Brazil’s Quilombos Are Fighting to Save Their Waters From Pollution
The descendants of escaped slaves are claiming their stake against big corporations
Bold as her red lip, Eliete Paraguassu glides in wearing a coordinating set as she directs us to a pier on a picturesque beach in São Tomé de Paripe, Bahia where we embark on a cruise of a different kind to All Saints Bay.
Awaiting her is a group of artisanal fisherpeople from the waters of Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Argentina, and Brazil. They’ve convened to dialogue, organize, and strategize with her and the quilombos of Ilha de Maré. Their communities share a reverence for water that extends beyond the comprehension of the masses. Water is equal parts life source, income generator, and culture. Accompanied by academics, activists, and creatives alike, The Second Latin American Exchange of Fishermen and Fisherwomen Against the Exploitation of the Sea commences.
Paraguassu guides participants to a quaint boat initiating our journey through the history of Ilha de Maré. As communities formed by fugitive slaves in the Americas during the colonial era, quilombos’ glorified histories often overshadow their present-day experiences. Their almost nonexistent media representation reduces them to antiquated relics of Brazil’s past. Today, through…
