It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...

(Written May 14, 8th day in Brazil)

Finally, back at the Casa and a normal day! I joined the Yale group for a late departure to Pirajá. I found myself getting more and more excited the closer I got to this familiar setting. Upon arriving, I soon bumped into most of my friends. First, I saw Daniela, who was walking up the hill to open her school. About two years ago, she had to close it down for a reason I’m not sure of. But since January, she has had the school open again. It is a very cute little place for 3 – 10 year olds. Thank God for this, since most children don’t get started in public schools until they’re ten. I’ll have to go and watch her in action some day to see what and how they teach. She doesn’t have any teacher training, as far as I know, but I’m sure that anything she does is better than nothing.

I headed back down the hill and stopped by Casilda’s house. I first saw Caique, but thought he was Gigo because he’s grown so tall. Then I saw Gigo. He has changed a lot since 2007—more manly-looking and he has a great hairstyle of porcupine spikes in a mohawk. Also there was Morillo, who said he lives with them and is their brother, but I think must be a cousin. Jamele (and her baby) was somewhere else.

Walking back down the hill, I caught up with Fabricio who was ready to do the up-coming demonstration. I saw our young mentally handicapped friend Melque. And sitting on his stoop as usual was Marcos, who is very handsome and manly, although from appearances underfed. He seemed to be in a good mood, smiling more and interacting with the others more than last time we were here. Across the street at Jocelita’s barracha, I found Tio, who also is going through a growth spurt suggesting he’ll be just as big as his brothers, Gigo and Caique. Isabella (Fabricio’s mom) and a friend whose name I can’t remember were grilling skewers of meat for our lunch. They had quite a spread laid out for us, including a really delicious vegetable salad and kick-ass pimento (salsa). I saw Monalisa and Monique with a little boy and girl. Monalisa is looking mature and dutifully takes care of all the little ones running around. The little boy and girl turned out to be Hugo (Fabricio’s son) and Anaclara (Fabricio’s youngest half-sister), who of course I didn’t recognize because they had grown so much. Both of them are extremely outgoing and talkative. Hugo seemed to know me already, like I was his uncle, which was ingratiating. Also there was Sergio and the shy boy Naia, sitting up in a cocoa tree. He threw me down a cocoa pod in greeting when I went to say hello.

It was a festive atmosphere as we all ate lunch together. Jocelita was serving beer to the Yale students. I abstained, not wanting to dehydrate even more in the heat of the day. Morillo, Gigo, Caique, and Tio were all hungry, but wouldn’t get their own food because they didn’t know if they were allowed. I filled up several plates for them. I think these growing boys could have eaten the whole spread!

Most gratifying of all was the fact that I could more-or-less talk with any of my friends for the first time.

After lunch, the whole group went across the street for a tour of Quilombo Zeferina. I was anxious to see the state of things. It was very clean and neat inside, with the exception of a couple of areas where stuff was being stored. The paint job downstairs has held up well. The worst thing to see from an aesthetic p.o.v. was the horrible mess around the outside of the building. I think this will be a good project for me to do once or twice a week until it’s cleaned up. I took several pictures so we can start prioritizing the work our FPC/W&J kids will do, plus the work we may pay professionals to do, such as plastering the upstairs portion of the house. I really hope we can soon get the process started to get the license to install electricity and water. They have a tank for the water, which is in good condition, and the conduits and pipes for wires and water are all installed and ready. Even a toilet is installed.

Fabricio introduced me to Professor Batata, his capoeira instructor, and Jane, the administrative leader of the group. I think they would dearly like to combine forces with Quilombo Zeferina to have a more comprehensive capoeira school. They don’t really have much of a source of income, but teach for the love of the kids and the sport. Fabricio also introduced me to his (closest) friend Jaué.

After a bit of explanation by Professor Batata, the group performed. They do what he calls Capoeira Moderna, a novel style of capoeira being developed by him in the tradition of Mestre Dende, his teacher. Mestre Dende lives in Belgium. Jane and Batata have both lived and worked in Belgium and have traveled extensively. It’s great that they’re now here in Pirajá. They will make great informants for me. I plan to attend their rehearsal on Saturday. See the 6’40” clip here.

Before the group departed, I had a chance to see Casilda and Nilzete. Everyone seems excited to know I’ll be around for a few weeks.

Next the group went to a terreiro out past Itapuá, near the airport, in the midst of the beautiful white dunes. This area has really grown up quickly over the past few years. Its Mãe de Santos, or high priestess, spoke to us about her Casa de Condomblé, which is devoted to the god Ogun. Her mother had been Mãe before her, and at that time it was devoted to Oshossi. The Yale students, of course, asked lots of detailed theological questions. She could have talked with the group all night and not even begun to really answer the questions thoroughly. Perhaps the most interesting thing of all was when two young initiates entered and prostrated themselves in front of Mãe, crawling up to her on their bellies, kissing her hand, and receiving her blessing in return. They always kept their heads bowed and never made eye contact with her out of deference to her status. Pictures are attached for an idea of her lovely dress and the paintings around the space.