Terça-fieta 14th de Julho 2009
So much has been on my mind, mostly time. How time flies, how time goes slow, how time has a time of its own. I am in my third week here and I feel like I should just spend the rest of the year here. My zeal for learning this lovely language called Portuguese grows everyday. If I just had more time here! I have gained a greater appreciation for communication and respect for any person who travels to a country and they do not know the language. I have experiences way to many situations where I wanted to say so much or ask question and I just couldn’t fix my lips to say what I wanted to say or I didn’t know one of the words in my sentence.
..picture taken today for my mom and of course a kissy face..lol
ok back. like i was saying. I usually experience this most during my afternoon class. This brings me to discussing my afternoon classes. Entitled Brazil: Culture and Society class, which I usually have Tuesday and Thursday evenings before the class we have guest professors come in and give amazing lectures. All of the lectures so far have been in Portuguese except one has been English.
I guest the first official one was an introduction to Afro-Brazilian History with Prof. Isabel Cristina ( remember this woman’s name). She works in the history department at the Universoty of Bahia. The title of her presentation was From Slavery to Freedom. She was accompanied by her colleuge Rachel Harding who I believe has her doctoral degree in afro-brazilian history and Creative Writing. Harding is the author of a book called Refuge in thunder (next on my list). Talk about accomplished and successful women…definetly an INSPIRATION TO ME. Now if I talked about everything from the presentation I would use up way to much space so below I have included some amazing points made/ discussed:
· Malungu- the identity claimed by the people who came across the boat with you, these people all experience the same, sister/brother
· Candomblé- is a deep religion that many Brazilians practice in Brazil, “recreation of family time,” a mix between Yoruba religion, Christianity, and Afro-Brazilian of course have made this religion their own.* definitely read more on candomblés!
· Benzala- slave houses
· Resistance of slavery: work sabotage, fugitive, “quiliombos”, suicide, infanticide, slave rebellions, cultural resistance ( candomblé, capoeria, black catholic brother hoods, etc.)
· Quilombo Palmares (1594-1695)- largest slave runaway, had over 30,00 people at one point
· There was a Muslim uprising, “I had no idea!”
· André Rebouças- Bahian founder of the “Sociedade Brasileira Anti Escravidãos” =Brazilian society anti-slaves
· Black Pride & black consciousness spreading now
I asked questions about the culture & identity here, because the first thing I felt here was a unity among afro-Brazilians (And I’m not saying that this is true, its my opinion). Just a sense of who they are and where they came from, the African influence is seen here. BOLDLY& PROUDLY. Caraja are in competition here with McDonalds, that’s crazy to hear. * if you don’t know what a caraja is look it up!!* But I will say there are “popular culture opinions” here like I notice how so many women perm their hairs. Its big in the USA but its big here, and guess what they wrap their hair here too!! I thought that was so tight, and even people who may not have dark skin tone wrap their hair. My host mom Angelica wraps her hair and my friend mom wraps their hair, stocking cap and all!
And how in the movies, magazines, even novelas, all the big media stuff you don’t see dark skin people in them. Maybe one or two, but not on the cover.
In the United States I feel not just African Americans but other Multi racial people have lost their sense of identity. As if we are all waiting for society to just give us our so called identity or culture. We have to take it, claim it, make it our owns, and have pride in it. I feel like in USA we allow our environment to influence who we become.
[inspired by an email I received from Casey J]
I wrote first official class because I feel as if when we visited Capoeira na Academia Madinga Mestre Sabiá e Fred Abreu that was another lecture. Although I could not understand everything Prof. Quicoli did his best (right..) to translate. There they explained how capoeira is a way of life and you make a choice to include it in your life or not. Also talked about the historic aspect of capoeria, how during slavery enslave people would practice capoeria and diguise it as a dance when it was really a martial arts. They were teaching each other how to defend themselves. Just being in the presence in the room with all everyone I felt that it was a very sacred space. Also I found so many similarities between my African dance class with Chris Walker and Capoeria, the obvious: music, the circle, even some of the songs, and the community aspect. There is also a high level of respect and gratitude displayed between all the people their.
….I took the class right after we watched a class, talk about a long night. I really enjoyed myself but I must admit capoeria is NO JOKE! Its really hard! I was so sore the next day! I wanted to come back because I loved the community aspect of being there. I loved the music and the people. The people had smiles on their faces and determination when they entered the circle. I have been twice since then. I also experienced a different type of capoeria called Angola capoeria. It was WAYYY more difficult for me. This type is more close to the ground, slower, lot of strength needed and more freezes ( like in break dancing, standing on heads, etc). I am glad I experienced that class but um.. I don’t think I will be back. I took it with Mestre Jogo de Dentro, he is all about the conservation of Angola capoeria, making sure that it does not become some type of competitive sport.
look mom i braided my hair..lol two braids lol
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