Needs and Desires

Living in Pirajá has shown me the stark difference between needs and desires. It seems that, often, needs go unnoticed because people have become accustomed to living without. At the same time, their desires burn hotly in their minds and fantasies. So, for example, when Fabricio learned that he could buy a computer on eBay for very little, he obsessed about it until he (we) won an auction. But he neglects to contact Tanya about the simple matter of obtaining medicine for his lupus condition. He has come to believe that a computer will open the doors to prosperity for him, but has learned to live with his lesions.

There are lots of things that people desire—TVs, stereo systems, cell phones with all the bells and whistles, nice hair, nice clothes. Their desires mirror the desires of the more financially fortunate people of the world. And the flame of these desires is fanned by TV advertising and other media outlets, just as it is in the U.S. In other words, a consumer culture exists here in Brazil, but with a huge segment of the population unable to participate without making serious sacrifices in fulfilling their basic needs. And, because they are accustomed to their unfulfilled needs, they are willing to continue sacrificing them to their consumer desires. This impacts our work with Quilombo Zeferina directly.

We’ve encountered a roadblock in our pursuit of autonomy and continuity at Quilombo Zeferina because only one of the women involved, Jocelita, has a “clean” name at the bank. This means that all the others are in debt seriously enough to prohibit them from sharing in the role as financial caretakers of the Quilombo. Two people from different families are required by law in order to access a bank account of the type established for Quilombo Zeferina. Thus, the money is inaccessible without the direct involvement of Marlene at ITEBA.

One might say—so what’s the problem? Just let Marlene help access the money. Marlene, however, is strongly focused on her feminist ideology and the implementation of her ideology. She has her own ideas of what the women in Pirajá need, and that may be in conflict with the actual, realistic needs of the women in Pirajá. Also, it may conflict with what the women in Pirajá think they need, which sometimes is really just what they desire.Ultimately , the women in Pirajá feel they can't fulfill what Marlene thinks are the necessary steps to be administrators of the Quilombo. To satisfy her, they would need to take classes at ITEBA and adopt her feminist ideology, which is unlikely to happen, both practically (transportation issues and family responsibilities) and philosophically. A meeting is needed between the women of Pirajá and Marlene to settle some of these questions.

In the meantime, we Americans, as supporters of ITEBA and Quilombo Zeferina are left with a conundrum. Do we pressure Marlene to moderate her views in order to move forward with the Quilombo? Or do we support Marlene’s vision without question, hoping the women of Pirajá see the light? I have found myself walking a fine line between supporting the women of Pirajá and supporting Marlene’s vision. I am currently in a position where I am the go-between; the one who must seek compromise and creative solutions to give the women of Pirajá some hope of momentum, while at the same time living within the boundaries of the Quilombo’s constitution as written by Marlene. God give me wisdom and strength!