Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post provides information about Brazil's Axé music and Bahia, Brazil's renown Ilê Aiyê Band.
Information about the meaning of the phrase "ilê aiyê is also included in this post.
In addition, this post showcases three YouTube examples of Ilê Aiyê along with selected comments from those videos.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, folkloric, linguistic, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Brazil's Ilê Aiyê Band for their musical legacy and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publishers of these examples on YouTube.
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INFORMATION ABOUT AXE MUSIC
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ax%C3%A9_(music)
"Axé.... is a popular music genre originated in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil in the 1980s, fusing different Afro-Caribbean genres, such as marcha, reggae, and calypso. It also includes influences of Brazilian music such as frevo, forró and carixada. The word Axé comes from the Yoruba term às̩e̩, meaning “soul, light, spirit or good vibrations”.[1][2] Axé is also present in the Candomblé religion, as “the imagined spiritual power and energy bestowed upon practitioners by the pantheon of orixás”.[1]
Roots and History of Axé
Numerous different African cultures were brought to Brazil due to slavery, which lead to the creation of the vibrancy and complexity of Brazil and its culture. Therefore, several of Brazil’s popular music styles have derived from African cultures and African diasporic influences, including samba, lambada, funk and axé. There is a tendency by Brazilian musicians to draw inspiration and utilize themes, imagery and symbolic symbols from the Candomblé religion and its African roots.[1] Artists such as Gilberto Gil, Vinicius de Moraes, Caetano Veloso, Sergio Mendes, Daniela Mercury, Carlinhos Brown, among others, have all used African culture, religion and symbols as inspirations and lyrics of their songs.[1]
Axé was a fusion of African and Caribbean styles such as merengue, salsa and reggae, as well as being influenced by other Afro-Brazilian musical styles such as frevo and forró. Axé music was labeled in 1980s, but it was already noticeable in the 50s with the incorporation of the “guitarra baiana” (guitar from Bahia).[3] This genre was purely instrumental, and remained so until the 1970s, when Moraes Moreira (of the band Novos Baianos) went solo.
In 1974, carnival in Salvador, Bahia began taking shape. A group of Afro-Brazilians civil rights activists formed Ilê Aiyê, a music ensemble that derived their heavy rhythm from Candomblé’s religious ceremonies. Quickly, Ilê Aiyê gained a huge following, allowing them to influence other artists to incorporate the samba-reggae style and the heavy beats to their music.[3] Groups such as Timbalada, Olodum and Filhos de Gandhi also shared the heavy beats and rhythms with Ilê Aiyê, as well as utilizing African symbols such as typical outfits and instruments that all these bands use to perform. Olodum's rehearsals soon became a starting point for up and coming artists, composers, and music. In these rehearsals, artists presented and experimented with their music, in search for legitimacy from the population.[4]"...
-snip-
"Axé" is written as " às̩e̩" in Yoruba, but is often given as "ashay" or "ashey" in English. These words are pronounced "ah-shay"
Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ase_(Yoruba) for information about Ase.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT BRAZIL'S ILE AIYE BAND
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Il%C3%AA_Aiy%C3%AA
The Afro-Brazilian group Ilê Aiyê was founded in 1974 by Antônio Carlos “Vovô” and Apolônio de Jesus in the neighborhood of Liberdade, the largest black population area of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. The expression stems from Yoruba language (ilê - home; aiyê - life) from may also be interpreted as 'eternal heaven'.
Ilê Aiyê works to raise the consciousness of the Bahian black community. Persecuted by the police and the media during its first years, and still controversial for only allowing blacks to parade with the group, Ilê Aiyê is a renowned element of Bahia’s carnival. The group pioneered the type of carnival group known as the bloco afro, featuring themes from global black cultures and history, and celebrating the aesthetic beauty of black people. All other blocos afros borrow elements originally created by Ilê Aiyê, including such groups founded shortly afterwards, such as Olodum and Malê Debalê.[1]
During Bahian carnival, the group includes hundreds of musicians, dozens of dancers, and thousands of members. They traditionally begin their procession on the Saturday night of Carnaval at the home of the Dos Santos family, where for many years Mãe Hilda de Jitolu, the mother of co-founder Vovô presided as spiritual mother to the group and formal leader of a candomblé. As Ilê Aiyê passes, carnival crowds sing along by the thousands to songs about the importance of African and Afro-Brazilian culture and religion."...
****
WHAT ILE AIYE MEANS
From https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/soc.culture.brazil/shYXj3B59mw
Ayodele Ayetigbo , 9/5/96
"Ile Aye, by its Yoruba literary translation, means the house of the world. Yoruba people of Nigeria, Benin, Sierra-Leone and other countries along the coast of West Africa believe that Aye (world) is one kind of a giant market hall where each human visits to hawk or practise what he believes. At the end of this market activities, Yoruba religion says all humans then return to our original home - heaven (orun) to give account. It is thus said in Yoruba:"
Aye loja, orun ni'le
This means in English: The world is a market while heaven is home. We are all visitors to the world and must at the end return home.
Ile in Yoruba = house
Aye = the world
Ayetigbo - my last name, for a quintessence, means the world has heard. Yoruba believe there is literary and spiritual meanings to names and words. That Ayetigbo, as a character, practises a profession such as communication is therefore not surprising to a Yoruba scholar. The Yoruba carry no social security numbers or cards as practised here in the US. Your name tells all about you.
Ile Aye is significant to us cos that's the only playhouse we can grasp as living beings. The other world, that is, heaven - the real home - is way beyond our physical comprehension This can only be felt or imagined in dreams and other ritualistic engagements. The intrigues, lies, dysinformation, misinformation, thievery, slavery, racism, ethnocentrism and all other bad stuffs humans engage in while on earth, as in a market place, makes "Ile aye" all the more so significant to the followers of Yoruba religion. Yoruba as a religion is being practised in Brazil, Cuba, the US and other parts of the world where people trace their ancestry to the Yoruba of West Africa.
Enough and I hope I have been helpful."
**
Steve Enzer, 9/12/96
..."Not to try to contradict someone who obviously has much more information on the topic than this gringo does, I would just pass on that I do have a CD with a Clara Nunes recording of a song called Ilu Aye, which may or
may not be the same Yoruba phrase, translated (as the title of the song) as "Terra da Vida" - or "Land of Life."
I don't know how that fits in with the rest of the discussion, but I wanted to pass it on.
The recording, by the way, is the MPB disk from the series "Brasil: A Century Of Song" on Blue Jackel (sic) records, which is a great compilation if you happen to see it around. Picked it up last night and I've already played it 3 times... que saudades do Brasil!!!
Steve Enzer
Cambridge
-snip-
More comments about the meaning of "Ile aye" can be found in this pancocojams post: https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/07/similarities-differences-between-yoruba.html Similarities & Differences Between The Yoruba Word "Aiye" ("Aye") And The American Word "Ayee". That post also features comments from the discussion thread of Nigerian Afrobeat artist Davido's 2014 YouTube video "Aye".
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SHOWCASE VIDEOS
Example #1: Ilê Aiyê | Que Bloco É Esse?
Petrobras Published on Feb 8, 2012
http://www.petrobras.com.br/queblocoe
Religião, fé, tradição e muito ritmo: o Ilê Aiyê é a cara da Bahia.
A Petrobras apresenta o primeiro mini-documentário do projeto ´Que Bloco É Esse?´, que conta um pouco da história do ´mais belo dos belos´.
-snip-
Google translate from Portuguese to English
Religion, faith, tradition and a lot of rhythm: Ilê Aiyê is the face of Bahia.
Petrobras presents the first mini-documentary of the project 'Que Bloco É Esse?', Which tells a bit about the history of 'the most beautiful of the beautiful'.
-snip-
Here are four comments from this video's discussion thread:
1. ticiadiasbrasil, 2012
"Antes eu queria ser invisível..., mas tudo mudou,... Foi tremendamente emocionante."
Muito lindo o que ela disse.
Hoje sou uma mulher negra, mas já fui uma menina. Uma menina negra que olhava para suas bonecas loiras e então desejava ser invisível. Eu sei como é se sentir assim. E fico muito feliz que existam iniciativas como estas do Ilê Aiyê que valorizam não só a beleza como também a história do povo negro.
Porque povo que não tem respeito pelo seu passado , não preza pelo seu futuro."
-snip-
Google translate from Portuguese to English
"Before I wanted to be invisible ... but everything changed, ... It was tremendously exciting."
Very beautiful what she said.
Today I am a black woman, but I was a girl. A black girl who looked at her blond dolls and then wanted to be invisible. I know what it feels like to be like this. And I am very happy that there are initiatives like these of Ilê Aiyê that value not only the beauty but also the history of the black people.
Because people who have no respect for their past, do not cherish their future."
****
2. Kiki da Bahia, 2012
"Meus Deus qua saudade da Minha Grande Mãe Banda Aiyê cinto muita falta dela Hoje eu eu moro en Nova York mais cinto fala da minha familia Ile Aiye
Axe Atomico!!! familia Ile Aiye"
-snip-
Google translate from Portuguese to English
'My God misses my Great Mother Banda Aiyê I miss her a lot Today I live in New York more belt speaks of my family Ile Aiye
Powerful Axé!!! Family Ile Aiye"
**
3. Gabriela Jonas Macedo Moreira, 2012
"VIDA LONGA PARA O ILÊ!!!"
-snip-
Google translate from Portuguese to English:
"LONG LIFE FOR THE ILÊ !!!"
**
4. jantyla, 2013
"Gostei do depoimento do Crioulo. Legal o nível de consciência de autoestima que alcançou! Reparem no centramento de alguém que se reconhece, se aceita e se gosta por todo um contexto cultural que muita gente ainda não assimilou, nem compreendeu!"
-snip-
Google translate from Portuguese to English:
"I liked the testimony of the Crioulo. Cool the level of self-esteem consciousness you've achieved! Look at the focus of someone who recognizes, accepts and enjoys a cultural context that many people have not yet assimilated or understood!"
****
Example #2: Ilê Aiyê - Alienação | Desfile | Que Bloco É Esse?
Petrobras Published on Feb 28, 2012
http://www.petrobras.com.br/queblocoe...
O Ilê Aiyê desfila pelas ruas de Salvador cantando a consciência negra desde 1975. Confira o clipe da música "Alienação", produzido pela Petrobras durante o desfile do 'mais belo dos belos' no Carnaval de 2012.
Vem descobrir junto com a gente que bloco é esse!
Quer conhecer mais sobre a história do Ilê Aiyê? Assista o mini-documentário: http://youtu.be/w6yayr0WHA4
Confira também o clipe do Ilê com o rapper Criolo: http://youtu.be/at0dpAA6dm
-snip-
Google translate from Portuguese to English:
"Ilê Aiyê parades through the streets of Salvador singing black consciousness since 1975. Check out the music video "Alienação", produced by Petrobras during the parade of the most beautiful of the beautiful in Carnival 2012.
Come find out with us what block this is!
Want to know more about Ilê Aiyê's history? Watch the mini-documentary: http://youtu.be/w6yayr0WHA4
Check out also Ilê's clip with rapolo Criolo: http://youtu.be/at0dpAA6dm"
****
Example #3: Ilê Aiyê 'Depois Que O Ilê Passar' 'A Força do Ilê' Brasil 500 Anos
olbp Pinheiro Published on Apr 9, 2013
-snip-
Selected comments from this video's discussion thread:
1. Silvia Cristina Serrao, 2014
"Amor ao ilê."
-snip-
Google translate from Portuguese to English:
"Love to the ilê."
**
2. Wagner Wagner, 2016o
"Estou toda arrepiada, salve minha Bahia, salve u ilê, salve os orixas."
-snip-
Google translate from Portuguese to English:
"I'm all shivering, save my Bahia, save my soul, save the orixas."
-snip-
Here's some information about Brazilian orixas:
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candombl%C3%A9#Deities
"Candomblé ...is an Afro-American religious tradition, practiced mainly in Brazil[2] by the "povo do santo" (people of the saint). Candomblé officially originated in Salvador, Bahia at the beginning of the 19th century, when the first temple was founded. Although Candomblé is practiced primarily in Brazil, it is also practiced in other Latin American countries, including Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Venezuela, having as many as two million followers.[2][3]
Candomblé developed in a creolization of traditional Yoruba, Fon, and Bantu beliefs brought from West Africa by enslaved captives in the Portuguese Empire.[2] Between 1549 and 1888, the religion developed in Brazil, influenced by the knowledge of enslaved African priests who continued to teach their mythology, their culture, and language. In addition, Candomblé absorbed elements of Roman Catholicism and includes indigenous American traditions.[2]
As an oral tradition, it does not have holy scriptures.[2] Practitioners of Candomblé believe in a Supreme Creator called Oludumaré, who is served by lesser deities, which are called Orishas.[2][a] Every practitioner is believed to have their own tutelary orisha, which controls his or her destiny and acts as a protector.[2] Music and dance are important parts of Candomblé ceremonies, since the dances enable worshippers to become possessed by the orishas.[2] In the rituals, participants make offerings from the mineral, vegetable, and animal kingdoms....
Candomblé is a polytheistic religion and worships a number of gods:[6]
the orishas of the Yoruba (Ketu nation), spelled Orixás in Portuguese;
the voduns of the Fon and Ewe (Jeje nation); and
the nkisis (minkisi) of the Kongo (Bantu nation).
These deities are believed to have been created by a supreme God, Olodumare[7] (called Zambi by the Kongo people; and Nana Buluku by the Fon people).[7] The orishas and similar figures form a link between the spiritual world and the world of humans.[7]"...
****
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Visitor comments are welcome.
Showing posts with label Brazilian culture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brazilian culture. Show all posts
Friday, July 14, 2017
Tuesday, August 9, 2016
Rafaela Silvas, Brazilian Olympic Gold Medalist & The Song "Metamorfose Ambulante"
Edited by Azizi Powell
This post prsents information about and showcases two videos of Brazilian Rafaela Silva's gold medal win in judo at the 2016 Olympics.
The Addendum to this post showcases a sound file of the song "Metamorfose Ambulante" from the 2002 movie "City Of God".
The content of this post is presented for cultural and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Congratulations to Rafaela Silva and thanks to the composer and performer of this showcased song. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these YouTube examples.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT RAFAELA SILVA
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rafaela_Silva
"Rafaela Lopes Silva (born April 24, 1992) is a Brazilian judoka. She won a gold medal at the 2013 World Judo Championships and at the 2016 Summer Olympics in the –57 kg weight division.
Career
Silva grew up in Cidade de Deus, Rio de Janeiro, primarily playing football on the streets of her neighbourhood. She was first introduced to judo at the age of 7.[2]
Silva won her first major medal by claiming silver at the 2011 World Judo Championships in Paris.[3] During the 2013 World Judo Championships in Rio de Janeiro, Silva became the first Brazilian woman to ever win a gold medal of judo for her country, defeating American Marti Malloy in the final.[4] She repeated the feat at the 2016 Summer Olympics by defeating Mongolian Sumiya Dorjsuren in the final.[5]"
****
INFORMATION ABOUT RAFAELA SLIVA'S OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL
From http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-oly-rio-2016-rafaela-silva-earns-brazil-s-first-gold-1470689220-htmlstory.html Rafaela Silva earns Brazil's first gold medal by winning judo division, Associated Press
"From the favela to the top of the podium, Rafael Silva earned Brazil's first gold medal of the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
Silva, the country's first female world champion in judo, won the 57-kilogram division of the Japanese martial art on Monday as the crowd chanted “Rafa” and waved the green and yellow Brazilian flags.
The 24-year-old Silva beat Sumiya Dorjsuren of Mongolia after two days of disappointment on the mat for Brazil.
She also settled an old Olympic score. At the 2012 London Games, Silva was disqualified for an illegal leg grab during a fight against Hedvig Karakas of Hungary. This time, it was Silva who advanced from their quarterfinal match.
Silva, who is from Brazil's largest favela and trained at a judo dojo founded by former Olympic bronze medalist Flavio Canto, was in top form for much of the day. Her first match lasted only 46 seconds.
“Everybody here knows Rafaela's history,” said Eduardo Colli, a Brazilian fan watching the final in the stands. “This is more than just a medal, it's a victory for poor people. It's hope for all of them.”
The women's bronze medals went to Kaori Matsumoto of Japan — the defending Olympic champion — and Telma Monteiro of Portugal.
With its strong martial arts culture — including many shared techniques between Brazilian jiu jitsu, mixed martial arts and judo — Brazil had been expected to do well early in the judo competition.
But defending Olympic champion Sarah Menezes narrowly lost out on a bronze on Saturday in the 48-kilogram category, and so did Erika Miranda at 52 kilograms on Sunday. "
**
From http://nymag.com/thecut/2016/08/rafaela-silva-won-brazils-first-gold-medal.html August 9, 2016, Rafaela Silva Proved the Haters Wrong and Won Brazil’s First Gold Medal at the Rio Olympics By Theresa Avila
"Rafaela Silva has dealt with plenty of haters during her judo career — including racist online bullies hailing from her own country. In 2012, the 24-year-old faced some ugly, racially charged taunts on social media after she was disqualified from the London Olympics for an illegal leg grab. Things got so bad, she even briefly considered quitting the sport altogether.
Thankfully for Brazil and fans everywhere — she didn't quit. She won. On Monday, Silva won gold while competing in her home country; a win that came with the added distinction of being the first gold medal for Brazil at this year's Olympics.
Silva's win in the 57-kilogram division for judo against Dorjsürengiin Sumiya of Mongolia came after only 47 seconds on the mat. Her win also carried a heavier emotional significance. When she first faced the online racism after the London Olympics, many saw the moment as shedding light on the historical and ongoing racial tensions that the country has struggled with.
Silva's story resonates with some Brazilians, who see her as one with the people. She grew up in one of the country's slums, in a favela plagued with violence, according to the Washington Post. "Everybody here knows Rafaela's history," Eduardo Colli, a Brazilian watching the match, told the Associated Press. "This is more than just a medal, it's a victory for poor people. It's hope for all of them."
Silva long envisioned her moment of glory at the Olympics. The inside of her right biceps features a tattoo of the Olympic rings, according to the New York Times. It's surrounded by a note, which reads in Portuguese: “God knows how much I’ve suffered and what I’ve done to get here."
To "get here," Silva might have taken a short detour. But on Monday, she heard her name ring out from the crowd of Brazilian spectators, who beamed with pride at their new national treasure and Olympian gold medalist."
****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS
Example #1. Rafaela Silva é ouro para o Brasil - Rio 2016 - 08/08/2016 [Rafaela Silva is gold for Brazil]
Mad scientist, Published on Aug 8, 2016
****
Example #2: Rafaela Silva wins Brazil's first gold of the Games in judo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9JVULLlZVE
embedding disabled by request
NBC Sports, Published on Aug 8, 2016
Rafaela Silva takes home Brazil's first gold medal of the Olympics, beating out No.1 Sumiya Dorjsuren of Mongolia.
****
ADDENDUM: SONG FROM THE "CITY OF GOD" MOVIE
City Of God soundtrack , Metamorfose Ambulante
Joker Guy, Published on Jan 14, 2013
I knew there was not a singel good version of this song on Youtube so i decided to upload the song in good quality :). Please enjoy the song from this great film !
-snip-
Here's a comment from this sound file's discussion thread:
thiago pereira, 2014
"A good and suitable translation for "metamorfose ambulante" would be "A Walking Metamorphosis"
Eu prefiro ser essa metamorfose ambulante
(I prefer to be a walking metamorphosis)
do que ter aquela velha opinião formada sobre tudo
(rather than have an old fixed opinion about everything)"
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This post prsents information about and showcases two videos of Brazilian Rafaela Silva's gold medal win in judo at the 2016 Olympics.
The Addendum to this post showcases a sound file of the song "Metamorfose Ambulante" from the 2002 movie "City Of God".
The content of this post is presented for cultural and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Congratulations to Rafaela Silva and thanks to the composer and performer of this showcased song. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these YouTube examples.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT RAFAELA SILVA
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rafaela_Silva
"Rafaela Lopes Silva (born April 24, 1992) is a Brazilian judoka. She won a gold medal at the 2013 World Judo Championships and at the 2016 Summer Olympics in the –57 kg weight division.
Career
Silva grew up in Cidade de Deus, Rio de Janeiro, primarily playing football on the streets of her neighbourhood. She was first introduced to judo at the age of 7.[2]
Silva won her first major medal by claiming silver at the 2011 World Judo Championships in Paris.[3] During the 2013 World Judo Championships in Rio de Janeiro, Silva became the first Brazilian woman to ever win a gold medal of judo for her country, defeating American Marti Malloy in the final.[4] She repeated the feat at the 2016 Summer Olympics by defeating Mongolian Sumiya Dorjsuren in the final.[5]"
****
INFORMATION ABOUT RAFAELA SLIVA'S OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL
From http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-oly-rio-2016-rafaela-silva-earns-brazil-s-first-gold-1470689220-htmlstory.html Rafaela Silva earns Brazil's first gold medal by winning judo division, Associated Press
"From the favela to the top of the podium, Rafael Silva earned Brazil's first gold medal of the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
Silva, the country's first female world champion in judo, won the 57-kilogram division of the Japanese martial art on Monday as the crowd chanted “Rafa” and waved the green and yellow Brazilian flags.
The 24-year-old Silva beat Sumiya Dorjsuren of Mongolia after two days of disappointment on the mat for Brazil.
She also settled an old Olympic score. At the 2012 London Games, Silva was disqualified for an illegal leg grab during a fight against Hedvig Karakas of Hungary. This time, it was Silva who advanced from their quarterfinal match.
Silva, who is from Brazil's largest favela and trained at a judo dojo founded by former Olympic bronze medalist Flavio Canto, was in top form for much of the day. Her first match lasted only 46 seconds.
“Everybody here knows Rafaela's history,” said Eduardo Colli, a Brazilian fan watching the final in the stands. “This is more than just a medal, it's a victory for poor people. It's hope for all of them.”
The women's bronze medals went to Kaori Matsumoto of Japan — the defending Olympic champion — and Telma Monteiro of Portugal.
With its strong martial arts culture — including many shared techniques between Brazilian jiu jitsu, mixed martial arts and judo — Brazil had been expected to do well early in the judo competition.
But defending Olympic champion Sarah Menezes narrowly lost out on a bronze on Saturday in the 48-kilogram category, and so did Erika Miranda at 52 kilograms on Sunday. "
**
From http://nymag.com/thecut/2016/08/rafaela-silva-won-brazils-first-gold-medal.html August 9, 2016, Rafaela Silva Proved the Haters Wrong and Won Brazil’s First Gold Medal at the Rio Olympics By Theresa Avila
"Rafaela Silva has dealt with plenty of haters during her judo career — including racist online bullies hailing from her own country. In 2012, the 24-year-old faced some ugly, racially charged taunts on social media after she was disqualified from the London Olympics for an illegal leg grab. Things got so bad, she even briefly considered quitting the sport altogether.
Thankfully for Brazil and fans everywhere — she didn't quit. She won. On Monday, Silva won gold while competing in her home country; a win that came with the added distinction of being the first gold medal for Brazil at this year's Olympics.
Silva's win in the 57-kilogram division for judo against Dorjsürengiin Sumiya of Mongolia came after only 47 seconds on the mat. Her win also carried a heavier emotional significance. When she first faced the online racism after the London Olympics, many saw the moment as shedding light on the historical and ongoing racial tensions that the country has struggled with.
Silva's story resonates with some Brazilians, who see her as one with the people. She grew up in one of the country's slums, in a favela plagued with violence, according to the Washington Post. "Everybody here knows Rafaela's history," Eduardo Colli, a Brazilian watching the match, told the Associated Press. "This is more than just a medal, it's a victory for poor people. It's hope for all of them."
Silva long envisioned her moment of glory at the Olympics. The inside of her right biceps features a tattoo of the Olympic rings, according to the New York Times. It's surrounded by a note, which reads in Portuguese: “God knows how much I’ve suffered and what I’ve done to get here."
To "get here," Silva might have taken a short detour. But on Monday, she heard her name ring out from the crowd of Brazilian spectators, who beamed with pride at their new national treasure and Olympian gold medalist."
****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS
Example #1. Rafaela Silva é ouro para o Brasil - Rio 2016 - 08/08/2016 [Rafaela Silva is gold for Brazil]
Mad scientist, Published on Aug 8, 2016
****
Example #2: Rafaela Silva wins Brazil's first gold of the Games in judo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9JVULLlZVE
embedding disabled by request
NBC Sports, Published on Aug 8, 2016
Rafaela Silva takes home Brazil's first gold medal of the Olympics, beating out No.1 Sumiya Dorjsuren of Mongolia.
****
ADDENDUM: SONG FROM THE "CITY OF GOD" MOVIE
City Of God soundtrack , Metamorfose Ambulante
Joker Guy, Published on Jan 14, 2013
I knew there was not a singel good version of this song on Youtube so i decided to upload the song in good quality :). Please enjoy the song from this great film !
-snip-
Here's a comment from this sound file's discussion thread:
thiago pereira, 2014
"A good and suitable translation for "metamorfose ambulante" would be "A Walking Metamorphosis"
Eu prefiro ser essa metamorfose ambulante
(I prefer to be a walking metamorphosis)
do que ter aquela velha opinião formada sobre tudo
(rather than have an old fixed opinion about everything)"
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Thursday, January 14, 2016
Race In Brazil & Brazil's Rising Black Pride Movement (information & videos)
Edited by Azizi Powell
This post provides excerpts from several articles about race in Brazil and Brazil's rising Black pride movement. Four videos on those subjects are also showcased in this post.
The content of this post is presented for cultural and sociological purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
****
ARTICLES ABOUT RACE AND THE BLACK PRIDE MOVEMENT IN BRAZIL
From http://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2015/08/12/431244962/dark-skinned-or-black-how-afro-brazilians-are-forging-a-collective-identity Dark-Skinned Or Black? How Afro-Brazilians Are Forging A Collective Identity, Updated August 14, 2015
"If you want to get a sense of how complex racial identity is in Brazil, you should meet sisters Francine and Fernanda Gravina. Both have the same mother and father. Francine, 28, is blond with green eyes and white skin. She wouldn't look out of place in Iceland. But Fernanda, 23, has milk chocolate skin with coffee colored eyes and hair. Francine describes herself as white, whereas Fernanda says she's morena, or brown-skinned.
"We'd always get questions like, 'How can you be so dark skinned and she's so fair?'" Fernanda says. In fact, the sisters have German, Italian, African and indigenous ancestry. But in Brazil, Fernanda explains, people describe themselves by color, not race, since nearly everyone here is mixed...
Criolla, an advocacy group for black women, says the goal of [a march by Black women in Rio de Janeiro] is to show that Brazil is a black nation, largely populated black and African Brazilians. "We need to fight racism and not to hide it,"[Jurema Werneck, a demonstrator who works for Criolla] says.
She's been participating in the black pride movement for over 15 years. And it seems to be working, she says, because the number of people self identifying as pardo or preto* surged in the latest census.
And more importantly, lawmakers are beginning to pay more attention to issues of inequality. Brazil now has an affirmative action program for higher education. Before the program launched, only seven percent of Afro-Brazilians went to college. Now it's about 15 percent, and the numbers are growing.
Werneck says the black pride movement is also lobbying to change the next census in 2020 to include the word black. Pardo and preto, she says, are euphemisms. Afro-Brazilians should take a cue from African-Americans, she says, and broadcast to society that they're black and proud.
All of that is to say, collecting demographic information in Brazil has been really tricky. The latest census, taken in 2010, found for the first time that Brazil has the most people of African descent outside Africa. No, this doesn't mean that Afro-Brazilian population suddenly, dramatically increased. Rather, the new figures reflect changing attitudes about race and skin color in Brazil.
Racial mixing came about early in Brazil's history. Brazil imported more enslaved people than anywhere else in the Americas — some four million — and slavery lasted longer there than anywhere else in the region. The white Portuguese colonizers were encouraged to "mingle" with the locals. Plainly speaking, this meant that they raped many African and indigenous women.
The result is a vast mixed-race population, which has been added to over the years with successive migrations from Japan and Europe.
Unlike the U.S., where slavery was followed by legal segregation, Brazil never had a formal system of apartheid, says Rosana Heringer, a sociologist at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro who studies race and the African diaspora. Still, there is a color hierarchy in Brazil, Heringer says. Consistent data shows that darker Brazilians are poorer, and they're more likely to be killed and live in slums, called favelas.
...the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics …organizes the national census every decade. These days there are five formal color categories in the census: indigenous, yellow, white, pardo (or brown) and preto, or dark-skinned, Petruccelli says. The word black doesn't appear anywhere in the list.
"There is a totally different system here than in the U.S., where one drop of black blood makes you black independent of appearance,"[ Luis Petruccelli, a former lead researcher for 20 years] says. In Brazil, it's about how you'd like to classify yourself, and how others see you. The problem, he says, is that Afro-Brazilians have no sense of collective identity, which makes it difficult to address the very real problem of racism and racial inequality in the country.
But lately, that's starting to change, and the black pride movement in Brazil is growing."
-snip-
*From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afro-Brazilians
"Afro-Brazilians is a term used in the 21st century by some in Brazil to refer to Brazilian people with African ancestry. The term does not have widespread use in Brazil, where social constructs and classifications have been based on appearance. People with noticeable African features and skin color are generally referred to (and they identify) as negro or "preto" ("black"). Many members of another group of people, multiracial Brazilians, or pardos, also have a range of degree of African ancestry.[3][4]
Preto and pardo are among five color categories used by the Brazilian Census, along with branco ("white"), amarelo ("yellow", East Asian) and indígena (Amerindian).[5] In 2010, 7.6% of the Brazilian population, some 15 million people, identified as "preto," while 43% (86 million) identified as "pardo". Pretos tend to be predominantly African in ancestry, while pardos tend to have a lesser percentage of African ancestry. On average pardos are predominantly European, with African or Native American ancestries[6]"...
-snip-
My sense is that some Brazilians of African descent would disagree with this definition of "pardo".
****
From http://blackwomenofbrazil.co/2016/01/07/african-oriented-market-is-growing-despite-the-economic-crisis/ African-oriented market is growing despite the economic crisis By Maíra Azevedo
The ‘mercado negro’ (black market) has proven to be quite lucrative. No, the statement does not refer to any illicit practice. It is that the sale of products and services for the Afro-oriented community is among the segments that continue to grow despite the crisis.
“There is a redemption of the meaning of being black. One doesn’t wait anymore for standardization, but the appreciation of differences. Blacks, historically excluded, want to be seen. They consume and are entrepreneurs,” says sociologist Felipe Rocha.
Owner of a swimwear brand for 4 years, Cynthia Paixão, 30, says she is keen to put something on the pieces to reaffirm the identity of black women, whether in the cuts, that appreciate shapes, or in ethnic prints...
For the economist George Oliveira, because of racism, blacks are used to creating alternatives for survival. “Services and beauty products for blacks are up,” he attests.
Besides being a businesswoman, Cynthia Paixão carries on her head a crown. She was the Deusa do Ébano (Ebony Goddess) of Ilê Aiyê, in 2014, and says that this greatly influenced her choices.
“When I was rainha (queen) of Ilê, I could broaden my vision. I learned how to position myself on a cruel and judgmental society. I was the first gordinha (chubby) candidate and it broke many barriers. Today, I’m a reference for many women and I am happy to represent all,” says the businesswoman.
Self-esteem
Bracelets, turbans, earrings, necklaces. If you have something that reaffirms the beauty of being negão (big, black man), then it will be one of the most popular objects of Najara Souza’s store, better known as Najara Black. Her brand – N’Black – became a reference for those seeking to buy accessories and clothing attesting to racial pride.”...
****
From http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2014/06/black_power_in_brazil_means_natural_hair.html
Black Power in Brazil Means Natural Hair By: Dion Rabouin
Posted: June 26 2014
"The pride in blackness that migrated from African Americans in the U.S. brought big Afros and a natural style that has become a movement in Brazil
Black power is big in Brazil.
In the United States, black power is most associated with raised fists, social revolution and political demands. When Americans think “black power,” they generally think about the movement named and popularized in the 1960s by Southern Christian Leadership Conference founder and Black Panther Stokely Carmichael.
The concept of black power spread through the music of James Brown and Curtis Mayfield, the trial of Angela Davis, the speeches of Malcolm X and the food drives hosted by the Panthers. The movement was able to transcend boundaries. The music, culture and pride that were emanating from African Americans also began to gain popularity with young black Brazilians.
But when Brazilians saw African Americans taking pride in their blackness, owning it and wearing it with gusto, what they most identified with about the culture was the hair that many of the men and women wore: Afros.
Today in Brazil, when folks talk about black power, their symbol is their hair—natural hair. For Afro-Brazilians in general but black women especially, to wear an Afro or to wear their hair naturally is to wear black power.
“Many women [who wear] black power are adhering to the culture, others for political attitude, but there are also those who wear it simply because it is stylish and on point,” says Danielle Cipriane."...
A number of other groups have sprouted a challenge to Brazil’s preponderance of straight hair and are advocating for a quarantine on chemicals. One of the best-known is Meninas Black Power, or Afro Girls, a group founded by Elida Aquino to empower young girls to embrace their natural hair. Aquino started Meninas Black Power while she was a student studying nursing and midwifery in Rio de Janeiro. The name is “a mix of femininity and the strength that we extracted from our ancestry,” she says.
“Meninas Black Power was created to bring together Afro-Brazilian women with different backgrounds who understand that naturally curly hair is also a weapon of political positioning,” says Aquino.
Hair as political positioning or protest is nothing new for Brazil’s black population. American black power and black soul came to impact much of the country’s culture in the 1970s and 1980s, despite the existence of a military dictatorship until 1985. In Rio de Janeiro’s historically poor North Zone, young people started throwing parties with protest themes straight from Oakland or Los Angeles in California or Harlem in New York, which led to the importing of black music, literature and style from the U.S."...
****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS
These videos are presented in chronological order based on their publishing date on YouTube with the oldest dated video given first.
A number of commenters in some of these videos' discussion thread object to narrators' terminology about "slave ancestors" instead of "African ancestors" or "enslaved African ancestors. I agree with this objection.
Examples #1: The Revival of Brazil's African Culture
Journeyman Pictures, Uploaded on Aug 28, 2007
Black Brazil (2006): It's a religious festival like no other, featuring skimpy bikinis and non-stop drinking and dancing. But for black Brazilians, the festival of Yemanja is as much about spirituality as partying.
For downloads and more information visit http://journeyman.tv/56874/short-film...
"Today the party is for Yemanja, Queen of the Ocean", explains Carlinhos Brown. Candomble, the worship of African Gods, is at the centre of a revival of Afro-Brazilian culture. It aims at recognising the contribution slaves made to modern Brazil and restoring black pride in a city where most black people live in abject poverty...
-snip-
snip-
Here's information about Yemanya from http://www.thaliatook.com/AMGG/yemaya.php:
"Yemaya is the Yorùbá Orisha or Goddess of the living Ocean, considered the mother of all. She is the source of all the waters, including the rivers of western Africa, especially the River Ogun. Her name is a contraction of Yey Omo Eja, which means "Mother Whose Children are the Fish." As all life is thought to have begun in the sea, all life is held to have begun with Yemaya. She is motherly and strongly protective, and cares deeply for all Her children, comforting them and cleansing them of sorrow. She is said to be able to cure infertility in women, and cowrie shells represent Her wealth. She does not easily lose Her temper, but when angered She can be quite destructive and violent, as the sea in a storm.
Yemaya was brought to the New World with the African diaspora and She is now worshipped in many cultures besides Her original Africa. In Brazilian Candomblé, where She is known as Yemanja or Imanje, She is the Sea Mother who brings fish to the fishermen, and the crescent moon is Her sign. As Yemanja Afodo, also of Brazil, She protects boats travelling on the sea and grants safe passage"...
****
Example #2: Brazil's Battle Against An Unofficial Apartheid
Journeyman Pictures, Uploaded on Oct 17, 2007
Black Pride (1996): Watch as people sway to the drumbeats of Carnival, marching on a wave of music through the streets of Brazil.
****
Example #3: Brazilian black and mixed-race people discriminated
FRANCE 24 English, Uploaded on Dec 8, 2008
REPORTAGE : Brazil is one of the most racially-mixed countries on the planet: half the population has African origins. Yet black and mixed-race people suffer discrimination. Many are fighting for better recognition of this "invisible majority".
****
Example #4: CULTNE - Miss Blackpower Brazil Contest 2014
Cultne Acervo, Published on Dec 19, 2014
Maria Priscila was elected Miss Black Power / 2014 on November 8, 2014, in the Lapa neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro. With inicitaiva Di Black Market, the Cultne Collection recorded the event with images and interviews of Filo Filho and Pedro Oliveira.
Were elected Elaine Serafim, Third Princess Black Power; Jaciene Silva the Second Princess Black Power; and Mary Priscilla as Miss Blackpower 2014. The contest held by the Third Edition of Black Di Market (african - entrepreneurial connection from various parts of Brazil), was designed by Paula jet and Isabel Freitas, Salvador .
The Miss Black Power, says Paula jet, "does not want a single beauty standard - women of all heights, weights and shapes must fit - and neither sees the competition itself , but aims to exalt black using natural hair , breaking the model of a European social standard that does not value the natural traits of black women and force them to transform their hair aesthetics in exchange for acceptance in various social spaces, such as market work. The 1 Miss Black's Brazil is a place of affirmation of identities and strengthening our ethnic and racial diversity. Created as an opportune time for protesting in a different way, bringing an appeal through aesthetics against the abuses we suffer iariamente with racism for being black women and we assume our hair. "
Among the 12 finalists candidates from various parts of Brazil, Maria Priscila, 31, Bahia de Feira de Santana and resident in Rio de Janeiro, teacher and pedagogue, passed by a vote over the Internet, the scrutiny of the emblematic juror, paraded, danced, and had to prove beyond gorgeous black power has knowledge about their African roots in answering the questions of the judges!
So that's it, my people, we now have a Miss Black Power and two princesses, the order MARIA PRISCILA (Feira de Santana / Ba), JACIENE SILVA (Salvador / Ba) and ELAINE SERAFIM (Belo Horizonte / MG ). Who wants to know more about the reign of them by 2015 just follow the page of Mercado di Preta and Movimento e Mídia, on facebook.
Before, with all affection, I note here the participation of our dear Griot, Vanda Ferreira, who blessed all the candidates at the opening of the competition and the jury who donated some of their respective trajectories with much generosity and commitment making this contest one historic and very lovemaking . Our applause to:
1- Alessandra Mattos (Rio de Janeiro - RJ) | Developer Blog Black & Gorda.
2. Asfilófio de Oliveira Filho ( Rio de Janeiro - RJ) | Cultural Producer
3. Cassia Marino (Rio de Janeiro - RJ | Entrepreneur and Owner of Salon Beauties Black Iporinchê
4 . Monica Francisco (Rio de Janeiro - RJ) | Columnist Journal of Brazil and consultant in ASPLANDE NGOs
5. Naymare Azevedo (Natal - RN) | Management in Public Policy and Cultural Production
6. Prof. Dr. Helio Santos (Belo Horizonte - MG) | Author, Intellectual and President of the Baobab Tree Fund
8. Veluma Nunes (Rio de Janeiro - RJ) | Model and Actress .
9. Anna Davies (Rio de Janeiro - RJ) | Journalist
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This post provides excerpts from several articles about race in Brazil and Brazil's rising Black pride movement. Four videos on those subjects are also showcased in this post.
The content of this post is presented for cultural and sociological purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
****
ARTICLES ABOUT RACE AND THE BLACK PRIDE MOVEMENT IN BRAZIL
From http://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2015/08/12/431244962/dark-skinned-or-black-how-afro-brazilians-are-forging-a-collective-identity Dark-Skinned Or Black? How Afro-Brazilians Are Forging A Collective Identity, Updated August 14, 2015
"If you want to get a sense of how complex racial identity is in Brazil, you should meet sisters Francine and Fernanda Gravina. Both have the same mother and father. Francine, 28, is blond with green eyes and white skin. She wouldn't look out of place in Iceland. But Fernanda, 23, has milk chocolate skin with coffee colored eyes and hair. Francine describes herself as white, whereas Fernanda says she's morena, or brown-skinned.
"We'd always get questions like, 'How can you be so dark skinned and she's so fair?'" Fernanda says. In fact, the sisters have German, Italian, African and indigenous ancestry. But in Brazil, Fernanda explains, people describe themselves by color, not race, since nearly everyone here is mixed...
Criolla, an advocacy group for black women, says the goal of [a march by Black women in Rio de Janeiro] is to show that Brazil is a black nation, largely populated black and African Brazilians. "We need to fight racism and not to hide it,"[Jurema Werneck, a demonstrator who works for Criolla] says.
She's been participating in the black pride movement for over 15 years. And it seems to be working, she says, because the number of people self identifying as pardo or preto* surged in the latest census.
And more importantly, lawmakers are beginning to pay more attention to issues of inequality. Brazil now has an affirmative action program for higher education. Before the program launched, only seven percent of Afro-Brazilians went to college. Now it's about 15 percent, and the numbers are growing.
Werneck says the black pride movement is also lobbying to change the next census in 2020 to include the word black. Pardo and preto, she says, are euphemisms. Afro-Brazilians should take a cue from African-Americans, she says, and broadcast to society that they're black and proud.
All of that is to say, collecting demographic information in Brazil has been really tricky. The latest census, taken in 2010, found for the first time that Brazil has the most people of African descent outside Africa. No, this doesn't mean that Afro-Brazilian population suddenly, dramatically increased. Rather, the new figures reflect changing attitudes about race and skin color in Brazil.
Racial mixing came about early in Brazil's history. Brazil imported more enslaved people than anywhere else in the Americas — some four million — and slavery lasted longer there than anywhere else in the region. The white Portuguese colonizers were encouraged to "mingle" with the locals. Plainly speaking, this meant that they raped many African and indigenous women.
The result is a vast mixed-race population, which has been added to over the years with successive migrations from Japan and Europe.
Unlike the U.S., where slavery was followed by legal segregation, Brazil never had a formal system of apartheid, says Rosana Heringer, a sociologist at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro who studies race and the African diaspora. Still, there is a color hierarchy in Brazil, Heringer says. Consistent data shows that darker Brazilians are poorer, and they're more likely to be killed and live in slums, called favelas.
...the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics …organizes the national census every decade. These days there are five formal color categories in the census: indigenous, yellow, white, pardo (or brown) and preto, or dark-skinned, Petruccelli says. The word black doesn't appear anywhere in the list.
"There is a totally different system here than in the U.S., where one drop of black blood makes you black independent of appearance,"[ Luis Petruccelli, a former lead researcher for 20 years] says. In Brazil, it's about how you'd like to classify yourself, and how others see you. The problem, he says, is that Afro-Brazilians have no sense of collective identity, which makes it difficult to address the very real problem of racism and racial inequality in the country.
But lately, that's starting to change, and the black pride movement in Brazil is growing."
-snip-
*From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afro-Brazilians
"Afro-Brazilians is a term used in the 21st century by some in Brazil to refer to Brazilian people with African ancestry. The term does not have widespread use in Brazil, where social constructs and classifications have been based on appearance. People with noticeable African features and skin color are generally referred to (and they identify) as negro or "preto" ("black"). Many members of another group of people, multiracial Brazilians, or pardos, also have a range of degree of African ancestry.[3][4]
Preto and pardo are among five color categories used by the Brazilian Census, along with branco ("white"), amarelo ("yellow", East Asian) and indígena (Amerindian).[5] In 2010, 7.6% of the Brazilian population, some 15 million people, identified as "preto," while 43% (86 million) identified as "pardo". Pretos tend to be predominantly African in ancestry, while pardos tend to have a lesser percentage of African ancestry. On average pardos are predominantly European, with African or Native American ancestries[6]"...
-snip-
My sense is that some Brazilians of African descent would disagree with this definition of "pardo".
****
From http://blackwomenofbrazil.co/2016/01/07/african-oriented-market-is-growing-despite-the-economic-crisis/ African-oriented market is growing despite the economic crisis By Maíra Azevedo
The ‘mercado negro’ (black market) has proven to be quite lucrative. No, the statement does not refer to any illicit practice. It is that the sale of products and services for the Afro-oriented community is among the segments that continue to grow despite the crisis.
“There is a redemption of the meaning of being black. One doesn’t wait anymore for standardization, but the appreciation of differences. Blacks, historically excluded, want to be seen. They consume and are entrepreneurs,” says sociologist Felipe Rocha.
Owner of a swimwear brand for 4 years, Cynthia Paixão, 30, says she is keen to put something on the pieces to reaffirm the identity of black women, whether in the cuts, that appreciate shapes, or in ethnic prints...
For the economist George Oliveira, because of racism, blacks are used to creating alternatives for survival. “Services and beauty products for blacks are up,” he attests.
Besides being a businesswoman, Cynthia Paixão carries on her head a crown. She was the Deusa do Ébano (Ebony Goddess) of Ilê Aiyê, in 2014, and says that this greatly influenced her choices.
“When I was rainha (queen) of Ilê, I could broaden my vision. I learned how to position myself on a cruel and judgmental society. I was the first gordinha (chubby) candidate and it broke many barriers. Today, I’m a reference for many women and I am happy to represent all,” says the businesswoman.
Self-esteem
Bracelets, turbans, earrings, necklaces. If you have something that reaffirms the beauty of being negão (big, black man), then it will be one of the most popular objects of Najara Souza’s store, better known as Najara Black. Her brand – N’Black – became a reference for those seeking to buy accessories and clothing attesting to racial pride.”...
****
From http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2014/06/black_power_in_brazil_means_natural_hair.html
Black Power in Brazil Means Natural Hair By: Dion Rabouin
Posted: June 26 2014
"The pride in blackness that migrated from African Americans in the U.S. brought big Afros and a natural style that has become a movement in Brazil
Black power is big in Brazil.
In the United States, black power is most associated with raised fists, social revolution and political demands. When Americans think “black power,” they generally think about the movement named and popularized in the 1960s by Southern Christian Leadership Conference founder and Black Panther Stokely Carmichael.
The concept of black power spread through the music of James Brown and Curtis Mayfield, the trial of Angela Davis, the speeches of Malcolm X and the food drives hosted by the Panthers. The movement was able to transcend boundaries. The music, culture and pride that were emanating from African Americans also began to gain popularity with young black Brazilians.
But when Brazilians saw African Americans taking pride in their blackness, owning it and wearing it with gusto, what they most identified with about the culture was the hair that many of the men and women wore: Afros.
Today in Brazil, when folks talk about black power, their symbol is their hair—natural hair. For Afro-Brazilians in general but black women especially, to wear an Afro or to wear their hair naturally is to wear black power.
“Many women [who wear] black power are adhering to the culture, others for political attitude, but there are also those who wear it simply because it is stylish and on point,” says Danielle Cipriane."...
A number of other groups have sprouted a challenge to Brazil’s preponderance of straight hair and are advocating for a quarantine on chemicals. One of the best-known is Meninas Black Power, or Afro Girls, a group founded by Elida Aquino to empower young girls to embrace their natural hair. Aquino started Meninas Black Power while she was a student studying nursing and midwifery in Rio de Janeiro. The name is “a mix of femininity and the strength that we extracted from our ancestry,” she says.
“Meninas Black Power was created to bring together Afro-Brazilian women with different backgrounds who understand that naturally curly hair is also a weapon of political positioning,” says Aquino.
Hair as political positioning or protest is nothing new for Brazil’s black population. American black power and black soul came to impact much of the country’s culture in the 1970s and 1980s, despite the existence of a military dictatorship until 1985. In Rio de Janeiro’s historically poor North Zone, young people started throwing parties with protest themes straight from Oakland or Los Angeles in California or Harlem in New York, which led to the importing of black music, literature and style from the U.S."...
****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS
These videos are presented in chronological order based on their publishing date on YouTube with the oldest dated video given first.
A number of commenters in some of these videos' discussion thread object to narrators' terminology about "slave ancestors" instead of "African ancestors" or "enslaved African ancestors. I agree with this objection.
Examples #1: The Revival of Brazil's African Culture
Journeyman Pictures, Uploaded on Aug 28, 2007
Black Brazil (2006): It's a religious festival like no other, featuring skimpy bikinis and non-stop drinking and dancing. But for black Brazilians, the festival of Yemanja is as much about spirituality as partying.
For downloads and more information visit http://journeyman.tv/56874/short-film...
"Today the party is for Yemanja, Queen of the Ocean", explains Carlinhos Brown. Candomble, the worship of African Gods, is at the centre of a revival of Afro-Brazilian culture. It aims at recognising the contribution slaves made to modern Brazil and restoring black pride in a city where most black people live in abject poverty...
-snip-
snip-
Here's information about Yemanya from http://www.thaliatook.com/AMGG/yemaya.php:
"Yemaya is the Yorùbá Orisha or Goddess of the living Ocean, considered the mother of all. She is the source of all the waters, including the rivers of western Africa, especially the River Ogun. Her name is a contraction of Yey Omo Eja, which means "Mother Whose Children are the Fish." As all life is thought to have begun in the sea, all life is held to have begun with Yemaya. She is motherly and strongly protective, and cares deeply for all Her children, comforting them and cleansing them of sorrow. She is said to be able to cure infertility in women, and cowrie shells represent Her wealth. She does not easily lose Her temper, but when angered She can be quite destructive and violent, as the sea in a storm.
Yemaya was brought to the New World with the African diaspora and She is now worshipped in many cultures besides Her original Africa. In Brazilian Candomblé, where She is known as Yemanja or Imanje, She is the Sea Mother who brings fish to the fishermen, and the crescent moon is Her sign. As Yemanja Afodo, also of Brazil, She protects boats travelling on the sea and grants safe passage"...
****
Example #2: Brazil's Battle Against An Unofficial Apartheid
Journeyman Pictures, Uploaded on Oct 17, 2007
Black Pride (1996): Watch as people sway to the drumbeats of Carnival, marching on a wave of music through the streets of Brazil.
****
Example #3: Brazilian black and mixed-race people discriminated
FRANCE 24 English, Uploaded on Dec 8, 2008
REPORTAGE : Brazil is one of the most racially-mixed countries on the planet: half the population has African origins. Yet black and mixed-race people suffer discrimination. Many are fighting for better recognition of this "invisible majority".
****
Example #4: CULTNE - Miss Blackpower Brazil Contest 2014
Cultne Acervo, Published on Dec 19, 2014
Maria Priscila was elected Miss Black Power / 2014 on November 8, 2014, in the Lapa neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro. With inicitaiva Di Black Market, the Cultne Collection recorded the event with images and interviews of Filo Filho and Pedro Oliveira.
Were elected Elaine Serafim, Third Princess Black Power; Jaciene Silva the Second Princess Black Power; and Mary Priscilla as Miss Blackpower 2014. The contest held by the Third Edition of Black Di Market (african - entrepreneurial connection from various parts of Brazil), was designed by Paula jet and Isabel Freitas, Salvador .
The Miss Black Power, says Paula jet, "does not want a single beauty standard - women of all heights, weights and shapes must fit - and neither sees the competition itself , but aims to exalt black using natural hair , breaking the model of a European social standard that does not value the natural traits of black women and force them to transform their hair aesthetics in exchange for acceptance in various social spaces, such as market work. The 1 Miss Black's Brazil is a place of affirmation of identities and strengthening our ethnic and racial diversity. Created as an opportune time for protesting in a different way, bringing an appeal through aesthetics against the abuses we suffer iariamente with racism for being black women and we assume our hair. "
Among the 12 finalists candidates from various parts of Brazil, Maria Priscila, 31, Bahia de Feira de Santana and resident in Rio de Janeiro, teacher and pedagogue, passed by a vote over the Internet, the scrutiny of the emblematic juror, paraded, danced, and had to prove beyond gorgeous black power has knowledge about their African roots in answering the questions of the judges!
So that's it, my people, we now have a Miss Black Power and two princesses, the order MARIA PRISCILA (Feira de Santana / Ba), JACIENE SILVA (Salvador / Ba) and ELAINE SERAFIM (Belo Horizonte / MG ). Who wants to know more about the reign of them by 2015 just follow the page of Mercado di Preta and Movimento e Mídia, on facebook.
Before, with all affection, I note here the participation of our dear Griot, Vanda Ferreira, who blessed all the candidates at the opening of the competition and the jury who donated some of their respective trajectories with much generosity and commitment making this contest one historic and very lovemaking . Our applause to:
1- Alessandra Mattos (Rio de Janeiro - RJ) | Developer Blog Black & Gorda.
2. Asfilófio de Oliveira Filho ( Rio de Janeiro - RJ) | Cultural Producer
3. Cassia Marino (Rio de Janeiro - RJ | Entrepreneur and Owner of Salon Beauties Black Iporinchê
4 . Monica Francisco (Rio de Janeiro - RJ) | Columnist Journal of Brazil and consultant in ASPLANDE NGOs
5. Naymare Azevedo (Natal - RN) | Management in Public Policy and Cultural Production
6. Prof. Dr. Helio Santos (Belo Horizonte - MG) | Author, Intellectual and President of the Baobab Tree Fund
8. Veluma Nunes (Rio de Janeiro - RJ) | Model and Actress .
9. Anna Davies (Rio de Janeiro - RJ) | Journalist
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
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