The sword and the cross in the Brazilian Caribe

by David Reis (Brazil)

Making a local connection Brazil

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It was a morning summer day at the Costa do Sol, with the sunrise coming from behind the sea, revealing just a little of your sunbeams, that illuminated us while the sea breeze surrounded our bodies. Me, my dad -André- and his friend -Paulo- were going to the nearby town, Cabo Frio, for diving. And as we drove down the highway, it was possible to feel the salty taste of the sea breeze coming through the open window as the car traveled the coast. At that point, we started talking about the dive site and the city we were going to. So Paulo, who lives in the region started to tell us about the native people that lived there. As we watched the fog that appeared on the road -due to the moisture released by the surrounding plants- being illuminated by the morning light. As we went along the route, Paulo began to tell us, specifically, about the Goitacazes. "They were the strongest first natives in the region. They hed their heads shaved in front and hair up to the waist. They hunted sharks using only their a stick that they put in the animal's mouth and thus remove their entrails with their own hands and thus kill the animal." At that moment we had just arrived in the city of Cabo Frio. Meanwhile, the sun leaves its shy and orange rays, becoming higher at every minute. Thus revealing an intense sea blue waters as it proceeds to the diving site, which promised to be astonishing, given what we have been able to observe until then. As we entered the city, we talked more about these native peoples, almost exterminated by the Europeans. That brought the Jesuits to catechize the native people, deprives them of there culture and uses them as enslaved labor to build churches and fortress until complete exhaustion. At that time we passed by the Convent of Nossa Senhora dos Anjos, in the downtown, which was built during the 17th century by the Jesuits. So Paulo told us the history of the construction of the convent. " It had been built by the Jesuits, who, with the help of the Portuguese army dominated the indigenous people and used their warrior's labor force during the construction. Then, after twelve years of work, the soldiers decided to celebrate the end of the construction, inviting the enslaved workers to celebrate with them. After the commemoration, everybody was tired and drunk, because they weren't able to party. Then the soldiers closed all the doors and windows, preventing anyone from entering or leaving the place and murdered everyone." At the end of the story there was a silence that followed us, until the dive site - which proved to be overwhelming. With a beach of crystal clear waters and white sand, which contrasted with the grey rock cliffs full of cactus and small bushes. As we took the equipment out of the car, I thought about how that story, unfortunately, shows a fraction of what was done to build bases of Brazil's society. And how a place, today know as Brazilian Caribe, could be the stage for the genocide of a thousand individuals. Making scars that last until nowadays. As the prejudice against these people, the lack of access to the basic services and the constant murder of the indigenous people by farmers - who do everything to take control of the aboriginal lands. By that time we had already all the equipment from the car and we were preparing ourselves for the dive. Then I stopped for a moment, sat on the sand -Which was so warm and soft that it seemed to hug me with its little grains- while the crystal clear and calm water touched my feet while I was putting my flippers. And then I closed my eyes for a while imagined how the indigenous people fought, and keep fighting, bravely for the defense of their territory, their culture and their people. Resisting until the 21st century, because I'm the living proof of that resistance.