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Life Onboard |
LAST UPDATE
July 12, 2005
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| February 10, 2004 |
Transforming Violence to Rhythm: a Rising Movement in the Favelas – Raphael Rodrigues |
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| Mr. Raphael Rodrigues teaching in his dance workshop onboard "Vamos Dancar!" |
Brazil, a country of 170 million people from diverse ethnic backgrounds, is known for its vast land area, the staggering bio-diversity of the Amazon rainforests, as well as the dubious honour of having one of the widest economic disparities between the rich and poor of any country in the world. This is especially true in urban areas such as Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, where the divide is immense and strikingly visible with vast mansions often separated from homes that lack even running water by no more than a thin strip bitumen. Through the process of urbanization, landless poor have created and inhabited in numbers huge shantytowns called favelas that surround Brazil's major cities. Falling outside the regular planning framework, the government has so far failed miserably to provide the residents of these districts with many of the most basic social services, providing fertile ground for crime and violence, which in many cases prevail in these communities.
Mr. Rafael Rodrigues, a member of Rio de Janeiro-based NGO AfroReggae, joined Peace Boat's transatlantic journey from South Africa to Brazil. On February 10, he gave a lecture "Transforming Violence to Rhythm: a Rising Movement in Favelas" to talk about the history, principle activities and aspirations of his organization. A large group of socially active youth, AfroReggae has its origin in civil movement against the predominance of police violence in the community where he grew up. In many cases, the police, who were entrusted with the role of protecting citizens, have become just another faction in violent conflicts between groups of narcotics traffickers, secretly trafficking in weapons and giving impetus what amounts to a small-arms race, as well killing ordinary citizens without mercy. Maybe one of the most famous instances of police violence against innocent citizens took place on August 29, 1993 in a favela called Vigario Geral when the local police massacred 21 blameless residents, including women and children, with blatant disregard for any form of due process. This was done as retaliation against killing of four police officers that had taken place in the area the day before. The incident made Vigario Geral infamous in Brazil as a dangerous favela that nobody should step into. This resulted in lowered self-esteem and dignity among the residents of Vigario Geral.
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The voice of youths in Vigario Geral who wanted to change their violence-wracked community crystallized and gave birth to AfroReggae as a response the incident in 1993. Through teaching performing arts, AfroReggae aims to engage children in productive activities - children who would otherwise be on streets where the lure of vicious cycle of violence and drugs is powerful. It also educates children about social and health issues with hopes that they will be future community leaders. Mr. Rodrigues, who is a leading dancer of AfroReggae, emphasized that it is not a school for future artists but it is a school in which children learn to become agents of social change for a better future. The organization has grown in size and popularity and celebrated its 11th anniversary this year. AfroReggae teaches children that even in impoverished life, one can find happiness and realize dreams.
In addition to talking about the reality of life in favelas, Mr. Rodrigues also interacted with Peace Boat participants onboard through dance. He taught dance to participants everyday in a series of workshops "Vamos Dancar!" that culminated in the performance of a piece in the onboard dance event "Latin Night" on February 13, the night before Peace Boat arrived at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. |
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