First a synopsis of the synopsis:
The past 2 ½ weeks have been jam-packed full of interesting occurrences, visits, travels, colors, music, people, and lessons… We traveled to the coast of Bahia (a state between Fortaleza and Rio de Janeiro), visited the historical town of Cachoeira for 4 days, and then went to Salvador… Basically, we hung out in Salvador, getting to know the city, its people, the sites, some of the culture and history, etc., as a group for 10 days, and then everyone went on their own to do independent field research projects. Ten of us (incl. me) stayed in Bahia to do our research.
The focus of my research will be the voices and life experiences of 5 young Afro-Brazilian women activists/“militantes” (at CEAFRO, a center of education and citizen development for African-oriented peoples). I want to investigate why they became activists, what and who inspires/influences/drives them to be activists, what obstacles they face(d), and how these compelling voices can empower other young Afro-Brazilian women to take action amid the Brazil’s myth of racial democracy and overt gender placement… Right now, this project is really scary because I have very little guidance, no theoretical framework, and no clue as to how to ask the right questions or do what I’m supposed to do (let alone how to bring it altogether)!… So, that’s what I’m up to, from now until December 6… but now let me attempt to paint for you a picture of the past few weeks.
Bahia: Cachoeira
Bright, solid colors in various shades—yellow, red, blue, beige, white—painted on store and house fronts with Colonial/Portuguese architecture: little metal-caged veranda windows and tall wooden front doors. Cobble-stone streets, churches every 200 yards… Population = 56,000 and 95-99% African descent… Mouth of a river; entrance to the interior. 6 hours by boat or 2 hours by bus (we did both) across the bay from Salvador. A historical port where most African slaves forcefully came before being bought and sold by fazenda (or plantation) owners… Three hundred years after Brazil’s “discovery” (1500), many Africans living in Cachoeira began to organize and lead slave revolts in Salvador. Still today Cachoeira is considered an important center of African heritage and spring for collective action.
Cachoeira is also known for its spiritual richness in Candomblé (an African-based religious tradition) and Catholic syncretism. For example, many Africans practiced their rituals and religious ceremonies behind the façade of Catholicism, bowing down to white saints but worshipping their African deities, in order to protect their spirituality and cultural well-being. On the other hand, many African women managed to pass their true African religious traditions down through the generations and preserve them in their terreiros (or Candomblé worship spaces). We visited two in Cachoeira and one in Salvador. There, fringed white tissue paper hangs from the ceiling, and dried palm frons decorate the corners of the room and the line the doors and windows of the room, and members wear beaded jewelry, white dresses and head wraps… Truthfully, there is no way I can capture everything about this complex religious tradition, its people, its influence on and cultural importance for Afro-Brazilians, or its spiritual exchange… So, I’ll just leave it at that.
Lastly, while in Cachoeira, we stayed in the house of the Sisterhood of Our Lady of Good Death (a well-known example of Catholic syncretism), ate (very well) there, and held our “lectures” there… Even though we didn’t get to meet any of the sisters or witness any of their ceremonies, we enjoyed our time there and, by the time we left, felt like we knew them. Basically, the Sisterhood of Good Death is composed of around 30 older Afro-Brazilian women (average age, 70) who are Candomblé members that worship the death and ascendance of the Virgin Mary… It’s a lot more complex than that, but that’s the best summary I can come up with.
Bahia: Salvador
After 4 days in Cachoeira, we went on a 6-hour boat ride, east, across the bay to the state’s capital, Salvador—the most visited (most exploited) city by tourists in Brazil… at least that’s what I’ve been told and what seems apparent. Regardless, I must confess that tourists have every reason to come. Salvador is beautiful, and its people are generally very friendly, animated, and positive. Like Cachoeira, Salvador’s historic cobble-stone streets are lined with brightly colored Colonial architecture. The whole city doesn’t enjoy this aesthetic richness however. The rest of the city reflects a truer Brazilian reality—poorer infrastructure, lack of finances, absence of institutional support, evidence of survival, diversity of wealth,… You get the picture, no?
During these 10 days together as a group in Salvador, we basically did the following:
-Rented an apartment and hung out a bunch in the Barra neighborhood;
-Enjoyed our most interesting lectures of the semester at CEAFRO (African dance, socio-economic issues of black women, religious intolerance, health, gender and race/ethnicity, the anthropology of solidarity, etc.);
-Attended a public religious ceremony at a well-known Candomblé house—Ilê Axé Opô Afonjá;
-Got to know the historical district, Pelourinho, inside and out… quite the tourist-trap; and
-Visited Project Bahia Street (an org. that helps young girls recognize/value their black identity and works to reinforce their public school education), the Steve Biko Cultural Institute (which does virtually the same thing but for teenagers and other young adults), and Ilê Ayê (a world renown Afro-Brazilian Carnaval “bloco”/group/school based out of the Liberdade neighborhood).
Since the others left to do their independent projects, I moved into my host family’s house, went to the beach with them, did some research, stressed out over the lack of theoretical framework in project…, and attended a reggae festival (Diamba, Tribo de Jah, Adao Negro, Alpha Blondy, Edson Gomes, and Sine Calmon). All in all it’s been great!
What’s my host family like? Afro-Brazilian. Middle-class. Eva, a 40-something mother that’s a spunky hair-dresser and super down-to-earth. Cleono, a 40-something father that works in advertising. Danilo, an 11-year-old brother with whom I share a small bedroom. And Elaine, a 27-year-old cousin that used to work for them but now just lives there and works for a neighboring family. After our first night together, Elaine and I quickly became good friends.
Well, finally, I guess that’s it for now… Today (now, yesterday) is the Day of Black Consciousness, and with 90% of the population Afro-Brazilian, you’d think the entire city of Salvador would take it to the streets! Well, more on this means later… For now I’ve gotta run a join the 3rd annual Black Consciousness march from Liberdade to Pelourinho.
