As part of Black History Month celebration, the Department of Modern
Languages and Literatures of Howard University sponsored a program which
focussed on the richness of the culture, arts, letters, as well as the
oppression of Brazilian citizens of African ancestry.
"The goals of the program were to pay tribute to the rich experience of
Brazilian peoples of African ancestry, become aware of their plight, and
hear their cry for help and liberation," stated Rosangela Maria Vieira,
the Brazilian professor in the Department of Modern Languages and
Literatures who organized the seminar. Vieira has developed and
implemented a unique Brazilian Portuguese program at Howard University,
one that is Afrocentric and interdisciplinary in essence; it interconnects
African cultures, letters, and Arts of the Lusophone world.
The seminar, which was held in the Blackburn Gallery Lounge (Howard
University main campus) on Wednesday, February 15th, included a tribute
to the memory of the African Brazilian slave, warrior, and hero, Zumbi of
Palmares. Palmares was one of the African nations founded by Brazilian
runaway slaves; it was sustained in colonial Brazil for over 100 year.
Zumbi, the African hero, and Palmares last leader, fought for freedom
and justice from Portuguese rule in colonial Brazil. He was assassinated
by Luso-Brazilian "bandeirante" forces November 20, 1695. "Bandeirantes"
were the equivalent of modern death squad members; they were hired by the
Brazilian colonial governing elite to capture and/or kill runaway slaves
and indigenous Brazilians. In 1995 Brazilians of African ancestry will
celebrate 300 years of Zumbi's death.
Brazil is the largest country in Latin America and more than 75 percent
of its population is Black, or of African ancestry. The country has the
largest Black population outside of Africa.
"The notion of the Black presence in Brazil is limited because the
country is ruled by a white minority, as was the case in South Africa,"
Vieira said.
However, although the largest segment of Brazil's population is Black,
the bulk of the country's wealth is controlled by a racist white minority
which comprises approximately 10 percent of the population. Consequently,
speakers said, Black Brazilians are deprived very basic necessities.
Black Brazilians are experiencing, "modified enslavement," Harry Johnson,
a student in the Brazilian Portuguese class offered at Howard University,
said. Johnson added that Black Brazilians are in the same predicament
they were in during the years of enslavement, the only difference is that
Black Brazilians do not wear visible chains in present days.
Alysha Cassis, who is also studying Brazilian Portuguese at Howard
University, said Brazil is the eleventh most industrialized nation in
the world, yet living conditions are deplorable, especially for Black
Brazilians. An estimated 69 percent of the population has no public
sanitation; 63 percent do not have safe drinking water; 400,000 die of
curable diseases each year due to poor health facilities, and the
Brazilian infant mortality rate, especially that of Brazilian children
of African ancestry, is one of the highest in the world.
Despite the impoverished status of Black Brazilians, one of the first
mandates of the newly elected president of Brazil, Fernando Henrique
Cardoso (a former college professor and university owner whose research
and publications centered around Black Brazilians), was to approve a 150
percent salary increase for himself and for all his ministers. FHC, as
he is referred to by Brazilians, also required that his salary, and that
of all his ministers, be paid in 15 and not the normal 12 annual
instalments.
Ironically, immediately after this mandate was approved and implemented,
the Brazilian president vetoed legislation which would have increased
the country's minimum wage to approximately $100.00 dollars per month.
Furthermore, this salary increase would have benefited Brazilians of
African ancestry, the majority of the population which earns at or below
the Brazilian monthly minimum wage.
Also highlighted in this seminar honoring Brazilians of African ancestry
and all Blacks in the Lusophone world was the fact that Afro-Brazilians are
often educationally deprived. "Less than two percent of Black Brazilians
attend college, and less than one percent graduate," Vieira said. "There
are only five Black women with Ph.D.s in Brazil, teaching at local
universities."
Brazil is also faced with a serious problem of homeless, orphaned or
runaway children, most of whom are of African ancestry. And these children
are systematically killed by official Brazilian death squads and off duty
policemen. One of the many examples of these killings was the Candelaria
massacre, where seven Brazilian street children, most of whom were Black,
were fired upon, point blank--execution style--and killed while they were
sleeping. As stated by Cassis, in 1994 two of the main investigators
into the death of the Candelaria children were assassinated in the same
manner as did the children, which implies that investigation into the death
of these orphaned and homeless children will not be tolerated in Brazil.
"Of the 50 million 'street kids' worldwide, an estimated 7 million are in
Brazil," Cassis added.
Vieira and Cassis said Black Brazilians must realize their selfworth and
the need to be liberated from their oppression. They also said because
the Brazilian white government will not give Black Brazilians their basic
rights, they have to continue to struggle for them. However, segregation,
exploitation, and the killing of Blacks in Brazil will not stop until the
world community helps, as we did to liberate South Africa.
This program was one of several events organized by the Department of Modern
Languages which spotlighted African heritage in the Lusophone (Portuguese)
world. It also included performances of Brazilian capoeira dance, music,
and Cape Verdean and Angolan poetry. "The program was also a significant
part of student awareness of African cultures in the world, particularly
that of Brazil and Lusophone Africa," stated James Davis, Chairman of Howard
University's Department of Modern Languages and Literatures.
<Respectfully submitted by Kathleen Palombo King, Technical Editor,
The Journal of Afro-Latin American Studies and Literatures-JALAS&L,
pgkpking@cyber.widener.edu>
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