{"id":29761,"date":"2016-06-19T13:12:38","date_gmt":"2016-06-19T16:12:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rioonwatch.org\/?p=29761"},"modified":"2016-07-04T04:03:26","modified_gmt":"2016-07-04T07:03:26","slug":"complexo-do-chapadao-inspires-with-its-first-literary-festival-at-the-paulo-freire-community-library","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/?p=29761","title":{"rendered":"Known for Violence, Chapad\u00e3o Favela Inspires with Its First Literary Festival"},"content":{"rendered":"

Clique aqui para Portugu\u00eas<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

In the early 90s, Brazil\u00a0was full of uncertainties. Rampant inflation stole the dreams of many, the president had just resigned because of an impeachment process and the recently replaced government was trying to implement changes in the economy with a new currency\u2013the real. In Rio de Janeiro, specifically in the North Zone<\/a> of the city, families in neighborhoods\u00a0such as Pavuna<\/a>, Guadalupe<\/a> and Costa Barros<\/a> decided to build a new future. They were tired of the\u00a0rents and the lack of opportunities. Children could be seen sliding on toboggans down the mud slopes, which was their little piece of land. Men, women and children armed with ropes and wires participated in marking their pieces of land. Often, families were forced to rotate vigils on their piece of precious land to avoid occupation by others. Over time\u00a0the improvised wooden structures were substituted with brick houses, and now, almost thirty years later, the Complexo do\u00a0Chapad\u00e3o<\/a> which was a dream of a better future is seen as one of the most problematic favelas in the entire state in terms of public security<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Comprised of sixteen communities and\u00a0located in the North Zone of Rio, Complexo do Chapad\u00e3o features regularly in crime reports. According to security specialists, it is considered the general headquarters for Rio’s oldest\u00a0criminal faction<\/a>. This occurred\u00a0after the army occupation and installation<\/a> of Pacifying Police Units (UPPs)<\/a> in Complexo do Alem\u00e3o<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Among the many cases of violence in Complexo do\u00a0Chapad\u00e3o to have been widely reported recently is death of taxi driver Jorge Fernando Souza<\/a>. According to police, the victim was an ex-soldier who was confused for a police informant. The young man was tortured before being executed.<\/p>\n

Statistics from the Institute of Public Security (ISP-RJ) show that violent crime is on the rise in the city which will host the Olympic Games in August. In 2015, the state of Rio experienced the worst in 23 years with regards to cargo theft, and 2016 the situation is on its way to surpass this. Just in the first trimester of this year, an 11% increase was registered above the statistics of the same period the previous year: 1,988 cargo thefts were recorded compared to 1,790 recorded in the first three months of 2015. The numbers for violent deaths are even more alarming. In 2015, close to 75% of men\u00a0killed by the police in the city of Rio de Janeiro were black or brown. Of the 232 homicide victims killed\u00a0during supposed confrontations with police, close to 25% were between the ages of 18 and 29. In Rio, almost half of the victims were dark skinned (48.5%). Of the total deaths in supposed confrontations with police, close to 28% were black. Of the more than 600 deaths officially caused by the police in the entire state, almost 30 were minors.<\/p>\n

In all of these statistics, the Complexo do Chapad\u00e3o region\u00a0has the largest number of occurrences called autos de resist\u00eancia <\/em><\/a>[the term for deaths caused when suspects resist arrest]. Last year there were 48 of these deaths. This number is very different when compared with the South Zone<\/a> of Rio, where during the entire year of 2015, only one person was killed during a supposed confrontation with the police.<\/p>\n

With the economic crisis sinking the state of Rio<\/a> further down every day, along with the absence of public policies<\/a>,\u00a0people are left to\u00a0count on the support of residents who dream of one day\u00a0living a different reality to that of the current\u00a0moment. In contrast with this shocking scenario, there are people with the same profile as the victims assassinated by actions of the state who are making a difference in the region. They do whatever it takes to give Complexo do Chapad\u00e3o a new direction and often occupy roles that the government should assume.<\/p>\n

Among them is Jocemir Moura dos Reis<\/a>. Even though he is over 30, he could easily be characterized with the police victim profile. Jocemir Reis uses incentives in literature as his tool in helping to inform and educate those who live in the favela complex. Philosopher and cultural producer, Jocemir has always loved reading. His father used to\u00a0bring books home to be restored. At just\u00a011\u00a0years old, Plato\u2019s The Republic<\/em> was the first of many to take him down his current path. Winner of the Extraordinary People Award<\/a>\u00a0in the Education category,\u00a0Jocemir was recognized for creating of the Paulo Freire Community Library in Anchieta. The award recognizes actions that aim to build a better society.<\/p>\n

The Paulo Freire Community Library<\/a>\u00a0has been operating for 10 years in an area completely ignored by the government. In celebration of the library’s 10 year anniversary, Jocemir created the first FLICC<\/a>, the\u00a0Complexo do Chapad\u00e3o Literary Festival, which took place June 3-5.<\/p>\n

\"FLICC<\/a><\/p>\n

Among the beneficiaries is Diogo Oliveira, 25. Having participated in the\u00a0Lights, Camera, Action project which was a film school that operated for five years in\u00a0Costa Barros, he personally observed the founding of the community library. Though only a visitor at the time, now he helps with the management of the Paulo Freire Community Library. \u201cIn the beginning, I wasn\u2019t part of the team but I did participate in the weekly\u00a0workshops and debates.\u201d<\/p>\n

The desire to\u00a0provide culture and education for the library’s neighbors is no small thing: \u201cWe are moving forward without any public resources, and even though the efforts are for the community, we face many challenges. We have a small team, which makes it more difficult.\u201d However, Diogo never loses hope and he is increasingly seeing that local residents believe in and more actively participate in the projects. \u201cEven with all of the difficulties and problems, we never lose our pleasure in\u00a0the\u00a0work. Our audience\u00a0is growing. We adopted a strategy of always creating events, like literature gatherings, film screenings\u00a0and exhibitions. The former building\u00a0relied on a larger assembly of local artists and producers that helped to form a larger audience, but I believe the new building\u00a0already has a higher number of visitors.”<\/p>\n

He admits that during the first stages of the library he was not so involved, and he can\u2019t remember having read more than five books at\u00a0that time. In his view, studying wasn’t his\u00a0strong point\u00a0but the good influences he had\u00a0were fundamental in helping him not become another statistic on the police criminal records. According to him, his desire to return to his studies was the key to his rediscovery of the library. \u201cI met Jocemir again after a few years and he told me he was forming a study group to help\u00a0students to get into public universities, so I decided to join. I didn’t have any real intentions; I thought it was impossible for me to get into university until I decided to join. I did well in the program \u00a0and in 2015 I got into Rio de Janeiro State University (UERJ) to study visual arts.”<\/p>\n

At that moment, Diogo became\u00a0the first in his family to go to university.<\/p>\n

During the FLICC festival, some of the local residents who play a fundamental role in transforming the local culture participated in debates. It was an excellent opportunity to showcase and affirm their\u00a0activities\u00a0in the area.<\/p>\n

\"Books<\/a><\/p>\n

Jorge Wallace, 23, was one of them. Outspoken and a dreamer, \u201cMais Um\u201d (One More) as he is known, organizes a\u00a0rhyme battle and a play circle for children. This all takes place in his neighborhood\u00a0of Pavuna, next to Complexo do\u00a0Chapad\u00e3o. Wallace, along with other young people who took part in\u00a0FLICC, could well also be another statistic on the criminal records. He maybe wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for social projects. He spoke of appropriating education<\/a> and culture<\/a> as tools\u00a0for personal and community\u00a0development. \u201cThe education methods used in Brazil are very old, which is discouraging, but even so, we need to learn all we can from the remaining good in the school system. Even though some subjects\u00a0are boring, books are a way out.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Jocemir, the main purpose of the event is to showcase the neighborhood as a center of cultural production<\/a> which has been excessively hidden<\/a>\u00a0by mainstream media’s preference<\/a> to report only on violence. Concerning the local reality, the philosopher affirms: \u201cOur greatest challenge is the fact that\u00a0people\u00a0in general don\u2019t see this as a cultural region and\u00a0therefore don’t adopt this way of life. The impression is that music, arts, poetry, literature are not in the scope of our people, the local residents of our neighborhood.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to the study\u00a0Snapshots of Reading in Brazil<\/a>\u00a0by the Pro-Livro Institute, the Brazilian population’s average reading in 2015 was\u00a02.54 entire books or in part. Each reader read 1.06 entire books and 1.47 in part. The Southeast region had the highest average, with 2.98 books. Regarding the Brazilian perception of\u00a0libraries in the country, the survey\u00a0showed\u00a0that libraries are associated mainly with study and research. Though more frequently visited by students, close to 37% of library visitors were not students. Along with other statistics, the survey concluded that the number of residents that know if there’s a library in their neighborhood or city fell from 67% in 2011 to 55% in 2015. Those who were interviewed were asked if they knew of a community library that was maintained by local residents or establishments. Only 15% confirmed their knowledge of one. From this total, only 4% said they use the community library.<\/p>\n

During FLICC, it was possible to see\u00a0these survey results in practical form and how the intention for the festival was\u00a0successful. Robson Soares, 20, is the son of a public school director and even though he lives on the same street as the Paulo Freire Community Library, this was his first visit. \u201cI didn\u2019t know the library existed, even though I live nearby, but now I hope to make the library my second home. I want to be involved and help whatever way that I can so that the library receives more visitors.\u201d Robson found out about the event from an advertisement on a bus that circulates the favela complex.<\/p>\n

\"Sanderson<\/a><\/p>\n

Currently, the Paulo Freire Community Library collection has more than 3,500 books and receives around 150 visitors per month. The book titles range from Cam\u00f5es<\/a> to Julio Ludemir<\/a>, a Carioca writer who uses favelas as a backdrop for his works.<\/p>\n

Ludemir, creator of the Literary Festival\u00a0of the Periferies (FLUPP)<\/a>, recognizes the importance of the festival. \u201cFLICC is one more action to democratize literature and has the role of creating a dialogue with the whole\u00a0city. Just because the area is dangerous, people should not avoid it. Besides this, these events reinforce the formation of new readers in the peripheries.\u201d<\/p>\n

FLUPP received an award at the London Book Fair International Excellence Awards 2016<\/a> in the category of \u201cLiterary Festival,\u201d competing with three other festivals, one of which was the the Paraty International Literary Festival (FLIP), which also takes place in the state of Rio de Janeiro.<\/p>\n

Regarding the visitors of the Paulo Freire Community Library, Jocemir said they are students from\u00a0the area, mainly\u00a0from public schools. Teachers, college students and the elderly also utilize the collection. The library has also had its touching moments. Once, an elderly lady visited the library bringing a young boy for reinforcement classes. She was 65, the child\u2019s grandmother, and when she went in to the library, she began to cry. She said she had never seen so many books in one place before and that it was really powerful to be\u00a0there.<\/p>\n

Currently, Complexo do\u00a0Chapad\u00e3o is locked in a gang war with another set of favelas, Complexo da Pedreira<\/a>, dominated by the rival criminal faction. It is not only this war that interrupts the advancement of education and culture there. The police operations, which are necessary to inhibit the constant activities of drug traffickers, also do harm. The schools close their doors at the first sound of gun shots. Parents and their children return to their homes. Since the parents usually have no one to take their children, they lose a day at work. In the last operation, more than 2,000 children were without classes.<\/p>\n

Jocemir\u2019s mission, and that of\u00a0FLICC too, is to be an extension of the school and an alternative. But with all these problems, it is difficult to say if they’ll always be there.<\/p>\n

Renan Schuindt, born and raised in Costa Barros, currently\u00a0works as a producer of journalism at TV Band and coordinates the CineClub Costa Barros. Renan has also done journalistic work for CUFA and Viva Favela among others.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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