{"id":81175,"date":"2025-07-07T16:35:34","date_gmt":"2025-07-07T19:35:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/?p=81175"},"modified":"2025-09-13T14:10:59","modified_gmt":"2025-09-13T17:10:59","slug":"joao-danado-tradition-resistance-and-cultural-power-in-the-heart-of-the-santo-amaro-favela-images","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/?p=81175","title":{"rendered":"Jo\u00e3o Danado: Tradition, Resistance and Cultural Power in the Heart of the Santo Amaro Favela [IMAGES]"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Team<\/a>
Team and dancers of the Jo\u00e3o Danado quadrilha junina<\/em> (a lively folk dance with roots in European square dancing) after a performance at the 2024 Arrai\u00e1 do Tuiuti, a June Festival celebration in the Tuiuti favela, in Rio\u2019s North Zone. Photo: Suzane Mendes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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

The Santo Amaro favela<\/a> is located in Rio de Janeiro\u2019s South Zone<\/a>, more specifically between the neighborhoods of Catete, Gl\u00f3ria<\/a>, and Santa Teresa<\/a>. During the early hours of June 7, 2025, the community was celebrating its traditional, annual festa junina<\/em><\/a> (June celebration), when what should have been a joyful moment turned into pain and outrage<\/a> as police violence<\/a> took the life of 24-year-old Herus Guimar\u00e3es Mendes<\/a> and traumatized dozens of children and other residents<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In the face of deep social inequality and the devaluation of favela lives<\/a>, the fight for justice<\/a> and equity remains a constant in the favela<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"On<\/a>
On June 18, the Santo Amaro quadrilha junina<\/em> performed in honor of Herus, a resident who was assassinated by BOPE [Special Operations Battalion] on June 7 during the community\u2019s traditional festa junina<\/em>. Photo: Junina Jo\u00e3o Danado Archive<\/figcaption><\/figure>The strength to move forward comes from the community. These were the words of Simone Rocha, current president of Santo Amaro\u2019s quadrilha junina<\/em>, during the group\u2019s performance on June 18.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn light of everything that happened, we chose to go ahead with this performance\u2014also at the request of M\u00f4nica, Herus\u2019s mother. We thought about giving up, dismantling the group, cancelling our commitments. But that would not be fair to the community, to the group members. It would not be fair to a culture that fights to survive without any support from the State. When the State does show up, it shows up to do what it did. But we will be resistance.\u201d \u2014 Simone Rocha<\/p><\/blockquote>\n