Introducing OSCAR NIEMEYER

There are so many useful websites, reference books, magazines and glossy, ecologically destructive, brochured publications of allsorts that can be useful on your best, possibly next destination: South America. This month’s piece is really purely inspirational and may just shed some shine on why I’m not living in Europe or the USA, as well as part of my reasoning for why I’ve chosen to make myself and my future South American. It also reflects my disdain for chainstores, high street retail networks, big business multinational impersonal shopping industries. Whatever tag we give them, those mostly useless oversized cronially enhanced debt inducing shopping mall gangsters in their regional management suited and booted disguises surely grate on your spiritually snowdriven soul, don’t they? If you think I’m raving, please take notes and be safe in the knowledge that your learning curve is capable of a whole lot more.
What has happened to your town or city in the past couple of generations? Has it transformed itself into a retailing nightmare with no locally owned or family run businesses? Are there sharkish youngsters posing in high street goldfish bowls, acting out a sly CCTV theatrical production of ‘how can I empty that punters bank account?’ Give those youngsters some merit as they may be the saving graces of your community, and with a little economic tweaking, your city itself may be economically sustainable thanks to your retail workers. Have you yet to realise that the artificially aired shopping centre is the best place for your family to implode and cause untold stresses on any of your imagined savings accounts? Is your inner city parade any better? Probably less chance of a deadly influenza or legionnaire's diseases. Or have you ever tried making friends with that person who sells you things in your community cornershop, items you don’t buy at the so-called supermarket, whose management merely pump up their prices on your ever spiralling spend at that place where you know no-one? Where has all that money you’ve spent in ‘Tesco’ gone? Are you insurmountably trying to economize for a holiday break away from the norm? Some of you may have realized that escaping from immoral criminal calamity, which is conceivably driven by fiends via mostly illegal leisure drugsters, who are streamlined by techno soundtracks, associated STD-strewn prostitution and a general malaise of indecent hedonism on the part of most partaking in another millenium’s first decade of decadence, and that perchance, it might just be a good idea to get out of those oversized savagely uncivilized cities.
If that doesn’t make some sense of what has been happening in your capital cities, then perhaps we can focus more on the invasive ‘americanisms’. Is there a fuel station, fast food restaurant or café that isn’t owned or supplied by the monstrous white swirl with a dullened red backdrop, ‘Coca-Cola’? Or in the case of vehicle petrol stations, resource scarce invasive war mongering governments in partnership with ‘oil companies’? Do you still have a neighbouring national government taxing your people and your progress? Can you lead your life without foreign businesses taking your share of what is truly yours? Are you still unable to purchase your local farmers’ products, which could be free from genetic modifications, if and when you buy food? Are you admiring your neighbouring nations’ internationally reknowned cultural icons and wondering why you haven’t been giving life to yours? Is your indigenous language being denigrated by international trends? Are those food industries’ workers in those enormous factories really the kind of people who you want to be preparing your food? It certainly isn’t grandmother’s home-cooking, or is it?
Perhaps you need a short weekend break in Edinburgh, Amsterdam, Tokyo or Vladivostock? Then again, if you’d like to take a hot break, the penny must have dropped, it is here in South America. In this continent, there is a distinct lack of Arezzo’s, Boots’, MacDonalds and Starbucks outlets. Thank goodness, we discover. Why? Because there are audio specialists for cars, living rooms, personal stereos, etc. You will make friends with your local café owner, despite his booming local business. You can have your choice jewellery hand crafted to suit your spouse. You don't risk life nor limb walking to buy what you'd like. You may be able to have a long conversation with a local tailor, dressmaker or cobbler and aquire the services you’d like to create or repair your dream garments, without an attached esteemed brandname of capitalist conflagration. Perhaps I’m not exaggerating my consternation clearly enough. In many South American towns and cities, you can stroll up a recently greased, rainclad, cobbled street, on the rare occasions that it does rain, without the risk of some overgrown monkey skidding its monster 4WD into the path of your spouse, your children and everything that really matters in your life. Oh, and by the way, if you haven’t figured, the sun shines, like on no other cultivable land and South American nations are, not really so coincidentally, famed for their agricultural exports. It may be important to immerse your skin with a solar defensive cream before treading the beautifully adorned streets of South America. And you will find genuine smiles, especially if you know how to live comfortably with yourselves.
If you were lost in a glossy, white strip-lit hallway entrance to a brand new shopping mall with sliding doors and a trance inducing soundtrack in a place where your plastic bank card cannot handle their wishes, where the sun most certainly doesn’t shine and you find yourselves yearning for the old times, when your families’ oft-frequented bookstore would have your requested titles delivered to your or any other doorstep, and the bookshop simply no longer exists, now, maybe internet shopping is the answer. If you think another credit busting christmas is simply the last thing you or any of your fellows should even imagine celebrating, then let me add, yet another religion is probably not a solution! When your friends want you to swallow more muck in the local pub, club or brightly lit restaurant chain, perhaps transforming yourselves into hosts or hostesses in your dinner party imaginings could be a cure to a western illness; how to have some unabated, mind-numbingly repetitive fun?
Well, Brazilians are a people who most definitely do know how to have fun. Most of you will find that your idea of fun is almost certainly catered for in most Brazilian communities, towns and in more cases than not, in the metropolitan centres. Of course, if you simply cannot live without shopping sprees, fast food and modern infrastructurally developed cities; don’t worry, that’s all here and with a big difference. There is an extraordinary liklihood that Brazilians are going to give you the best they possibly can. It does depend somewhat, on your communicative capabilities. Many Brazilians read in several languages and in larger cities you may be surprised how many are competent users of English, often, admittedly and rather annoyingly, with a brash north American accent or a Brazilian’s attempt at it, but in spite of this being our international lingua franca, many are also learning French, some German and in general, Brazilians have a positive attitude towards those who aren’t able to speak Portuguese or Spanish. Notwithstanding this authentic interest in who isn’t familiar, as you’ll have discovered when you visit the next neighbourhood, district, town, city, nation or continent, dissimilar to some locations, in most of Brazil there’s still a warmth of spirit towards an unknown stranger, especially when you are here in the flesh, so to speak. Institutionalized racism is a problem being tackled, not with ‘positive discrimination’, as it is widely known but with statistically managed equal access to education. That is just a small beginning but amongst most Brazilian citizens there is a growing tolerance and sensitivity towards minorities of all types, race, homosexuals of both genders, the elderly and the massive diversity of disabilities, from paraplegics to miopics. What’s more, it is one of the nations with the fastest growing Asian diaspora and there is no lack of African intellectuals specializing in postgraduate education in most cities with federal universities.
In addition to this truly global cultural diversity, in many parts of Brasil you may think you are in a typically modernized conurbation, with multi-lane motorways with their inordinate arrays of down and up ramps, smooth recently constructed metroplitan train services with mobile phone and internet connections in the deepest and longest of tunnels, additionally perfected city bus services and an unchallenged inter-city coach service. If you choose to drive here: take care, as there are also roadsters who seem to be imagining they are some unimaginable god’s given gift to a steering wheel. In all honesty, comparing national statistics on road deaths, it doesn’t surprise me how well Brazil stands and is improving its statistics, as there are evolving police campaigns that are reducing alcohol related accidents and driving test reforms designed to instill defensive driving techniques, better car maintenance, basic first aid and mostly encouraging greater responsibility in future generations, for what are extraordinarily dangerous machines: cars. If I’m not mistaken, according to current United Natons’ statistics, the World Health Organisation ranks road accidents in fourth for the worst killers on the planet. Only heart disease , STD’s and cancer, not in that order, are more lethal, until the militaries and their cohorts are included and can be held responsible for their terrifying actions. In most South American nations there are no international troops and South American troops work exclusively within UN laws emerging as peace-keepers on a better footing than many so-called ‘peace-keeping’ forces. We are also developing pacifying police units, a.k.a PPU’s in some of the poorest urban areas.
Whether you consider Antartica and Australasia as continents in themselves is really geographers’ domain but knowing that Africa and Asia are the real continental giants and exclusively top a billion inhabitants with Asia including 2 nations, each with over a billion, namely China and India, just in case you needed reminding. North America, with Mexico and most of the Arctic being unused and unoccupied Canadian icemelt, comes next. Then South America is the fourth largest continent. Apparently, it isn’t really a piece of cake, writing on a continental scale as the Europeans discovered from Marco Polo’s adventures but you can be sure that South America is more than slightly larger than middling, with 8 continents, eternalising Antartica, Central America and Europe as tiddling in comparison.
Being as massive as it is, Brazil is the fifth largest nation, territorially, there are regional variations with infrastructural progress and in Rio de Janeiro, for example, like many so-called developed nations, there are a few 70’s&80’s constructed architectural icons that now appear to have suffered from the fads and fashions of transitory architectural whims. However, for diverse perspectives on post-modernisms, I think you’ll be pushed to find equivalents elsewhere and despite our keen eyes’ perceptions on dating buildings through architectural trends, most, while not fitting Europeans’ 50’s&60’s drastic, grey, superficial austerities, can be said to reflect a flair and audacity that you’ll seldom find by chance, because as you may discover, many Brazilians love taking risks and in construction, there are no surreal rugby balls or other absurdities as they can all be made functional, like any urbanscapes. This is as appropriate a space as any to mention, Oscar Niemeyer, a living legend for all city dwellers. So, with your own research methodologies and a few discrete links, you are now admitted to admire the architectural master of our era. Like his style or not, it might just be worth considering his architectural school of art as comparably classical as Great Zimbabwe, Scots conical towers, Greek triangularisms&circular pillardom, Gaudi, Byzantine roofless theatricals, the Russian Kremlin, Red Square and the Duma or any number of religiously inspired specialist schools of architecture. If you’ve been lost in freud, sofas, stufas and skyscraping vibrators, more fool you! Where curvature is gracious and yet canonically stationary, look no further than the South Americab cone. Would you care to dance? www.niemeyer.org.br
Oscar Niemeyer-a Vida E Um Sopro

Literatura de Cordel

LITERATURA DE CORDEL
I’m really not sure how to go about this as I am no wondergust when it comes down to fictional literature and its critical offspring. As a result, it would merely be pompous, pretentious or simply inauthentic if I were to draw wideball comparisons between different schools of prose or poetry. However, many of us find songs and poetry somewhat more accessible or less daunting than the overwhelming realm of a novel or series of novels.God bless them, novel writers, as we sure do like translating their toils. In all honesty, I prefer a good novel over a lazy weekend than a collection of poems, no-matter how carefully selected and sequenced the poems are. In many ways, although this may appear to be an unforeseen arrogance, I think musicians should be serving poets and the singers, well, I guess they’re more bearable if they can play an instrument or two. As I don’t play anything more than discs, I might be considered as a musical neotooltwirler. However, as I delvea little more into lyric-writing, poetry with melody, I cannot avoid hovering over the knowledge that musicians have an enormous luxury of being able to lounge in the luxury that there are oceans of lyrics just waiting for music and performance artists to set the words alive from the screens the lyrics are being read from.
Without writing too many further tangentially distracting lines, those of us who have discovered ‘literatura de cordel’ and made sufficient time and energy to stroll with it, have been endowed with a gemstone grounding in a beautiful form that can only enchant readers, singers and performers alike. If you don’t know or learn Portuguese, whether it is African, Asian, South American or European makes little difference. Cordel, as it is more usually called, has everything that modern poetry might. Imagine hiphop, limericks, prose and any other accessible, easy to consume product and then add cultural heritage, a tropical climate and an adaptability to themes of all kinds.
In structure, most cordel poems or songs are between 20 to 80 verses, normally six line verses but not necessarily. Each verse follows a rhyming pattern and if read or sung aloud there is an additional rhythmic variation that many cordel writers add to their product. Like an extensive rap without the electronica, a carnaval samba without the drums and repetition or a short epic in their own right, each poem covers a specific character, pair or group of characters and more regularly an historical thread, era or event. Some writers tackle awkward social phenomena, like the Beatles, Zeca Pagodinho, political revolution or individual idolatry and heroism. With nearly all the examples of cordel I’ve read, I’ve been unable to repress open, loud, hearty laughter. The result is an infectious rhythmic and possibly melodic artform that holds most readers in trance to the completion of each ‘book’. I’ve written book because they are sold as paperback leaflets, with each poem being a short story in its own right. Each writer has his own method of publication and this commercial aspect has led to its regionalism being dissipated.
Without digging too deep on cordel’s history, it is a traditional northeastern cultural dominion that has however, spread back beyond its hardcore, Alagoas and its closest neighbours to most of coastal Brasil. It has a stronghold in central Rio de Janeiro as it did originally, when it arrived from Portugal. The largest known collection is in a small specialist bookshop in Santa Tereza just up the hill from the world-famous Lapa, with its charming arched tram bridge and bohemian reputation. Knowing a little of coastal Brasil is useful in understanding some of the more intimately written pieces with a certain depth of characterisation in historic northeasterners, like Lampiao, os cangaceiros, Brasil’s first president of the republic or any number of regular personae who, whether based on real northeasterners or from the imagination of the writers’ experiences, certainly capture the essence of what it is to live and be part of northeastern community living. For example, in “Matuto Zé Cara” by Jorge Calheiros, resident in Maceio. With a short extract and a little knowledge of Iberian languages you’ll probably appreciate this,
Ò grande deus soberano
Reforçai a minha mente
Pra mim narrar com firmeza
Uma historia descente
O senhor me ajudando
Termino rapidamente

Um homen pra ser poeta
É só deus lhe da o dom
Pode ser preto ou mulato
Ser gelago até marrom
Até mesmo na areia
Escrevendo fica bom

And that is just his prelude to the story of Matuto Zé Cará. For most of us who keep up with Brasil’s current and traditional cultural phenomena, “A fantástica história de Zeca Pagodinho, o disco voador e o extraterrestre” is a cackle from a head cockrel at the edge of the enormous cauldron, also known as samba. Victor Alvim Itahim Garcia has the edge to cut the froth from the ever popular romanticism, pagode, at the periphery of the world reknowned pandemonium that samba really always should be. Without quoting again, he simply situates Zeca right where he sometimes finds himself, the butt of really good humour. One of the most prodigious cordel writers is J.Victtor, who seems capable of covering a never-ending diversity of themes and topics. There are no barriers or frontiers when Victtor is putting pen to paper. Here’s another reason to learn at least some portuguese, before coming to South America. From his slender semblence of verses on “Os Beatles”,
As artes às vezes são
por muitos, classificadas
por grau de dificuldade
e nas listas anotadas
a música é a primeira
de todas as artes criadas.

Música traz alegria,
paz e serenidade,
unindo povos, pregando
a mais fraterna amizade,
transpondo fronteiras e
trazendo boa irmandade.

John Lennon, Paul McCartney
George Harrison e Ringo Starr
formarem a maior banda
de rock para tocar,
revolucionando o modo
de compor e de cantar.

Why not reflect on your own cultural heritage? Is there a mass popular cultural phenomenon that can share this shelf? Consider if limericks are really comparable or if hiphop has the merits to be carelessly plonked alongside cordel. We know cordel began in Portugal in the eighteenth century but it has certainly taken shape and form in Brazil. It has been said that cordel has also set roots in Africa, specifically in Angola, though I cannot confirm this, having never read African cordel. Goodness knows, there may be cordel writers residing in Goa, Macau or Timor L’Este but you can be sure, it is alive and well in South America’s Brasil. If you take a step back then maybe you’ll find some more grey matter between these black and white lines, just challenging enough to set you a hobby for your accumulated freetime meanderings. On sc reen, intellectualisation isn’t what this is but keeping it light and simple, cordel is possibly the hors d’oevre that you really should snack on to begin learning Portuguese.

As SerrasCanastras

Adventure is often associated with wildlands and life outside of cities. Perhaps sporting practitioners are more capable of explaining the essence of adventure but whatever we think of as being adventurous, if you’re in search of a new experience to thrill your adrenalin driven psyche, then ‘as Serras Canastras’ may just tickle your tango! There are four main urban centres with several smaller villages that are usually linked to this upland region in Minas Gerais. Although visitors are found from all around the world, this enchanting mountain range still maintains its original characteristics with thrilling vistas and a traditional agricultural way of life. There is a central national park area where the restrictions on access and regulations for visitors to follow are fairly standard for a vulnerable ecological balance that is well managed and maintained.
Although the wilderness area extends well beyond the national park, there are also a few tourist hotspots with many family oriented activities and facilities. Depending on what you’re looking for, ‘As Canastras’ have everything to offer. The variations in vegetational ecosystems are also seasonally oriented with a summer ‘rainy’ season and a winter ‘dry’ season, in accordance with southern hemispheric meteorology. As a result of various distinct ecosystems, there is an aviary abundance that is dependent on both plant and flowerlife as well as reptilian and mammal species. Despite the intimidating upland tableau, with its surrounding towering cliff faces, it is possible to walk or drive up onto the central plateau from where innumerable streams and rivers can be sourced, including the famous River São Francisco, which has its own statuesque shrine at the spring.
If you like waterfalls, there is no shortage of spectacles to behold, especially in the summer when they drop off the edge of mountains, like milk rolling off the flat top upland range. Most of these beautiful rivers have naturally formed swimming pools both up above, at the riverheads in the peaks, and below in the valleys that cut down into the lowland farming areas at the foot of the escarpments. Either and both give the opportunity for a delicious dip in fresh crystal clear waters that make for a complete contrast to the scorching sunshine usually associated with the region. The picture postcard waterfall is “A Casca D’Anta”, which has its reputation firmly rooted for both its volume and height, with well-rounded infrastructures and easy access for visitors. In addition to simple walking and swimming, there is a strengthening diversity of activities and facilities available to be sampled by the more adventurous holidaymakers, including occasional extreme sports tournaments.
Like most Brazilian national parks, we have pride in the diversity of animal species that are maintained within and around the wilderness areas. Consequently, some of these species may be dangerous and unaccustomed to human life, which means there are chances of spotting unusual or rare animals, birds and reptiles. This happened to me on a benign afternoon when I was returning to camp in a beautiful lowland valley alongside one of the small rivers in the shadows of an astounding waterfall. I’d sighted a rare owl species soon after sunup as we arrived on the plateau, which had just caught a sizeable lizard in the morning light. This was spectacular enough, as I’d never seen such hunting other than in TV documentaries. So, when I asked a local guide a few hours later, he explained that it was probably a ‘Coruja Burraqueiro’, which sleeps in the heat of the day in small holes or treetrunks. Anyway, having been enlightened, as I was descending off the hill with my urbanised Labrador, she was a few metres ahead of me and had just passed a 30 centimetre diameter hole amongst the dried yellow grass in an open meadow. I thought there might be an awakening owl, hidden down in there, and began to lower my head to have a look, when I saw something move next to the hole, a “Cascavel”, the highly poisonous Rattlesnake. It had already raised its head and it struck out in direction of my right leg. Fortunately it didn’t bite although it had sent its venom into the air in an instantaneous spitting action and as I stood taller and moved back from the metre long or more serpent, it decided I wasn’t its prey and slyly slithered back into its recluse. My medium-sized dog, which had been completely unaware of the reptile and the danger it posed, went back up the hill to investigate what had caused such consternation in me. If I’d let her, she’d have been bitten and died in minutes from its powerful toxin but she is well trained enough to follow my voice sufficiently to protect her. It was a thrilling experience that highlighted only too well that wilderness areas are replete with adrenalin fuelling sights that can be appreciated without getting too close to any hazards. It may be worth remembering that most animals sense perils more than we do and that more often than not, strange human activities and noises are more than enough to dispel rare species sightings, let alone an attack. In conclusion, it is advisable to leave your car, and get your natural walking feet on the move, as you’re far more likely to appreciate more natural wonders just silently making the most of what is there around you.
Adhering to traditional knowledge from local residents and trained, practised guides is the most regular way to learn from wilderness areas and the “Serras Canastras” is no exception to that broad canon, although there are several publications available, which can be referenced from, giving a better understanding of this thrilling mountainous wilderness. There are rarely mountaineers making the most of countless cliff-faces, sometimes paragliders and basejumpers take to the mountaintops and more often trekking and watersports are increasing in popularity, particularly on the southern edge of the park, near Delfinopolis, on what is occasionally referred to as the ‘Paulista’ side, at the southern extreme of ‘O Triangulo Mineiro’. Fishing, waterskiing, canoing and swimming are regular amongst those who weekend near the reservoir, which is usually traversed by a boat service from Cassia. Sacramento and Araxá, to the west and north respectively are also good cities to access the park, while São Roque, Vargem Bonita and some smaller villages also provide good stopping points on your path to the mountains, unmistakeable and widely known as the Serras Canastras.

Finding the best in South America: Chapada Diamantina

Rio São Francisco e a Chapada Diamantina, OChapada Diamantina - Águas No SertãoFlora of the Pico das Almas, Chapada Diamantina - Bahia, BrazilFinding the best in South America: Chapada Diamantina

Chapada Diamantina

In a world everchanging at augmentative speeds our satellite systems are taking us all further from our roots, which may include endless cultural baggage. So, if you’re looking for an authentic ground bearing experience, it is with nature where we often find the best in ourselves and this may be just the place for you to come down to earth; CHAPADA DIAMANTINA. For many of us who have asked a few questions to those in the know, there is a certain renowned reputation for this flagstone Brazilian national park. Often, it is not only through words that the best of national parks earn such standing. Photographic representations sometimes speak larger than legends while at the same time, still images seldom capture the feelings associated with a closer to nature experience. Words rarely do justice for this mountain range with many distinct ecosystems and a strong intertwined group of communities dotted around the geographically defined park area.



There are several towns, which circle the periphery of the park, each with its own characteristics, mostly loosely associated to a shared history of precious stone and mineral sourcing, although it is equally arguable that this is an enchanted area deeply rooted in traditional farming. Its economies are modernising with ecotourism. Each town has its specialists who give access to the IBAMA managed wild area. While each national park has its own regulatory system, Chapada Diamantina is a world in itself with varying standards of guardianship. It is always recommended that you employ a guide to enter the park to appreciate all that it offers. If you have hiking experience then you can make more of your time. Similarly, if you are a regular camper, have your own tent and equipment, you may enjoy spending several nights in various locations covering more of the trailed networks of traditionally developed and maintained pathways. Some guides are able to offer 3-night, 5-night or even a weeklong trekking and camping holiday. If you have some mountaineering experience you can make the most of the mountain ranges, including some fairly difficult highland paths. There is also the possibility of rock-climbing, base-jumping, paragliding, mountain-biking, horse-riding, gorge-walking, pot-holing, canoeing and more mountain and river sporting activities. If you aren’t a keen sportsperson, you can still have a fantastic time. Your hostel or hotel should be able to provide you with all the information and usually with expert specialised technicians for each activity. Most tourists are satisfied with day trips, including short walks and the opportunity to refresh themselves with a dip in a pool of cool mountain water and with extraordinary landscaped and wildlife photographic opportunities.


Remembering that the average summer daytime temperatures are seldom below thirty degrees and in winter the sun can be scorching with European summer averages, it is highly recommended that you prepare yourselves with the necessary clothing and accessories, like hats, suncream and even technologies like binoculars can be an eye-opener. Like most mountain ranges, there is a distinct microclimate with changeabilities in precipitation but in general, the rainy season is the southern summer with occasional electric storms and related more verdant vegetations between November and February. Complete cloud cover is a rarity while the winter sometimes produces a generalised browning with desiccation effects on lowland ecosystems. There are cornerstone plant species, some of which are unique to the region and it is strictly prohibited to take samples, other than photographic. Similarly, introduction of non-native species is not allowed. As a result of highly diverse plant-based habitats there is a considerable range of bird species and a mammalian multiplicity that exists in a delicate balance with agricultural practitioners.


For anyone who appreciates landscapes, geographical features, geological formations, active holidaying, quality hospitality, mountain culture and a recognisably unique way of life amongst its inhabitants showing a true community spirit, Chapada Diamantina is just the place to unwind away from the crazy modern western urban lives you lead. It is easily accessible within the heart of Bahia and whether you’re driving, flying or taking a luxurious bus, you can expect to arrive with minimal fuss on any of Brazil’s integrated national intercity road networks leading you to the towns around the park. For those of you who are rally enthusiasts there is a vast amount of dirt track driving between the towns of the region but you should be aware of where and when you can use your vehicles and always respect the local people and farmers who are permanent residents of this charmed gem of traditional rural Brazilian society.

Finding the best in South America: ZUMBI dos Palmares

Finding the best in South America: ZUMBI dos Palmares

http://www.quilombodospalmares.org.br/

ZUMBI dos Palmares

Rei Zumbi dos Palmares: Saia do Mar, MarinheiroSeleção - "Mineirinho, o Poeta" e "Pai Zumbi, o Rei dos Palmares"Zumbi dos Palmares (Biblioteca Literatura moderna)

The Palmares memorial park is the principal attraction of north central Alagoas and has been a central organisational node of northeastern cultural progress for centuries. From a purely historical perspective Palmares holds strength and weight for being the first free republic of the Americas. Around 1580, an African princess Aqualtune escaped from slavery and established ‘Quilombo dos Palmares’ at the top of some hills currently known as ‘Serra de Barriga’. It is easily accessible from all neighbouring states and cities with the city, União dos Palmares being just a few kilometres from the Memorial Park.

There are fantastic features to the park with pre-recorded listening points in addition to original lakes, trees and ceremonial sites, true to original architecturally designed buildings representing the structures found at archeological excavations throughout the region and the park has a real feeling of its ancestors’ society. Many of the trees are known to have been preserved since the original society was created and it is highly recommended to find a good guide like Carlos who led me through centuries of history and emanated the best of contemporary rural northeastern Brazilian society. 

This free society grew to become a self sufficient sustainable ‘black republic’ occupying a massive area of land spanning hundreds of square kilometres, leaving a thin 20 kilometre strip of coastal land for the Portuguese colonialist society. It is known that the Afrocentric society consisted of dozens of hilltop village locations from where all the surrounding lands were commanded and it is thought that the society was really multiracial thus amassing knowledge and expertise from indigenous and European cultures. The peoples of Palmares resisted the Portuguese and Dutch attacks for centuries and prospered independently from the Eurocentric mercantile coastal societies of colonialist Europe. It is imagined that there were practical reasons for trade and negotiation between the societies but perhaps unsurprisingly from the knowledge and culture of the quilombos’ descendents and from the archeological and historic evidence, much of the practical daily living of the maroon republic was most strongly influenced by indigenous Amerindian civilisation and most probably syncretised all of the contributors’ influences.

There are many contemporary examples of cultural heritage owed to the ancient free civilization of the Palmares, such as ‘capoeira’, an African martial artform now most ostensibly promoted by Brazilians worldwide, ‘coco de roda’, an enveloping musical form most popularly found during the June party season and ‘guerreiro’ another more regimented dance style with accompanying music. ‘Coco de Roda’ is fast evolving with electro and hiphop influences clearly appearing in its most modern musical formats, although the dance styles and clothing have maintained a more traditional appearance. At many ‘festas juninhas’ you’ll be able to appreciate all realm of musical styles, many of which appear to be incredibly mixed with everything from the Caribbean to the tip of Patagonia. Many of the month’s festivities are community events which are usually fun and open for all to participate, especially if you befriend locals as the evening proceeds. A genuine ‘arraial’ is a party to rival any you’ve witnessed before but I can assure you that the smaller your group the better and that going alone really does have benefits.

In addition to those cultural delights there is an enormously delicious choice of culinary standards to be appreciated in northeastern Brasil challenging most European culinary traditions and these have also mostly been inspired from African and Amerindian cultures. Without listing details of dishes to experiment, close to or in União dos Palmares there are several restaurants, especially of note are ‘O Tapiocão’ and ‘Churrascaria Afro Brasil’.

The neighbouring towns and villages are well worth a visit, especially Quebrangulo and Palmeiras dos Indios, although it is a good thing to remember this is mostly a rural society with its own strong traditions and respecting the people whose land you are visiting is an essential starter as it should be everywhere you go as a tourist. There are museums of literary icons, such as Graciliano Ramos, who was also the leading politician in Palmeiras dos Indios for several terms of office, and Jorge de Lima, who resided and wrote in Uniâo for much of his life.

“Serra de Barriga! Barriga de negramina! As outras montanhas se cobrem de neves, de noiva, de nuvens de verde! E tu, de Loanda, de panos-da-costa, de Argolas, de contas, de quilombos! Serra de Barriga! Te vejo da casa em que nasci. que medo danado de negro fujão!“ Jorge de Lima.

Original South Americans

Currently, in the Amazonian indigenous reserves there are around 170 thousand ‘known’ Indians and we also know there are at least 53 groups of isolated Indians beyond contact with ‘our civilisation’. They are the survivors of native ethnicities in the Amazon. There is evidence that the first inhabitants of the Amazon have been living there since around 10 thousand years before christ. 500 years ago, it was estimated there were more than 6 million indigenes, mostly in the Amazon. There are now around 300 thousand in all of Brazil, in other words, about 5% of the descendent population from when the Amerindans and the Portuguese first came into contact.

                There are similar comparative studies revealing shocking estimates in anthropological, historical and geographic sciences from all around the heart of this astounding continent. Most revealing on European colonisation techniques are the disparities between how the Portuguese and Spanish tried to make new territorial strongholds in South America. While the Dutch, French and the English should not be completely ignored their effect on this continent was negligible in comparison. It is through reading, analysing and extrapolating from Iberian historical documents we are capable of estimating the destructive force of the peninsula’s tirades in both the central and southern Americas.

                With IBAMA and other national institutions representing indigenous power, including within national governments representing their peoples internationally there is a contemporary shift in who is making the plans for South America’s future with Ivo Morales leading the charge. Astoundingly, it is only now in the second decade of this millennium that there are multilingual leaders representing not only indigenous peoples but additionally their nations and on a more open and fair basis for international development. With so many fallen heroes, successful freedom fighters and now, with executives and presidents in power, there is greater hope that those historical injustices can be laid to rest while the rural and urban people of South America can move forward with improved confidence in their representative political systems. With respect and tolerance it most definitely is possible to share the wonders of this blessed land.

Ecological Science in the Amazon

The Amazon is the largest forest in the world, covering around 60% of Brazilian territory. It represents two thirds of the world’s tropical rainforest, around three and a half million squared kilometres of which is exclusively Brazilian. Amazon state alone is sufficiently extensive to equal all of territorial Europe, by size!The rainforest ecosystems extend to the west in Bolívia, Colômbia, Equador, Peru and to the north in Guyana, Guyana Francês, Surinam, Venezuela and some Caribbean islands while in Brazil, there are seven states each with their own part of the Amazon tropical rainforest.

                Within a large store room in the Department of Entomology at INPA (Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas de Amazônia) there is a vast classified collection. It is there where it is possible to get an idea of the complexity and the incredible diversity of Amazonian ecosystems. There are 30 million insect species on the planet. A third of those are in the Amazon indicating just how fantastic this forest’s biodiversity is and the importance of it in relation to the planet.

                Researchers have already identified the genus and species nomenclature of around 30 thousand plants while estimating there are probably between 5 and 30 million different vegetation species. There are flowers, like the famed vitória-regia with 1.8 metres diameter. There are leaves larger than a regular door, like the Poligonácea coccolaba, which can be measured at an average of 2.5 metres in length and a metre in width. In an Amazon forest hectare it is possible to make an inventory of over 400 vegetation species.

Festivals

Amazonian festival

Flags of South American nations

These are mostly long established independent nations while some of these are dependent territories

Jornal do Brasil - Ciência e Tecnologia - Desmatamento da Amazônia aumenta incidência de malária, diz estudo

Jornal do Brasil - Ciência e Tecnologia - Desmatamento da Amazônia aumenta incidência de malária, diz estudo

Finding the best in South America

Finding the best in South America

Finding the best in South America

Finding the best in South America

An open free for all in straightforward concise communications. This site shall evolve and as it does so we can show what is best in South America with clear, sophisticated and developing communications. Many of us value nearly every word we read and others undervalue most of the words we hear. I'd like you to value the power of your keyboards and as honestly as you can, begin asking your neighbours about what they like most and what they want most from their part of South America.

Although it isn't the most diminutive or the most expansive continent it most certainly is a continent of superlatives. If you are able to share your personal experiences clearly and concisely, then you may be able to allow others to understand where you are coming from in addition to guiding and influencing for the better of everyone who'll be reading and writing on this site. Please, take your time as there most certainly is no rush to represent, in the best light possible this ethnically diverse, linguistically refined and often unbelievable continent of extremes.

While the Aztecs, the Mayans and the less famous ancient civilisations of the Americas may take the limelight the civilised peoples of South America often take the biscuit when it comes down to cordiality, politeness, tolerance and respect for everyone. Seldom have I known so many patient and openly expressive people and while standing in a bureaucratic line for something is often portrayed as a deathwish by more impatient or rude peoples most South Americans seem to enjoy the communality of waiting to cross a busy city street or meeting an officious, unhelpful government employee, or even the sports ticket sales booth and waiting to watch an internet projected fluidstream just seems less troublesome in the land of the really civilised Americans. Knowing that it was the ancient South Americans who first cultivated potatoes, maize, sweetcorn and a massive array of culinary delights have been and are still being created is also enticing enough. South America is a leading exporter of agricultural products, so you should never go hungry here.

If you're looking for large civilised city living, then there is no short supply of it in this continent where the majority are sophisticated urbanites. If you're greatest wish is to search for the longest mountain range, then it is also here, along with volcanoes and their associated natural hotwater spas, geothermal heating and the best of modern newly designed and built ski resorts. The Andes hold no limit of incredible discoveries. If you want to find yourself in the driest and highest of deserts, then the Atacama is ever so much more accessible than the Gobi and while the regular images of tropical rainforest are endearing, we've already recognised and defined over a hundred rainforest ecosystems exclusively in this continent. And it is in the Amazon where we have recorded over 40 indigenous languages, each attributed to the most humble of civilised and knowledgeable peoples, many of whom are so disconnected from this modern world that they have still refrained from revealing their languages and sustainable cultures to the outside world.

When you consider how much time and money many of us spend lazing around on crowded, polluted and often unbearable urban beaches, then again this land is a land of enormously expansive, attractive and easily navigable coastlines where you don't have to go far to be received by communities that have adapted from fishing for a living to include tourists as just another natural part of everyday living. And this is where and when you'll find it easiest to accept that South Americans are probably the friendliest and most keen to please of all the peoples around this globe. There aren't many things that are difficult or problematic here. This really is where almost everything is possible. After all, where else would we be able to admire the ancient city of Machu Picchu and try to conceive of how it was planned, designed, constructed and lived in by the ancestors of South American civilisation, the Incas. When the first outsider 'discovered' it in 1911, Hiram Bingham said and wrote so little of interest, that he almost never quoted. We do know that it is on a tiny peak of a mountain at over 2,400 metres altitude and that it was built from locally geologically sourced rock so that is would blend in with the surrounding towering mountain peaks. It is a hidden gem from which when you look around you will find every street, every perspective and every lookout has been made to give you a feeling of awe so overpowering that you may feel forever at one with nature again. Each gap or lowering in the walls around you show you another distant mountain peak. There can be no more enchanting South American castle than the Inca city which is appealing to everyone with even the slightest interest in history, geography, architecture, urban design, anthropology and most clearly of all, ecological science. Machu Picchu seems to be South America's constant reminder that we, humanity, are secondary to the planet and that each of us is little more than an animal in the greater scheme of things.

If you haven't already got a taste for what I'm looking for then just wait for more as I'll be guiding this site with less personal input and far greater admiration as we progress. Now, if you feel inspired just get on with it, show us what's best.