all the tourist attractions, including the places where the movie was filmed. "No thanks, I'm here all day. I've time to walk around." We pass the Residents' Association Centre to check everything is organised for the meeting. I meet Maria Terezinha Justo de Jesus, the ex-president of an NGO that supports youths and senior citizens. She now gives needlework classes to the elderly and orphans. She'll be at the meeting, as will her friend, Benta, the president of The Senior Citizens' Committee based at the local orphanage, A hand written for sale notice on the wall grabs my attention: there's a house going for 1.600 dollars. We go next door to the Community Citizenship Centre where I'm given a tour of the various administrative offices. With beaming pride they show the new, fully equipped odontological room. Unfortunately there's no dentist, they're still waiting for the government to send one. We nip into Tony's place, which doubles as a photographic studio. Local Beauty We can barely squeeze in as the place houses seven young beauties who are models in The Lens of Dreams project. As soon as they realise the American (British, actually) speaks Portuguese, questions bombard from these shortskirted and even shorter-shorted lovelies. Where am I from, how long have I lived in Brazil, do I have a girlfriend, and what the hell am I doing in CDD, as they fondly call it? I bounce questions back at them and find out about the numerous European fashion magazines and clothes designers that have come to CDD to shoot with the local models. I also learn about their plans to set up a web site called Pure Beauty offering beauty tips. Heh, did you know that propolis, the resinous substance used by BRAZZIL - APRIL 2003
bees for hive building is good for spot? And that washing your face in the water used to rinse rice is good for the skin I ask if I can take a photo and amidst t e cries of "not in these shorts," "no w y, I'm pealing," and "but I haven't wash d my hair;" make-up gets passed arou d, clothes get exchanged and hairbrush s get tossed between mirrors. "What ever happened to pure beauty?" I enquire. "Not during a photo shoot, darling." I get to take my photos out on the street in front of crumbling walls supporting inclined bicycles. As I look through the viewfinder of my cheap° camera I notice that only one ofthe seven is even approaching the height required to be a catwalk model. Tony gets in the photo, as does a three-year-old nephew of one of the models, and as the midday sun punishes their bare shoulders, a beauty, a pure beauty radiates from them all. Off we go again on our travels, po ping our heads into auntie's house to e told 'lunch ready in 5.' We take a w lk over the footbridge, across the Yell ,w Line, a major road that splits the distri t. On the other side is the housing esta e, the first part to be built back in the ea ly sixties. Tony explains that variousfave/ s in the southern zone suffered floods in 1966 and the inhabitants were moved o these buildings. Inhabitants were al o moved from other favelas that were 't affected by the floods but were dem 1ished anyway in a campaign to clean p middle-class areas, That's what brou t Tony to the neighbourhood himself, wh n he was five years old. There is a different, heavier atm sphere on this side of the road; a lot f loitering young men, soldiers of The R d Command who rule the roost, watch s intently. I am not to take the camera o t here. Tony goes to speak to a middleaged man in a wheel chair. I am surnmoned over and the man in the wheelchair offers me his hand and welcomes me. Now we may continue, walking through tightly packed, identical blocks of flats all tied together with washing lines and low-hanging electrical cables. We pass the home of Coroado, one of the two local blocos — that's a carnavalesque group that Pied Pipers through the streets. It's nearly lunchtime, so we make our way back to the footbridge. A VW van screeches to a halt and an excited man jumps out clutching a chit of paper. Coroado has come second in its bloco group. They'll be a party on tIe streets tonight. As we leave, the riders i)f the motorbike taxi firm on this side of
town offer me a guided tour of the major tourist attractions. Seconds a Must Lunch is ready, so a table is improvised in my honour and apologies are made about the fact that the tablecloth is not clean. A huge plate of rice, beans, polenta and dried meat with pumpkin knocks my recently manifested vegetarian principles back down to a polite corner somewhere in my bowels. I accept the offer of seconds but my request for just a little is ignored/not heard/not acceptable. A man arrives delivering a stack of boxes. It turns out that auntie, as well as making a mean dried meat and pumpkin, is an Avon representative. I get given a musk marine deodorant which I immediately take to the bathroom and slash all over in an attempt to counteract the effects of a punishing sun. Back on the street the guy has got the engine out of the incinerated VW van. Every rubber seal and tube and all the electrical cables have been burnt out, but the block is still OK. He chuckles to himself and thanks the lord for the thoroughness of a jealous wife who has given him a good week's work. It's 3 o'clock, so we decide to pass the samba school to find out the result. A couple of nearby gunshots divert us into another aunt's house for a glass of water. Fireworks go off: that means the police are in town. We spend a sufficient length of time at the aunt's house, while things settle down outside, as Tony's advice is sought about whether his cousin Wagner is responsible enough to be bought a motorbike to become a mototaxi rider. Passing the samba school, we learn that the judges are still in conference. We go on to DJ Duda, the king of funk. DJ Duda has been producing funk for years, he discovered the band Bondedorigrdo, which has toured the world. He tells me ofhis recent moment of fame when he got to play five tracks during DJ Marlboro's set at the Urban Connections gig !9st week. "I was there mate," I tell him. "Great. You should come to one of my funk parties on a Sunday evening at Coroado's." "We just heard they came second in their bloco group" "Nice one," he exclaims. "They'll be a party there tonight." Tony tells Duda about the evening project meeting but he already knows. I'm starting to get a sense of the rhythm of my day. A lot of interesting people need to be told about a meeting that they are already well aware of. Clutching my 43
second gift of the day. a funk compilation CD, we go to visit the director of a young filmmaking group called Mouth of Films. They've just completed a documentary made with borrowed equipment called Frontier, which compares the two sides of CDD, "the poor and the miserable." The poor are those who live in the housing estate, the miserable those who live in an area called Rocinha II, with its constructions of nailed together bits of wood with discarded pieces of asbestos as roofs. They tell me how the film crew donated food baskets to help the poor families being interviewed. They go on to describe some of the highlights of the documentary. There's Dona Rose, who's been pregnant thirty times, but only seventeen of the children are still alive. Then there's the five-year-old, blind, deaf and dumb boy who lived in a cot. When the crew returned with food, the family had moved back to the Northeast. Another glass of cold water is downed and we have to make a 5 o'clock photo shoot with the models. "You know about tonight's meeting?" Tony enquires. "We sure do. We'll be there." The models have undergone a transformation since I last saw them. Now heavily made-up, hair dripping with gel and tight clothes clinging their skinny, adolescent forms, they are all involved in a heated discussion. With them all squ'awking at once I find it hard to follow. As Tony calms things down a bit, I am treated to a potted version. There was a street party on the Tuesday night of Carnaval and model Elisa is out with Pepe, who's the ex-boyfriend of Dani, friend of the model Shirley. Now Shirley's got the hump with her boyfriend, Philipe, 'cos he's been flirting with the model Carol. Meanwhile Dani gets her friend Gisele to spray Elisa, who's out with Dani's ex-boyfriend remember, with some Carnaval spray and Carol gets hit in the crossfire. Carol is so pissed off she goes to tell the authorities, i.e. one of the young soldiers of the Red Command. When available he comes over and reminds them of the laws of the land: no disputes, no attracting attention during parties. It's a time when the Command needs a police-free environment to conduct business activities. "Do I know the punishment for breaking the laws?" "No." I'm informed. It's headshaving for women and a beating for men. The incident gets nipped in the bud; a shaven head is not the way forward for a young model. By now a fresh argument has started. Carol went to Gisele's house and 44
borrowed a hair ryer without permission, saying it was for Gisele. Tony reminds them they are here telork and ha if they can't be professiotil he oivon't bother wasting his timeThe if`tood changes dramatically anda*ora *Oen models set up lights, load carneratt*th film, clear the mini stage, fixpach other's hair and straighten each othCr's ctOthes. What goes on from hereon i$ purelwork, pure professionalism, puiรงeauty Meeting's Off It's now nearly time %Ole meeting. We grab a slice a cold pizza on the street and have a look in a second hand shop. I spot a kerosene lamp which I ask the man to put aside as it will be useful for camping. Tony is also into camping and so picks up o ; 4Cf the many of Vespa satelreceivers and tells me .That lite teleph some. I can't see the we should buy ' connection between camping and a now defunct telephone system that nobody uses since"the price of mobiles has gone down and more landlines have been laid. He'll tell me later. We make it to the Residents' Association Centre a bit after eight and there's a large croWd assembled,- outside. They can't enter because of a double booking, there's a church service going on which consists, ora man on an organ and a woman *ging to a congregation atthree. There's a great deal of grumbling going on in the assembled crowd as it's now 8.30 and the president of the Residents' Association hasn't appeared yet. This is more of a problem than I imagine as the meeting haOtctually been called by him to discuss accommodation problems. Tony has a small crowd asie4le around him in front of the Centre. %join the huddle and find all the faces thati've met during the course ofmy day. "Yoo' still here then. Having a good dallity enquire. Tony decides to callibeproject meeting off as the priority is houSiog and he doesn't wish to sidetrack this. They all disperse, bidding me a fond farewell. "What would the meeting'vC been about?" I ask. "I want them to get behind a system of centralised funding where money comes into the neighbourhood and is then shared among projects. Some people were a bit reluctant at first, as it seems bureaucratic. But I told them that they'd just be din what they'Vetalways been doing, butin more organised fashion and with some forwardplanning. And it brings in more 're coming round We the money. idea." , tine to Rocinha Tony dead rovised housII, to see the mi custom to a ing. Finallrw oi,er the river mototaxi
into a labyrinth of pothole-filled lanes lined with wooden shacks. As our bikes , brush past people freeze and we are stared at by big-eyed, pot-bellied children, women with babies in arms, men in improvised bars clutching glasses of beer and old people knowingly chewing. With our bikes side by side, Tony shouts above the noise of the engines. He tells me that there are about a thousand dwellings in the area. It gets its name from the fact that after landslides in the mid-nineties in Rocinha, South America's largest favela with a population of over two hundred thousand, many of the homeless moved here. The tour is rapid and we get dropped off back at the second hand shop. We pay the riders, 55 cents each. Tony has found a hair dryer, the type you sit under. He decides to buy it for his photo studio cum dressing room cum home. "That should put an end to arguments about borrowing hair dryers," I chirp. "Are you joking? They'll just argue about who uses it first." Tony explains to me the connection between camping and satellite telephone receivers. I'm impressed and I buy a couple together with the kerosene lamp, though embarrassingly I have to borrow some money off him. We go to Tony's for a demonstration of what you can do with a satellite receiver. Hooking up the 12 volt, rechargeable, sealed lead battery to one of those emergency strip lights that you plug into the place where the cigarette lighter is in your car, gives you about 12 hours of strong illumination. He is the envy of the campsite. Clutching my bags of shopping I am walked to the main road by Tony and the model Gisele, who's really chuffed with the new hair dryer, and we learn that the Samba School came near bottom of their group. A van stops and Tony and I embrace each other warmly as I thank him for a great day out. I sit in the van, which will get me home for 36 cents, and start drifting off already planning my next visit. The funk party on Sunday? Another weekday visit with a better camera? It all seems a bit inappropriate now. The next time I come I want to give something rather than take. I don't want to be yet another visiting gringo, the type who has exploited these lands throughout their history. I too must seek to be an angel in the City of God. David Alexander Robert is a British freelance writer and journalist who has been living in Brazil for over five years. He can be contacted on: davealexroW,vahoo.com BRAZZIL - APRIL 2003
@RIO QOINIAILIA,14. ATTORNEY AT LAW/ABOGA 0/ADVOGADO MEMBER, STATE BAR OF CALIFORNIA
(818) 986-1295 e-mail:eqlaw@pacbell.net
MMIGRATION MATTERS BUSINESS VISAS DEPORTATION DEFENSE DIVORCES S 1 N FERNANDO VALLEY, CALIFORNIA BRAZZIL - APRIL 2003
45
"All the information I have including that about social problems will show up in my music."
Such was the response of Brazilian singer Chico Buarque de Hollanda, when quizzed about the extent to which his work had served as a social commentary. A similar paradigm can be applied to the way in which throughout the twentieth century Brazilian popularmusic has reflected its country's social and political flux—all aspects of daily life, political or otherwise, were documented in the period's music. Indeed, far from merely being a passive reflection of such changes, a number of these musical movements have actively shaped the landscape of contemporary Brazilian society. In examining the way in which popular music has helped map out Brazil's recent history then, it is necessary to consider a variety of different musical trends, spanning some one-hundred years and reaching across each of the nation's twenty-seven 'states' and into the musical heritage of Europe, Africa and the United States. Samba, in its various forms, was the first significant musical style of the last century in Brazil. "A product of the carioca proletariat", the first of such rhythms began to evolve in Rio de Janeiro in the immediate aftermath of slavery's abolition in 1888, according to Lisa Shaw in The Social History of the Brazilian Samba. Former slaves from the sugar plantations ofthe country's Nordeste and workers from the coffee plantations of the southern states simultaneously set off for what was then the Brazilian capital in search of work and a new life. "By the second decade of the twentieth century," writes Shaw, "a small Afro-Brazilian community existed in the port area and other central districts of the city." In time such communities came to occupy the city's hillsides from which their morro (hill) dwellings eventually took their name. It was in these favelas (shantytowns) that a variety of "black cultural manifestations", samba included, came to life. On a very basic level then, the very creation of samba reflects the massive social changes occurring in turn of the century Brazil, the music's conception owing as it does to the mixing of African and European traditions facilitated by mass exoduses from, in particular, Bahia and Pernambuco. An analysis of early samba lyrics demonstrates the close linkage between the samba and the social context into which it was born. Shaw refers to such texts as "highly significant historical documents" in as far as they represent one of the few companions to a study on the social and political conditions of the time. 46
The development of the samba plots a similarly interesting path through Brazilian history. Its stylistic transformation into the samba de exaltacdo during the 1930s shows a clear correlation with efforts on the part of the military government to exploit the appeal of such a movement in order to further its own interests. Songs such as An Barroso's "Aquarela do Brasil" were used to market this "pals do futuro" (country of the future), at a time when the proliferation of the radio de pilha (battery radio) gave Gettilio Vargas' government unprecedented access to the ears, and minds, of millions of Brazilians. Whilst samba was able to bridge the social divide in Brazil by virtue of its accessibility to both Brazil's black and white populations, the movement by which it was followed in the 1950s was steeped in exclusivity to the well-off intelligentsia of Rio's zona sul. Bossa Nova, or literally the 'New Wave', was, according to Christopher Dunn in Brutality Garden: Tropicana and the emergence of a Brazilian counter-culture, "a young, middle-class milieu that was disconnected from samba, the musical tradition of the urban poor." Born out of "a reaction by the white middle class to black dominance of the traditional samba", Claus Schreiner, in his book Masica Brasileira argues that whilst bossa nova was not representative of large parts of Brazilian society it nevertheless reflected clearly "the existing divisions with" it. While the movement's scope was socially limited, its portrayal of Brazilian society is considered by some to be no less significant. Brazilian historian and music critic Jose Ramos Tinhorao, for example, saw the music ofJoao Gilberto, Tom Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes as a demonstration of "alienation among the Brazilian elite", and wrote at length of how it "mirrored unequal economic relaSince the beginning of the tions between the periphery and the centwentieth century Brazilian ter." Ultimately though, for many the popular music has reflected the "golden age" of bossa nova merely reflected the relative stability of Brazil at social and political changes that this time—particularly in as far as many of its leading performers, who inhabited the nation has experienced. More the glass-fronted apartments of Avenida recently, rap groups such as Atlantica, were concerned. As Dunn would have it: Racionais Mc's and Planet Hemp "Its association with a time of democracy, prosperity, and national pride behave used their music in order to came more pronounced in subsequent convey messages with explicitly decades of political repression." In the Words of bossa nova muse social or political messages. Nara Ledo, once one of the style's bestknown singers, as cited in Masica TOM PHILLIPS Brasileira: "The bossa nova had nothing
According to the Music
BFtAZZIL - APRIL 2003
that could be reconciled with the Brazilian reality." Equally apolitical was the Jovem Guarda (Young Guard) movement ofthe late 1960s. Its legions, fronted by composers Roberto and Erasmo Carlos, captured a trademark disinterest in politics of the day. Instead the music was targeted at the "large proportion of urban youth [who] did not care about droughts in the Northeast or peasants without land... [and] worried more about immediate things: cars, romance, clothes and school." as Chris McGowan and Ricardo Pessanha, tell us in The Brazil-
Marighella", was himself assassinat d by "police agents" in sao Paulo. Alon side Cite Guevara, another left-wing fi urehead alluded to in Veloso's 'Soy lo o por ti, America', Marighella was rep sentative of the Marxist ideology t t was sweeping through large sections • f Brazil's educated juventude (youth) t this time. Another technique used by t i e tropicalist group in order to critique t e authorities was that of parody and s • rcasm: the script for a TV Global speci I, for example, contains the following iron c monologue:
ian Sound.
"Our political regime is one of the mist perfect in history. Here perfect democra y
Tropicalista Time Although this period did play host to such politically reticent forms of music, it also witnessed the birth of some deeply politicised cultural practices. Literary critic Roberto Schwarz affirms the way in which, whilst some sections of Brazilian society in the sixties had become utterly disillusioned with its politics, other parts of the country "had become unrecognisably intelligent". Newspapers, he explains, were filled with "talk of agrarian reform, rural disturbances, the workers' movement, the nationalization of American firms, etc." At the fore of these so-called engajados (engages) were Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, the figures credited with 'inventing' the influential, if short-lived, Tropicana movement. One of Veloso's contemporaries, Chico Buarque, refers to the social basis of the Bahian 's music, explaining, "their art put also forward a new, just, democratic society," as the singer is cited in Chico Buarque by Regina Zappa. It was a style that moved away from the contrived, "defensive nationalism" of the samba de exaltaccio and its search for brasilidade, says Dunn. The film script for 1968's tropicalist collaboration Tropiccilia, ou panis et circencis itself featured a choir of celebrities exclaiming, 'Brazil is the country of the future" as Veloso quips "this genre is out of fashion." Instead Tropicana pursued a more subversive agenda, parodying in its music both consumer culture and the oppressive power structures within Brazil. Despite much ofthe tropicalist repertoire being "musically upbeat and jubilant", largely set as it was within the framework of major keys, the music often conveyed "both subtly and overtly, an atmosphere of violence and official repression in Brazilian cities during the late 1960s, " again according to Dunn. The Gil composition `Alfomega', featured on Veloso's eponymous 'white' album of 1969, contains for example a reference to Carlos Marighella, a highranking member of the guerrilla organization Acao Libertadora Nacional (ALN). Marighella, one of the leading figures in the armed fight against Castelo Branco's 1964 dictatorship and whose name is evoked in the lyric "ie-ma-maBRAZZIL -APRIL 2003
reigns." Such a political awakening is ca tured by the title of one well-kno n tropicalist song, `Divino maravilhoso According to Dunn, the track "drama cally expressed the mood of the la e 1960s, which was simultaneously an e citing period of counter-cultural expe 1mentation and severe political repre sion." Whilst such suppression nev r reached the extremes of the Argenti e regime between 1976 and 1982 und r Videla, Viola and Galtieri, widespre d discontent nonetheless manifested its If across the country, in protests against t e treatment of those dissenting voices th t did exist in Brazil. September 1968 saw pitched battl s between politically opposed students n sao Paulo, while the Passeata dos Ce Mil (The One-Hundred-Thousand March), a mass demonstration again t the dictatorship, took place in Rio •e Janeiro in June of the same year. Taki to the streets with the "students, profe sors, artists, clergy, workers and liber. 1 professionals" were, perha s unsurprisingly, Gil and Veloso, champ oning many of the causes to which the r music referred. Then Came Chico Alongside the two Bahians at t e march was another of Brazil's most i fluential popular figures, Chico Buarq de Hollanda. An exponent of a very di ferent school of music, Mtisica Popul r Brasileira (MPB), Buarque was himse f emerging as a considerable political for within the musical community at th s time. A self-professed cara de esquer (guy from the Left), he regularly sang t student ocupacoes (takeovers) whil studying architecture at the University • f Sao Paulo (USP). The Rio born sambista was vocal i his support for Fidel Castro's communi t regime and, in his recent biography, eve admits to formerly keeping a store •f petrol bombs in his garage with which t take on the oppressive military polic The veteran singer recalls the way which Brazilian popular music was a fected by the political and social instabi ity at home: "The institutional violence broke th backbone of the so-called evolutiona
line that started in bossa nova and went towards apolitical aesthetics ofthe festivals and protest songs era." Such social and musical transformations are well documented in Buarque's lyrics. Whilst 1968's Ato Institucional 5 (AI-5) placed stringent guidelines ofcensorship on composers„ a number of his highly critical songs either crept through Brasilia's censorship department or were released under the pseudonym ofJulinho da Adelaide. Of these `Apesar de Voce' and `Calice' were undoubtedly the most openly critical of the regime. The latter song, which used the image of a chalice to suggest the imperative `cale-se' (shut up) and in doing so criticize the restrictive Brazilian authorities, remained unreleased until the final years of authoritarian rule because ofthis. Strangely, the former track managed to avoid censorship despite repeated references to the various crimes of "esse estado". Masked as a song about a lost lover, Buarque's composition became an anthem amongst the regime's opposition, expounding as it did the possibility of a popular uprising:
Como vai proibir/quando o gabo insistir/em cantar? How are you going to forbid/when the rooster insists/on singing? And equally,
Como vai abafar/ nosso coro a cantar/ na sua frente? How are you going to silence/our chorus singing/before you? No less important to this artistic opposition were figures such as Edu Lobo, Geraldo Vandre and Milton Nascimento, the latter of whose song, `Coracao de Estudante', was used in the lead up to the 1985 elections to promote democracy. The Sao Paulo group Titas, described by Willis Guerra Filho as "a critical register of the Brazilian way of life", continued this trend of cancdes de protesto into the 1980s, when the dictatorship's censorship laws had been sufficiently relaxed. Other groups from around the country have also added to-this canon of socially reflective music. Olodtun, an exclusively black drum troupe from Salvador, for example, has produced a number of songs relating to Brazil's black consciousness movement. Rebel Rock In a similar way, more recently, rap groups such as Racionais Mc's, the selfprofessed "voz da fcrvela", (shantytown's voice), and Planet Hemp have used their music in order to convey messages with explicitly social or political messages. The two bands have a history of campaigning for both social and racial equality and, to a lesser extent, for the legalisation of marijuana: tellingly the former group was founded in 1988, at the height of Brazil's black consciousness movement, under the moniker Consciencia Black. Both groups have, however, been accused of having strong links 47
to the drugs trade in Brazil. Judge Siro DarIan even went so far as to ban Planet Hemp from performing to underage crowds in Rio de Janeiro recently, on the grounds that their music constituted "drug induction". Nevertheless, their irrefutable popularity (Racionais Mc's album Sobrevivendo no Inferno sold some two hundred thousand copies in its first month of release alone) is a clear indication that their music is not without relevance to large swathes of Brazilian society. Their political messages may not always be to the taste of the higher echelons of society, but they are certainly symptomatic of widespread discontent with the socially unequal status quo across Brazil. Aside from the explicitly political musical tracts, there do of course exist more banal forms of popular music. A renaissance of rock music, particularly in Minas Gerais and Sao Paulo, has produced a number of well-known bands whose music is no less reflective of the social changes that Brazil is currently undergoing. Sepultura, Tianastacia and Skank are just a few examples of the great variety of internationally successful Mineiro (from Minas Gerais state) groups, whose repertoires take in a mixture of reggae, heavy metal, samba,forro and rock. Equally, the worldwide boom in electronic dance music has not been lost on Brazilians. In the southern states particularly, DJs such as Anderson Noise, Marky Mark, Xerxes de Oliveira and Renato Cohen have emerged in the last decade, mixing traditional Brazilian music with modern production techniques and western styles such as Acid House and Hardcore. Recent collaborations between these producers and artists such as Gilberto Gil, Rita Lee and Jorge Benjor demonstrate distinct ties with the 'old school' and at the same time significant influences from abroad. This multi-national mistura is undoubtedly important in as far as it reflects the way in which young Brazilians are both actively proud of their musical heritage, yet at the same time interested in that from overseas. Just as the Tropical ia movement owed much to the sounds of contemporary Britain, so too does mlisica electronica bras ileira draw from a variety of musical backgrounds. The Sao Paulo based record company Trama, one of Brazil's most internationally successful labels, highlights well this duality, having itself strong connections to the old guard of MPB. Its owner, Joao Marcelo Boscoli, is in fact the son of the late El is Regina and Ronaldo Boscoli,
rita lee
48
two of the movement's best-loved musicians. This paichwork of regional and international effects also mirrors the distinct Americanization of sections of Brazilian society since the 1980s. The same interest in the Estados Unidos, and indeed Europe, that saw shopping malls spring up across the nation has now, on a lesser scale, brought about a fascination with 'rave' culture and the turntables on which such music is performed. One effect ofthis new d irection has been a marked rise in drug use amongst sections of Brazilian youth: early last year Brazil's first known laboratory for producing ecstasy was discovered in the center of %) Paulo, whilst the previous November saw the police discover some 170,000 pills at the city's Cumbica airport, their biggest haul to date. A recent survey carried out by USP in conjunction with government researchers showed that around 19.4 percent of Brazilians had experimented with illegal drugs at some point, while disputed U.S. governmedt figures point out that between forty and fifty tons of cocaine is consumed annually within Brazil. According to the music journalist Erika Palomino: "They united electronic music and the visual language of the '60s and '70s. In some way they also become slaves of ,E,:, However, as with the bossa nova from which it draws inspiration, such a medium is largely restricted to the middleclass nightclubs of Lapa in Rio de Janeiro, Morumbi in Sao Paulo and Savassi in Belo Horizonte. A far less exclusive form of dance music currently popular in Brazil is 'funk', a primitive, bass-heavy mix of American and British house music. "From Rio's favelas where it was born in the mid1980s," one journalist recently wrote, "Brazilian funk has conquered a good portion of the country and can now be heard in Sao Paulo and Salvador." Just as Rio's samba schools served, and indeed continue to serve, as outlets from the rigmarole of inner city poverty, so too are the bailes de funk, an escape from everyday reality for many young Brazilians. According to the website ofFuracao 2000, one of the genres's leading collectives, over 30,000 people attend such parties each week in and around Rio de Janeiro. The irreverent lyrics, which frequently allude to popozudas, cachorras and tchutchucas (all various slang incarnations of the word for a beautiful woman),
are a constant target for criticism in conservative sections ofthe Brazilian media. Nevertheless, such sexually explicit content does point to a definite shift in the values and inhibitions of the country's younger generations. Whilst Brazil remains in large part at least nominally Catholic, the gratuitous, and to many offensive, wording of such music indicates most clearly a kind of social liberalization. Ultimately, the landscape of Brazilian music is as varied and diverse as the population from which this cultural form comes. Across the country a plethora of different stylistic variations exist, each of which relates in some way to the social, political and economic makeup of the nation. Given this, it is worth noting that whilst a thread can easily be followed through the more political elements of Brazilian music over the last century, other, perhaps less highbrow genres are equally important to a study of the country's social anthropology. Such styles, amongst them the internationally renowned lambada, and the Camavalbasedfrevo, paint just as telling a portrait of Brazil's history, and for that matter its future. Bibliography: Dunn, Christopher, Brutality Garden: Tropicana and the emergence of a Brazilian counter-culture (Chapel Hill and London: University of North Carolina Press, 2001) Fausto, Boris. A Concise History of Brazil (USA: Cambridge University Press, 1999) McGowan, Chris and Pessanha, Ricardo, The Brazilian Sound (USA: Temple, 1998) Schreiner, Claus, Musica Brasileira (London: Marion Boyars, 1993) Shaw, Lisa, The Social History of the Brazilian Samba (Hants: Ashgate, 1999) Zappa, Regina, Chico Buarque (Rio de Janeiro: Dumara, 1999) Discography: Buarque, Chico, Chico Buarque (Brasil: Poligram, 1978) Costa, Gal, Gal Costa (Brasil: Philips, 1969) Nascimento, Milton, Ao Vivo (Brasil: Barclay, 1983) Racionais Mc's, Sobrevivendo no Inferno (Brasil: Sony, 1994) Veloso, Caetano, Caetano Veloso (Brasil: Philips, 1969) Tom Phillips is a British student journalist who lived in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, between 2000 and 2001. He is Features Editor of the Leeds Student newspaper and writes for a variety of publications on politics and current affairs, as well as various aspects of the cultura brasileira. Tom will be based in Rio de Janeiro starting August 2003. He can be reached on: tom.Dhillinsdial.pipex.com and his articles can also be found at: 4 www.leedsstudent.org.uk BRAZZIL - APRIL 2003
man who can give him this document Wri ten by Bosco Brasil, directed by Arie Goldmann, with Tony Ramos e Dan Stulbac No Retrovisor (In the Rear Mirror)— After 15-year separation two friends get close t gether again and reminisce about their dre and idealisms from their youth, in the '80 One of them has become blind due to a c accident. Written by Marcelo Rubens Paiv directed by Mauro Mendonca Filho, wit Otavio Muller and Marcelo Serrado. Sem Vergonhas (No Shames)—Based o Anthony McCarten and Stephen Sinclair' play Ladies ' Night. The New Zealand stor about down on their luck men who decide t put a strip-tease show was moved with suc cess to the Lapa neighborhood. Written b Daniel Botti, translated by Liane Lazoski an Gabriela Morales, with Jandir Ferrari Leandro Hassum, Jayme Del Cueto, Marcel Mello, Pedro Nesch ling, and Marcelo Escorel
NIVU JUSTUILUB U IMMO FUHURANUUE
111 Nilo Mere Corn Quem Td Quietinho (Don't Bother He Who Is All Quiet)—Musical comedy written, directed and interpreted by Wandi Doratiotto, Arthur Kohl and Renato Caldas. Good-humored hints on how to deal with life's little surprises. From March 21, 2003 to June 1" 2003. Quarta-Feira, Sem Falta, La Em Casa (Don't Miss It This Wednesday at My House) Comedy. Two friends, both widows—one a hypocrite, the other foul mouthed—meet every Wednesday to exchange gossips and their own past extraconjugal sexual adventures. Written by Mauro Brasini, directed by Alexandre Reinecke, with Beatriz Segall and Myrian Pires. Os Sertdes — Primeira Pane, A Terra (The Backlands Part One, The Land)—Adapted from Euclides da Cunha' s Os Sertoes (Rebellion in the Backlands) by veteran and celebrated director Jose Celso Martinez Correa. The performance lasts 3.5 hours without a break. With the Uzyna Uzona troupe. Marcelo Drummond is Euclides da Cunha. The public gets the lyres so it can participate in a singa-long. Being shown since July 12,2002. No end in sight. Tudo de Mim (All of Me)—Dramedy. Marcela, who just arrived from London becomes the roommate (and soon more) of Juliano. Then the fights start. Written by Emilio Boechat and Petronio Gontijo, directed by Abilio Tavares, with Petronio Gontijo and Bianca Rinaldi. Premiered on March 1, 2003.
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someone to take over during the break. Comedy directed by Caca Diegues, with Antonio Fagundes, Paloma Duarte, Wagner Moura, Bruce Gomlevsky, Stepan Nercessian, Castrinho, Hugo Carvana, Dois Perdidos Numa Noite Suja (Two Lost Souls in a Dirty Night)—Brazil/2002—Two undocumented Brazucas, a shy man and a promising singer, are roommates in New York. Directed by Jose Joffily, with Debora Falabella and Roberto Bomtempo. Durval Discos (Durval Records)—Brazil/ 2002—A mother and a son who live and work together at a record shop specialized in vinyl have their lives unsettled when their maid disappears leaving her little daughter behind. Directed by Anna Muylaert, with Ary Franca, Etty Fraser, Leticia Sabatella, Rita Lee, and Andre Abujamra.
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51
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Joe) Stewart (954) 772-7600
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Kids o Brazil Part II The food I had bought prior to the stop—a pasty and two doughnuts—suddenly doesn't appeal. What a luxurious arrogance! I offer them to the boys and they eagerly grasp them, quickly sharing it out and pushing it ravenously into their mouths, obviously relishing every morsel. MARK EREIRA
Graos de Luz ABC's project. Graos de Luz (Seeds of Light). is its oldest and is very well established in the town of LencOis where it is very highly thought of. The project provides extra curricular education, craft workshops, co-operatives and educational outreach to about 120 Children per week. The project leaders have developed an excellent outreach program which extends out to the impoverished surrounding rural communities. such as the one we have just passed through, where they encounter chi Idren at risk I meet \\ ith all the staff to discuss their budget for this year and their plans or the Iliture. We talk with 12 young children (under age 7) to get their views of the project and determine what they feel the benefits are. This information is captured by Ritchie and will be reported upon separately. Also, in the afternoon we get together with 10 teenagers, who again tell us about what a difference the project is making in their lives, many having been with the project for several years. We give them a camera provided by BFP and they take photographs of each other, mostly with the products that they have made out of recycled paper and embroidery. Many of their w arcs can be seen, and are for sale, throughout the town in restaurants, hotels and shops. [he people here, and their children. greatly appreciate the outreach ork undertaken by Graos. I distribute some BFP balloons and yet more pencils (iraos ishes to purchase the land that the project is based on. and expand e. en further. We discuss how ABC would be able to assist them in ach ie. i lig this. We agree to refine a bid to the UK National Lottery's program for international development. We also conclude that the project staff will compose a one-page summary of why buying the land and developing the building infrastructure is a good idea and worthy of external funding support. The project has real di fliculties with lack of access to modern IT (their computer isn't working while we are here), and Internet access remains very expensive as they have to hook up to a line to Salvador. We, agree that the project should be encouraged to produce materials that we can use l'or educational w ork in the UK. For this, they will need a digital camera/video. Also, the project is keen to develop their own web site. I explain that ABC has support from Barclay's plc to undertake this work. There also exist no local facilities for photocopying. Any significant purchase has to be brought from Salvador, so the project staff makes a trip there twice or three times a year. It is clear to me that few people get the opportunity to leave Lencois from one year to the next. While ABC remains the key funder—meeting the costs of core salaries—the project staff is keen to develop more autonomy and hopes that by 2006 they can be full) independent. This is a mature and very successful project. I find that it is an admirable example of good practice, and lam keen to ensure that we assist them in disseminating this good practice to other projects in the Northeast. In the evening we go to visit Francisco Souza Rodrigues and his family on the outskirts of the town. His daughter Vera has been attending the project for several years. I also encounter his son Reinaldo, aged six, who would very much like to attend despite the fact that there are not sufficient spaces. The project has 50 children on its waiting list at the moment. They all live in a sparely furnished two-roomed house without electricity or running water. It is a humble but well ordered home. "1 he family of five survives on the father's income as an odd job man (gardener, caretaker) which pays less than the minimum wage. Also this evening we meet all the other partners involyed in supporting Gros de Luz. and have a meal at Hotel Canto daS Aguas. This pousada helps with the project's rental costs. Other partners include Friends of Switzerland, local council. Venturas e Aventuras, and several other pousadas and restaurants. I also encounter two teachers who help with the project's rural outreach work. 1 also meet Gabi de Mello. She lives in Jimena's house in LencOis and has committed to providing us with translated materials from earlier interviews conducted by Ritchie with the children. Interestingly she has done research on indigenous Indians in Brazil (indios na vistio dos indios) and has produced materials collected in Pernambuco and Bahia. Avante Lenenis On Tuesday. we spend the entire day with the Avante Lencois staff and up to 20 young people. The project includes a community centre housing a newspaper and radio station with additional workshop facilities (literacy, paper recycling, dance, art, music) and a library. The centre also runs sports programmes. More than 70 children and young people are involved each week and 250 local families in the favela also
BRAZZIL - APRIL 2003 54
benefit. The project has developed a solid trackrecord and is doing very well indeed. Their new mission statement is: Avante is a civil society organization with a mission to unite and mobilize the community of Lencois through citizenship, communication and education aimed at creating a better future for children, adolescents and families in at risk situations; in effect diminishing social inequalities. To assist with translation, local tourist guide, Wagner Fernandes, helps us. Ritchie speaks to all the young people and will be presenting his findings. We are gifted with a wonderful recycled account of the project, and asked whether we could copy this for them and send it. The document was composed by workshop participants Francisco Bispo dos Anjos and Silvio Marques da Silva (both 17 years). Again, we discuss future plans, budgets, and especially the new building plans which ABC is already seeking funding support for. I now have architects' drawings to assist this process. We have also completed another application to fund youth leaders' training, a bid to Zurich. Avante is to resubmit their funding bid to ABC as reelected during our discussions. The radio station is still going strong and is run by half a dozen young people, and the newspaper is now on its 36th edition. The young people decide co-operatively what goes in each edition, which consists of articles on economics, politics, social and community issues, culture and concerns pertaining to the environment. The whole editorial team poses proudly outside the community center with a copy of their newspaper along with the copy of the East Anglian Daily Times which I've brought over. There is a real sense of dependence on ABC with Avante Lencois, who has not managed to secure any partnerships from the private sector or other funders. The only other secure funding that they have is from the Carlson Family Trust based in the U.S.. All local monies and government support are one-off, and for comparatively small amounts. Again, salary requests are based on rather high levels. Everyone I speak to outside of the projects thinks that R$400-500 per month is a very good local salary. ABC needs to decide what level of salaries we should pay or make a contribution to. Teenager, Wilson Santos Pereira, presents me with a proposal for help with some football kits. This request comes out of our earlier discussions in the morning about what they want to do and their desire to avoid getting involved in drugs. I decide to use a small sum of ABC money (£92 - $147) to purchase several of the kits—to be used by two Avante teams, male and female—so that they could participate in the local league. They agree to send me regular reports of their soccer successes and a photo of the team. In return, I promise to send these on to ABC Patron, Pele. Avante is based in thefave la of Tomba.
BRAZZIL - APRIL 2003
The neighbourhood is expanding with the building of new houses (one room for a family of six), and people continuing to arrive from the rural hinterland. The project staff is ambitious to expand in order tia meet social need. They even have plans t start growing their own food! I am sho the pitiful play area that doesn't actuall have any working play equipment. All th swings have gone. They want to creat new spaces for relaxation and community theatre. The project has worked hard with their local community to improve basic services, such as getting running water and sewerage. The journey back.... We leave for Salvador, just a little too late in the day, having said goodbye to Grabs staff members Suzy and Lillian (they are making their own way back to Lencois). Scorching heat and empty roads lay ahead until we hit the main road to Salvador with its thundering massive trucks, potholes...and somehow the truck drivers just forgot to put their headlights on when it is really rather dark. Driving at night, unless you know the roads extremely well, is not recommended, and we certainly have our fair share of near misses. We stop in the middle of nowhere at a garage with a few houses. We are thirsty and very hungry as we'd skipped lunch— never a good idea in Brazil. We are asked for a lift by an old man, and are surrounded by young bos selling small bags of cashew nuts for R$1 each. We buy a bag from each boy! The boys break open our finished coconuts, after we've drunk the delicious juice, so that they could scrap out anything inside to eat. The food I had bought prior to the stop—a pasty and two doughnuts— suddenly doesn't appeal. What a luxurious arrogance! I offer them to the boys and they eagerly grasp them, quickly sharing it out and pushing it ravenously into their mouths, obviously relishing every morsel. They are so hungry that it strikes me how badly they need to eat the small bags of cashew nuts that they are trying to sell. We have a better and more secure idea of where our next meal is coming from, without having to sell a few bags of nuts to travellers. These boys don't. They spend every afternoon in the soaring heat, each day after school—if they go to school at all—selling a few peanuts.... Can you imagine this reality for your child? When we eventually make it back to Salvador—six hours later—we head for our meal of beans, rice and shrimps in the Pelourinho. We are continually interrupted by street vendors, children begging, and propositions from prostitutes. I am somewhat overwhelmed by the sight of a street child I had seen six months before—this time with no shoes or T-shirt. Tears stain his dirty face, and he is continually moved on from one bar or restaurant to the next by stern looking bouncers. He moves quickly, but appears to not know where he is actually going. A boy of about 11 years old, he seems worn out, exasperated, totally unwanted and unloved. There is a sharp mental anguish written into his face and distracted eyes that
continually look for an opportunity of finding something to eat or a few coins. I ask him whether he wants to go to school, but the barriers are several: no home, no books, and no clean clothes. He washes himself in the nearby fountain in the main square of the Pelourinho. On the taxi ride back to our apartment, we see a dozen children laid out on cardboard boxes and assorted rags.. ..theirs is another restless and fitful night living on the streets. I am reminded of street boy, Marcelo's words: "1 can't really sleep well on the street. You close your eyes and you never know if someone will come to light a match and set you on fire while you are sleeping. Sometimes I don't sleep at night. I prefer to sleep during the day when everybody is watching out." Recife & Olinda (Days'-20th & 21St February) My early meeting with Alberto gets completely messed up, and I have a stressful journey to the airport, getting there very late for my flight... But the flight had been cancelled anyway! Taxi drivers.. .You always can find lots of stories to tell. Some are helpful. Some very cheerful.. There are , the young ones who drive at breakneck speed when it isn't necessary. And the ' others, usually older and grumpier, who keep their foot on the brake all the way to the airport, especially when you are really running late. Also one can't help noticing that many of the taxi drivers—struggling themselves to survive—drive on nearly empty (or it seems below empty at times), so I guess that they will buy just enough petrol from their current fare to cover the same costs of their next. I am met at the Recife airport by ABC supporter and Brazilian teacher Carmita Galvao. She is committed to helping.her country develop socially and to seeing that its children flourish. She works in a public (state) school teaching English. I had visited various projects with her previously. She tells me about one of the coordinators sons who had been shot dead by mistake in hisfavela at the age of 22. She is keen to assist with the collection of case studies, help with translation, and with developing any exchanges. Like in Salvador, preparations for Carnaval in Olinda are well advanced. Wow. They take their Carnivals seriously with wonderfully colourful bunting lining criss-crossing the streets. However, make sure you don't book a room fronting the street! I am kept awake most of the night by singing, dancing and drumming. And Carnaval hasn't even started! Olinda (and some ramblings) Olinda, situated next to Recife, consists of old crumbling colonial buildings with cobbled streets brimming with life. The warmth encourages people to be out in them, and there is a great sociability and ase of pace. The rhythm is one of calmess and friendliness. Shorts and T-shirts redominant. Every other house is an art allery whereby you can just walk in and iew art and chat with the artist. The prices e incredibly accessible. There are two charming pousadas on
55
Rua do Ainparo that have strong artistic presence. Just across from my pousada (Pousada do Amparo) is Bodega do Veio. which consists of a mix of old style grocer shops with shelves up to the ceiling, and a lively bar selling great beer (Brahma). A gigantic bottle of ice-cold brew sets you back a mere R$2 (40p — 60 cents). People spill out onto the streets. There is energy but at the same moment, timelessness resonates. Few people need, want, or can possibly afford cars. Often this conjures up an earlier era whereby streets can be full of life, since you don't feel that some speeding automobile will mow you down at any moment. Like in LencOis, children in Olinda, can be seen running around late into the night playing games like hide and seek. Yes, they do seem to have something very special that we have lost to our crazy car culture. leading us often to over-control our children and young people. There is a leveling effect whereby everyone regardless of age has an absolute right to exist and enjoy public space. Most nights of the week in the UK. our streets and public spaces are bereft of people and communal life, only cars, and most people are reluctant to be out in the streets, fearful of a media-induced hysteria of the, thankfully very rare, lone predatory criminal or lairy gang of alcoholinduced unsavory young males. What do we do to our children? It seems we have arrived at an impasse... We want them to be expressive and liberated, but we don't allow them the public space to develop the necessary skills to exert their rights and act in a responsible and community-spirited 'manner. The old part of the town is relatively small, and the town, or rather city. belies vast sprawling favelas. Where the paved roads run out, there are no streetlights, and unless you know exactly what you are doing, you'd be wise not to venture into it. Reflections on Politics, and Lula
56
Yes, life is tough for most. And there are violent and dangerous neighbourhoods. But there are also a hope and expectation of being able to escape the poverty. and create a better life. For most people I talk to, the biggest issue is the gap between those that have nothing and those at the top. Many women told me of their disappointment with Brazilian men and their propensity toward alcoholism and domestic violence. Like women throughout the world, Brazilian women are not prepared to tolerate this. They leave violent and unhealthy domestic situations and try to make their own way, despite all the many difficulties and poverty. Brazilians seem genuinely- optimistic, with their new president. Lula. now installed. The desire is for food, education. better health care and other basics, though the aspiration for improved education stands out. Instead of a quality education (especially higher) being only accessible to a small privileged minority, it needs to be more easily available and at no. or minimal, cost. Everyone I meet in the favelas has voted for their new president. who they see as one of their own. He, too, had experienced hardship in his home state of Pernambuco before leaving for the opportunities offered by the southward city of Sao Paulo. Now, with very little formal education, he has become "0 Presidente'. They find hope in many ways from Lula's story since he fought through four presidential elections before becoming successful without, rather stubbornly, giving up. This is the story many people relate to me. Can Lula deliver the kinds of social improvements which are so desperately required by his people. with national debt hanging around their necks like a dead weight? This sum is estimated at $250 billion, or almost 60 percent, of Brazil's GDP. This all limits Lula' s ability to spend on welfare, education, health, policing, and the other public services he promised to improve. The people who voted for him hope so. But they also have an understanding of the enormity of the problems. He will try his best. and they know they can't expect more than that. Can he avoid the political corruption and nepotism of his forerunners and the wealthy political elite? His fairly modest political agenda includes a pledge to see his people have enough food to eat. Project Hunger (Fome Zero) has already been launched in the Northeast. Patronato, Pina, Recife Friday is the most emotionally exhausting day of my life. Trying to capture these emotions and thoughts isn't easy. I visit Patronato with Carmita. Patronato had been introduced to ABC as a potential new project, via gap year student, Leo Earle. They have applied for £6000 ($ 9,600) to help pay for basic materials and salaries. The project coordinator. Maria Conceicao Costa. has picked me up from the Pousada and has taken me to the project in the ,favela of Pina. I am greeted by several dozen children and young people from the favela. I distribute
pens and whistles, which they adore. One girl. Jessica. has made me a present—a mask made from recycled paper. She is very proud of it, and it is of high quality. I give her one of the cameras that had been donated by the Woolwich. I later visit her family in the favela. They cater to upwards of 160 children (aged up to 15). There are two sessions— morning from 8 to 12 and afternoon from 2 to 6—where the children receive a meal of rice and beans. They' play music for us and dance traditional dances. Our visit is treated as a special occasion. All the children are very excited and act warmly to us. The project has very good building facilities provided by the church. Their problems center on paying staff and buying materials. They lack most of the basics for working with the children. Imagine trying to deliver an art class without materials! They have some paper donated by a local business, but this is just the outside packaging from reams of paper, a few pencils, and ineffective scissors—all of which they guard preciously. I ask them to produce a list of materials that they need in order to see whether we can secure UK business sponsorship. This list is ready for me by the time I am ready to leave! To the shopkeeper's obvious delight I pop over to a shop nearby and buy all they carry in terms of paper and colouring pencils. The project also provides a facility to recycle clothes to children and families living in the favela--shirts. T-shirts, shoes etc. They are desperately keen to receive donations of any clothing items. The staff is skilled and completely dedicated, although some months go by when they aren't paid, thus, of course,. causing problems with staff continuity. Their annual budget has never exceeded R$50,000 (£9000 - $ 14.000) in any recent year. Half of their funds are supposed to come from the city and state governments, although this is never guaranteed. The staff has firm ideas on how to transform the children's lives and provide them opportunities. as, also, do the children themselves. They speak with me about their lifestyles of poverty, drugs and the resultant constant deaths, unemployment, lack of opportunities to go to college, and having to live with relatives ad mist over crowded conditions. But still, there is an optimism that always shines through. Many children are very bright and engaging. With the right mix of opportunities they could do so well. And they can dream their dreams! Some boys spoke of their ambitions of becoming a teacher (Jobson), a footballer (Weidson), a vet (Rafael), a policeman (Davison). a doctor (Raoni)— aspirations like any other child's. But I wonder whether they will have the means to realize them. I visit the favela to meet the families. Absolute squalor. Houses made of boxes and pieces of wood on stilts (palafitas) in the most polluted water imaginable admist the smell and stench. But it isn't in any way scary. The people are friendly, receptive, responsive and anxious to talk about their lives. Around each corner, and down
BRAZZIL - APRIL 2003
some very squalid alleyways, people are cleaning their homes or preparing shellfish to .eat. Everyone says good afternoon and asks howl am. Many families exist on incomes way below the monthly minimum. The miserably poor. A large number are living on R$90 (£17 - $27) per month. I meet and chat with Maria Messias da Silva (aged 60—with no front teeth!), along-standing community leader. She has had eight children herself; now with 22 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. They all live in the javela! I meet one of her sons, Sergio and he proudly stands with his daughter Veril who attends the project. And they even have a few books in their home. Maria, as a community leader, is doing all she can to improve the quality of life for local residents. Lots of major improvements are required. 1 don't feel like white man cometh! 1 don't feel that 1 am resented in anyway. They know I am there to try and help support their local project, which they greatly value. One woman of 26, who has a girl attending the project meets us in the favela and, after chatting for about 30 seconds, offers us her baby. She says she can't cope. She is a grandmother left with her 7month-old granddaughter. Her own daughter is a crack addict and unable to look after her own baby. Alessandra Bellini. an Italian-American, joins us at the project. She wishes to do some volunteer work for ABC by actually interacting with the children, especially the abused girls, using music and dance. Both Alessandra and Carmita commit to writing up and sending me their observations on the day's visit. Added note: Kurt Shaw, Director of US-based Shine a Light has been working with the project, and he has since e-mailed me a letter of support, writing: "One can barely imagine the conditions in the jàvela. a motley collection of shacks built on stilts over a mangrove swamp. Trash and sewerage wash under broken floors where children play. There is no running water or sewage, and electricity is robbed from passing power lines." Sobe e Desce Our visit runs over time by several hours, making us very late to get to Sobe e Desce, a half hour drive back to Olinda. 1 have visited this project, which works with street children and very disadvantaged young people, in the past when I was on holiday some six months ago in the company of my family. I had previously worked for Lloyds' TSB Foundation and had organized a small grant of £2500 for basic equipment and materials for the project. There, they are all getting prepared to dance and perform for us. I feel so bad about being so late. As I am trying to quickly refresh myself at the Pousada, the young people from Sobe e Desce came and find me. They present me with this wonderful box covered with photocopied photographs of both the project and the children. Inside the box they have made
BRAZZIL - APRIL 003
my family some Tshirts. jewellery and letters. I cry! One ex-street boy. Robson. had written to me following my previous visit. He once more commits to keeping in touch with ABC., Again, they are very interested in getting some funds to buy football kits and competing locally. They also gave me two new funding proposals: one to improve their project building costing just over £3,000 ($4,800). the other for £3600 ($ 5,700) to pay for all the food and four staff members' salaries for one year! We discuss their lives on the streets and whether three of the teenagers could possibly come across to the UK and make a presentation to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Street Children in the late autumn. They are very positive about this, but will need travel costs met, warmer clothes, spending money, and even passports! Carmita offers to assist. After the meeting I am having a cold beer outside my Pousada when a young boy, of no more than age nine, comes up to me begging. I give him R$5 on the condition that he goes directly opposite to buy some food and a drink. It is midnight and he says that he hasn't eaten that day. Every day he goes out begging and trying to get money to help his family. There are 10 people in his small house in an Olinda favela. He is so very tired, with his eyes drooping, that he has difficulty talking or expressing himself. Fortaleza (Days-22nd & 23rd February) On to Fortaleza, a city of skyscrapers right up to the beaches and two million people. This is the capital of Ceara—a very poor state in the Northeast. Flying over the baking, barren and arid northeast- , ern serttio with its dry river beds, you are. suddenly enlivened by the sight of flowing rivers and lush greenery. Although the Amazon is still some way off, it beckons from the horizons beyond. The airport is modern and airy. Although I am running two hours late— courtesy of ailing national airline company Varig—Jani, my local contact and Children in Hunger trustee, is still patiently waiting for me. I am in Fortaleza to visit another potentially new ABC project—Criancas Fa mintas (Children in Hunger). This project provides up to 60 young children a day with food and some limited educational opportunities. All the participants come from a favela called 31 de Marco. near Praia do Futuro, where about 400 families live. I stay near the main city beach of lracema with its long line of hotels, beach bars, restaurants and craft market. It feels
very much off the mainstream tourist trail and most of the tourism is generated from Brazilians from other parts of the country. Everyone warns you not to stray too far away from the lit up Avenida Beira Mar, as robberies are commonplace. Fortaleza gets almost a daily tropical rain shower, which is very refreshing and enlivening. Jani. Graham Townsend, and other trustees have helped develop the project for several years, where they try to provide R$18.000 (£3250 - $ 5,200)) per year to meet the costs of basic foodstuffs. Regular visits to the project include 'hands on' buying of the food from the cheapest city markets. The project is run by local women, many mothers, and is firmly rooted in the community. The building is provided by the church. A German donor has helped with some of the refurbishment, which includes new toilets. They wish to expand to a neighbouring plot of vacant land so that they can help even more children in the favela. Here are some teachers working almost for nothing, like in Patronato. There are only a handful of books and pencils. They have no paper. Again I arrive with paper, pencils and crayons. The children have produced some wonderful drawings as a gift to my family and me. On the day I visit, more than 80 children arrive! The project tries to provide a safe environment so that their mothers and caregivers can do some work, opening at 7.30 am and closing at 6 pm. A large proportion of the children go to school after they have left ,the project. But many others work full-time, and many of the girls are compelled to look after younger brothers and sisters while their mothers go out to work. Glaciane is nine years old, and does not go to school as she has to look after two younger siblings. She tells me how much she'd love to go to school. The government has initiated a program that gives families up to R$40 (£8 - $13) per month for food as long as their children stay in school. But the scheme is patchy and tends to only help one child in a large family. There is an almost complete lack of formal employment. Few men are employed, and there is an endemic problem of alcoholism. Malnutrition is commonplace, and I saw many examples of sickly
57
children. I went to the homes of some of the children, many of which were very poor indeed. One woman I spoke to told me of her poverty and the daily struggle to survive. Four of her seven children had died in their infancy, and her youngest son is very undernourished and doing poorly. Her husband is old and unwell, but he receiN es a pension of R$200 ($58) per month which they combine with her R$120 ($35) earned ,by cleaning clothes and doing other domestic work. Their condition is so bad that I feel compelled to make an immediate donation! Another family. composed of a woman in her early 30s plus her eight children, is so poor that they are living in her mother's small house (two rooms) with three of her children having gone to live with an aunt. Her husband, Julio. is a builder, but has been without work for several months. He gives me the impression that he's simply given up on looking, and even on hope itself. Rio de Janeiro (Days 24th & 25th February) Children of the Drug Trade Time has progressed and I am on my way back through Rio to return home. I have finished meeting up with Luke Dowdney who works for Viva Rio. He has set up a boxing club for .at risk young people in the local favela of Mare. He explained to me his groundbreaking research. which was funded by Save the Children Sweden, DFID and UNESCO, among others, on children living in the favelas and their involvement in organized violence and drug trafficking. According to Luke, the ferocity of the award winning film City of God (Cidade de Deus), and the control of favelas by drug gangs, was,not an exaggeration of the daily deaths and extreme violence found in some of Rio's 600favelas. Approximately 6,000 to 10.000 young people. nearly half under the age of 18, belong and work for the three main drug gangs. They are made responsible for the security and defense of their favela, receiving a fixed salary for their work as lookouts against the police and/or rival gangs.
58
their Often weapons are better then those of the police and the military. They are involved in armed combat with them along with that between rival drug gangs. resulting in an average of 300 under 18 olds dying from gun related injuries in Rio every year. In fact, more children and young people are perishing from small arms related deaths in Rio than in other places in the world which we would traditionally define as being at war'. Of course. Rio is not in a state of declared war, but just consider. that from 1987 to 2001 467 Israeli and Palestinian minors were killed. while during the same period just less than 4,000 minors in Rio. Although children working for the drug gangs cannot be defined as street children, since they continue to live infavela communities in w hich they labor, they may be viewed as \Norking in the street.. .one of the most 'dangerous working environments ' for child labourers in the, world. This is a real 'kill or be killed' social reality. Children enter the drug trafficking world, as for many. it is the 'best altema-, tiye among limited options'. Endemic poverty, no help from the state, a lack of access to the formal employment market, and the prior involvement of other family members or role models translates into the children finding drug trafficking the most 'attractive' way of living readily available to them. Added note: Just to drum these points home to me. my contact in Rio subsequently ends up writing to me about high profile bomb, arson and other attacks by the armed drug gangs of Rio during the period leading up to Carnaval. The drug faction (Comando Vermelho or Red Command) set tire to buses (nearly 40 were either burnt up or shot out throughout the city): attacked police stations and threw bombs into middle-class neighbourhoods, such as lpanema. and ordered businesses and shops to close or face retaliation. Even schools shut down. A public statement was issued by the gang criticizing the policing of favelas and accusing politicians of violence against the poor. Luke also has stated that he would like Viva Rio to become more involved with ABC in the future and asked whether we could promote his research and bring this to the attention of MPs at the All Party Parliamentary Group on Street Children when ABC goes to Westminster. Also, prior to my arrival in Rio, I was in contact with Debora Carrari, who was originally put in touch with me through Sonia Gomez- Paratcha. via e-mail. Debora
lives in Florida and has offered to undertake some volunteer work for ABC since she is currently undertaking her Masters' research into conflict resolution and doing a five-week placement at Viva Rio. We meet to discuss possibilities, resulting in me agreeing to forward a range of ABC information. Casa Jimmy All this reminds me that I forget to mention that. when I was previously in Rio. 1 visited A BC"s sister charity— TaskBrasil—which works exclusively there, based in the Santa Teresa neighbourhood. They manage a refuge for abandoned young children, babies and their teenage mothers. The refuge is called Casa Jimmy, after Jimmy Page, ABC's founder Patron, who gave a large sum to buy a vacant building to set the refuge up. There are now planning to further construct and extend the refuge. One of ABC' s supporters, businessman Jon Maguire (Sway plc Chief Executive), has just arranged for two builders to go over and help. ABC has made recent donations to assist in this development as well. Home—Suffolk, UK (Day- 3 March) The days in Brazil have all passed too quickly and now, alas, I find myself back in the office ready to return to my duties behind the desk. But what I have seen and experienced has only served to make me even more determined to continue the work ABC has begun and the difference it is making. The above diary is an account written by England-based Action for Brazil's Children Trust's (ABC) Chief Executive, Mark Ereira, during his two-week visit to Brazil. The purpose for the visit was to meet with contacts and identify volunteers in connection with the following 11 ABC projects helping Brazilian children at risk: Salvador: Abrigo da Mae Preta (Friends of Maria), Circo Picolino, Estrela, Filhos de Bimba Capoeira, Buscape. Casa Teatro Popular LencOis: Graos de Luz, Avante LencOis Recife: Patronato Olinda: Sobe e Desce Fortaleza: Criancas Famintas (Children in Hunger) Mark Pereira is Chief Executive of ABC Trust which was one of the organizations featured in the article "Helping Hand's" in Brazzil's November 2002 edition. He actively oversees the operations of the Trust and maintenance of its philanthropical projects benefitting disadvantaged youth in Brazil. More information on ABC is also available at wwvv.abctrust.org.uk or you may email Mark directly at info@abctrust.org.uk. Jennifer Grant, a regular contributor to Brazzil, collaborated w ith Mark in putting the diary into final form.
BRAZZIL .APRIL 2003
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