{"id":62376,"date":"2020-10-09T10:50:50","date_gmt":"2020-10-09T13:50:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rioonwatch.org\/?p=62376"},"modified":"2025-09-13T14:09:23","modified_gmt":"2025-09-13T17:09:23","slug":"quilombo-leaders-reflect-on-fights-for-land-tenure-and-against-exclusion-during-pandemic-video","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/?p=62376","title":{"rendered":"Quilombo Leaders Reflect on Fights for Land Tenure and Against Exclusion During Pandemic [VIDEO]"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

Kickstarting UN-Habitat’s\u00a02020 Urban Circuit<\/a> on October 5, World Habitat Day, Rio de Janeiro’s Sustainable Favela Network<\/a> (SFN)* hosted<\/a> the livestreamed panel discussion and teach-in<\/a> “How Are Rio\u2019s Quilombos Doing During the Pandemic?” The theme for this year’s Urban Circuit is “Cities Post-Covid: A Dialogue Between Brazil and Lusophone Africa,” and the discussion with Rio de Janeiro quilombolas<\/a><\/em> (descendants of enslaved Africans who remain on their ancestral lands, formally recognized as quilombos<\/em>) allowed for insights stemming from the deep historical relationship between Brazil and Africa. Four panelists spoke of the many challenges their communities face, citing concerns such as the importance of land titling<\/a>, access to healthcare, and fighting\u00a0racism<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The event was mediated by historian Bruno Almeida, the head coordinator of the\u00a0Historic Orientation and Research Nucleus of Santa Cruz<\/a> (NOPH) and a member of the Sustainable Favela Network\u2019s Working Group on Memory and Culture. On the panel were Luiz Sacop\u00e3, leader of the Sacop\u00e3 Quilombo<\/a>; Adilson Almeida, founder and president of the Quilombo do Camorim Cultural Association<\/a> (ACUQCA); Gizele Mesquita Martins, co-creator of quilombola school Escola Cafund\u00e1 Astrogilda and owner of restaurant To Na Boa; and B\u00e1rbara Guerra, secretary of the Marambaia Island Quilombo<\/a>.<\/p>\n

“We will survive. We will carry on,” said Sacop\u00e3, who labeled the impact of the pandemic on his community “disastrous.” The latest figures released<\/a> by the National Coordination of Articulation of Black Rural Quilombola Communities (CONAQ) and the Socio-environmental Institute (ISA)\u00a0count 4,958 confirmed Covid-19 cases in quilombola<\/em> communities nationwide, 166 of which have been fatal. Over 20% of these deaths have been in the state of Rio de Janeiro, with double the number of fatalities than the second-worst affected municipality, Macap\u00e1, in the state of Amap\u00e1.<\/p>\n

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

Epidemiological Bulletin
\nin Quilombos of Brazil
\nCoronavirus Covid-19
\nDeaths through September 24<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Research suggests that quilombola<\/em> communities are especially vulnerable<\/a> to the coronavirus. One of the reasons for this in her community, Guerra said, is that there is no community health center there, making both testing for the virus and treating its symptoms difficult. According to CONAQ and ISA, 1,219 people currently have symptoms of Covid-19 in Brazil\u2019s quilombos<\/em> who have not been tested or treated.<\/p>\n

Though Covid-19 has reshaped daily life, panelists pointed out that their fundamental challenges and goals remain the same as before the pandemic, including obtaining title to their land and overcoming the generations of racism and exclusion from public services. In the past thirty years,\u00a0only three of Rio\u2019s quilombos have received land titles. “We fight a lot and we resist a lot,” said Sacop\u00e3, explaining how the Sacop\u00e3 Quilombo is near the final stages<\/a> of the land titling process.<\/p>\n

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

The Sacop\u00e3 Quilombo is located in Rio\u2019s prestigious Lagoa neighborhood which is 91% white<\/a>. Sacop\u00e3 speaks of the “unprecedented persecution” he and his community have faced at the hands of neighbors<\/a> and others. “Can you imagine a quilombo<\/em> surrounded by luxury apartments, eating feijoada<\/em><\/a>, practicing capoeira<\/em> and playing Jongo<\/em>?” he asks. Sacop\u00e3 remarks how “racists believe our place is in the outskirts [of the city],” but notes how they have not been successful in evicting their community, explaining how their plight is not dissimilar from the rest of Rio\u2019s quilombos in this respect.<\/p>\n

Quilombo Cafund\u00e1 Astrogilda, too, is moving forward with land titling, said Gizele Mesquita Martins. \u201cI think getting this title will bring more credibility to us,\u201d she said. \u201cI want my daughters, when they are grown up, to already have this title.\u201d<\/p>\n

The pandemic has made longstanding racial inequalities even more visible. Guerra said that progress toward racial justice depends on visibility and dialogue: \u201cThis is the story of my struggle, of my people, of my race and I will share it with you […] we must show it exists.\u201d Martins said that it\u2019s common for her to experience racism through interactions with clients at her restaurant, where people “don’t believe that I am the owner.”<\/p>\n

Responding to a question posed at the event about how white people can use their privilege to value quilombo<\/em>-based knowledge, Guerra said, \u201cDon’t divide. Join together all the whole time, letting this black person tell their story, and letting them protagonize their own story.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Adilson<\/a>In Adilson Almeida’s words, it is\u00a0important to teach children in the quilombos<\/em>\u00a0their “historical potentiality<\/a>,” fighting “for the same ideals that our ancestors fought for<\/a>.” In the Quilombo Cafund\u00e1 Atrogilda, the project A\u00e7\u00e3o Gri\u00f4<\/a>\u00a0does precisely this, teaching visiting students from public and private schools about quilombola<\/em> history and customs. Martins said these visits have paused during the Covid-19 pandemic, lamenting that “people have really distanced themselves.”<\/p>\n

Panelists stressed that collective action and community-centered care have been of critical importance during the pandemic. “We must look after ourselves in order to look after those around us,” said Almeida.<\/p>\n

“During this period, we\u2019ve distributed over 600 care packages to families here because the situation has gotten very complicated,” said Martins. Upon closure of her restaurant, To Na Boa, she also started distributing warm meals to two nearby communities. On the day that she took part in the online event, she had already prepared 340 meals for distribution.<\/p>\n

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Mais uma vez nossa gratid\u00e3o aos amigos da @comunidadechriste 🙏🙏🙏 \u2800 Cestas b\u00e1sicas que est\u00e3o ajudando familias da nossa comunidade \u00e0 superar esse momento dif\u00edcil 🌼 \u2800 Fotos @_raquelcanellafotografia \u2800 #quilombocamorim #quilombola #cestabasica #pandemia #solidariedade #fazerobemsemolharaquem #maisamorporfavor #pandemia<\/a><\/p>\n

Uma publica\u00e7\u00e3o compartilhada por ACUQCACAMORIM<\/a> (@acuqcacamorim) em