We sail across the clear waters of the Bay of All Saints in the direction of Praia Grande on Ilha de Maré. This island in the state of Bahia in northeastern Brazil is home to a ‘quilombola’ fishing community, or a rural settlement founded by descendants of enslaved people. Before arriving, we are welcomed by two large chimneys belching thick, black smoke. Selma Jesús de Souza, a powerful woman of 60, waits for us on the shore.
Selma deferentially greets the members of her community that we come across on our walk. Rather than a leader, she describes herself as a “social counsellor” for her community. She is also an educator and master’s student at the nursing school of the Federal University of Bahia. She was the first quilombola woman to study there.
Retrato de Selma Jesús de Souza, mujer ‘quilombola’, en una zona de cultivos y plantaciones de Playa Grande, situada en la Isla de Maré, Brasil.
In Brazil, the term ‘quilombo’ refers to rural hinterland communities whose members are descended from African slaves. The term is also associated with a centuries-long history of collective resistance to the oppressive legacy of slavery. The Brazilian state granted the quilombos their own legal status in 1988 in an attempt to guarantee ownership of the land on which these communities live, but progress has been slow and conflicts over land rights continue to persist.
Se estima que unos 16 millones de brasileños viven en condiciones de pobreza en los territorios ‘quilombola’. Con vistas a que tengan un futuro mejor, los más jóvenes están en el punto de mira de las acciones comunitarias de Isla de Maré.
According to official data from a 2019 report by the Inter-American Commission on Human rights (IACHR), people of African descent represent 56.8 per cent of Brazil’s roughly 213 million inhabitants.
La lideresa local muestra las placas de fibra listas para la su comercialización.
Selma shows us the site where her community manufactures soundproofing panels made from wild cane fibre, which is also used for the construction of walls. Initiated in 2009 with the support of the non-profit organisation SOMMAR, this community work project brings social, environmental and quality-of-life improvements to her village and territory.
Residuos de fibra de caña en la orilla de Playa Grande. Al fondo, embarcaciones de los lugareños.
The idea for these ecological panels came from an academic study by Professor Célia Grahem of the Federal University of Maringá in the state of Paraná. On visiting Ilha Maré, Grahem realised the potential of using the wild cane waste discarded by the island’s artisans. The panels provide acoustic insulation and improve sound quality in theatres, auditoriums and restaurants. Improving room acoustics has a positive impact on the health of education professionals.
Un vecino de Playa Grande saca sus productos artesanales durante un día festivo en la isla. Varias familias de la región se dedican a la elaboración de artesanías para aumentar sus ingresos.
The moment we set foot on the island, the main economic activities of its residents become immediately evident – one is fishing and shell fishing; the other the production of wild cane baskets for a variety of uses. The livelihoods of fishers, however, are being threatened by petrochemical companies in the port of Aratu, located to the east and a 25-minute boat ride from Praia Grande.
En una pared del taller puede leerse la frase que dice “existe una historia del pueblo negro sin Brasil, pero no existe una historia de Brasil sin el pueblo negro”.
Sitting on the couch in the office under posters highlighting messages of resistance, Selma explains that social and community groups have faced neglect and violations of basic constitutionally guaranteed rights in recent years, for instance, to be able to live under dignified and just conditions. Selma and other quilombola women like her are helping to create economic incentives and encourage new generations to keep their economy alive by caring for the environment. In the face of adversity, they have a very important tool: creativity. Women are at the forefront of every activity that benefits the community.
En el taller, Selma muestra la fibra de caña procesada que emplean para la producción de las placas.
This ecological panel project is one of many examples. It was the women who organised the construction of the workshop where the panels are produced. With limited space and little available machinery, they produce 22 panels a day. This is far from their ideal target, but the best they can hope for without additional investment support.
We move through the island’s thick vegetation and intense heat, passing through several of Praia Grande’s neighbourhoods. For many years now, local schools have had vegetable gardens for self-consumption. Several groups of women gather together in their neighbourhoods to work for a better future for the next generation. The ‘Yabás’ project currently under development will for instance provide training and tools for citizen empowerment. The project – which derives its name from the Yoruba phrase for ‘Queen Mother’ – is aimed at the children and adolescents of Ilha de Maré.
Dos jóvenes juegan en el muelle principal de Playa Grande en un día festivo.
Selma also participates in projects with women, adolescents and children that focus on community health and well-being. “Local women are in charge of leading and implementing all of the social activities,” Selma proudly says. Not long ago, she initiated a handbag-making course to provide other women in the community with a means of earning additional income to supplement traditional work such as shell fishing, which requires significant effort and carries long-term health consequences.
As a direct effect of the pollution, Selma explains, some fruits such as bananas and mangoes can no longer be found in the territory. These fruits used to be produced on the island and taken to the mainland for sale at the markets. As we walk along dry roads by the seashore, Selma explains to us that the infertility of the soil is linked to the pollution generated by the port of Aratu and its chemical activities. Gas emissions accompanied by a very strong odour are also frequent.
Vista panorámica de Playa Grande, en Isla de Maré, antes de arribar por barca a la comunidad. Dos grandes chimeneas y numerosos depósitos industriales se destacan en el paisaje.
Speaking by telephone, another Ilha de Maré leader – who did not want to be identified due to the threats she has received for her activism – explains that the number of people with cancer has increased over recent years and resulted in a series of deaths. She attributes the rise in cancer cases and deaths to the emission of pollutants from the chemical and petrochemical companies in the Bay of All Saints.
Through their daily actions, these women are weaving a resilient web of resistance. This is like “ants’ work”, Selma explains, entailing a significant amount of effort to juggle the various initiatives.
