Random Stuff to think about..

I believe that the lack of empathy and understanding from outsiders remains a big obstacle to long-term improvement of life in the favelas.

 

This statement says a lot about society. I do not think anybody wants to be raise in poverty. When we are born, we really do not have choice what class we are born into. I never asked my parents to be born here in Rocinha, it just happened. Rocinha is a place like any that a child would not know anything diferent unless taken outside of Rocinha. I just thought everybody lived like me. It was around 12 years old that I could see and understand that we had diferent classes of people depending on how much money you made. My father tried to protect me from seeing the realities outside of the favela becase he was ashamed of his own circumstances. I remember the first time leaving the favela to go to centro to meet some my fathers friends and seeing a public bathroom and places and how diferent it was from the favela shocked me.

As a kid going to school I was made fun of because of where I lived. I went to a public school where there was a mix of kids. There were basically two classes of people in the public schools, those of us from "the hill" or favela, and those that were from the "asfalto" or formal city. We were the “favelados” or slumdwellers. The rich always went to private schools and did not want to mix with the lower classes. Still, in public schools the non favela kids who were poor but not favela poor, still made fun of us. I guess they felt better becase they could pick on us. I am sure looking back that they got picked on by the upper class kids, so this was a continuation for them to pick on us. A cruel cycle but reality. Being from the favela was just one step up from being homeless or living on the street. If I look at it that way, I am so happy I had a home, favela or not, I had roof over my head, oportunity for school, and some food in my stomach.

We had little but we made do. I had one pair of shoes that I was only allowed to wear to school and otherwise I wore sandals. My father wanted our shoes to last. As my three brothers grew older, shoes and clothes if in good condition were handed down. I remember owned 1 jacket, 1 hat, 4 t-shirts, 1 nice slacks for church, 1 nice button shirt, three shorts, 4 underwear and 2 socks. We ate 1 large meal a day and one snack or small meal. We had acess to Jaca fruit which we ate everyday becase you could eat it off the tree. Every meal had rice and beans. On a good day we had chicken or fish. Rarely did we eat red meat becase it was too expensive for us. Life was simple and predictable.

The area I was raised to what is now Rua 1 high up on the hill, was mostly barracos or shacks of wood. We lived in a two room shack all 6 of us. The bathroom was outside and we had to shower outside in our underwear. A shower was two buckets of water, one to get wet and soap up, the other to clean off the soap. This was life and you get used to it. We had no eletricity, just lamps and candles. We finally got a Tv hookup when I was about 9. He had to run a wire from a neighbors house to get power. My father loved radio and Pagode music, so at least we had noise in the house. The radio was battery operated.

When I was about 11, we moved into a larger more stable house. It was what I called it the “half and half”. I told my friends that if they wanted to find my house just look for the brown and rust colored, half and half. It was a joke but true, our house was half wood, half brick. So, it was easy to find. We were in a beco that was made of dirt becase cement roads where we were, was not common. In the rains the dirt road would become mud and dangrously slippery.

The house was four small rooms, two bedrooms, one for my parents and the other for us four kids. My father was a construction worker who build level beds for us, one on top of each other. There was a small eating/living room area and small bathroom with a toilet and shower. Outside the side door of the house was a tiny sink with a small tacked to the wall mirror, to wash hands or shave. We did not have windows, just sheets of plastic we would use to keep the rain out. We had a small fridge, sink and hot plate type thing that plugged into the wall. Very few people at that time had stoves, like they do today. We had eletricity but it was minimal and did not always work. My father bought kerosne lamps as a backup. We often studied by candle light. Water was inconsistant and you could not drink it. There were days when we had no water which was dificult to wash clothes, shower or clean dishes. Often we would go to neighbors as this was life in a favela.

We did finally get a small used television but we did not watch it much. My mother ruled the tv in the nighttime inviting neighbors over to watch the novelas. Most of the time we were studying or playing outside when she watched tv. That was her time for socialization and connection with community. She also liked to sew and make clothes. She was a English teacher so she had plenty of work but liked being around the house too to take care of us.

Development in my area was slow until a huge migration of people especially from the northeast of Brazil, in the late 70’s came to Rocinha. Then some major building took place in many areas of the favela. Everywhere you walked people were busy building, tearing down, creating some sort of house. It was exciting but also crazy time. Strange accents and expressions were heard and with this migration brought crime. Mostly petty crime but still bothersome to the existing residents.

The drug gangs came into power around this same time and instituted rules in the favela. Since the goverment and police never came here anyways, the drug guys took control of the neighborhoods and set the rules, no stealing, raping or killing inside the favela. I am not sure on the exact details becase I was a kid, but the dealers set up a coexistence with the police. The police were not to enter the neighborhood, and the dealers would keep peace among the residents. This was also a time of tension becase the residents association which was formed in 1961 and established, was not sure what to make of the drug gang. The drug gang bought hearts and minds by aiding some of the poorest residents by providing food and necessities. Also many in the drug gang were “cria” or from the favela.

Interesting dynamic it is and far more complicated than I can explain here. The drug gang became the parallel power and filled the role of the goverment. The gang built community centers and had simple roads paved. If you live in the community what would you think? After years of being neglected and shunned by the goverment, who do you turn to? The gang filled that role. I wouldn’t say people were happy about it, but they accepted it. What else could they do?

For me, school was never fun and it was dificult to make friends. The kids from Rocinha stuck together and the non favela kids had their groups. I hated this becase I wanted to learn about others and make friends. Reading was my favorite subject. I did make some friends from outside of Rocinha, but never did I get to visit their homes or create real friendships with them. It was all superficial. And it was like in my face they liked me but if they were with another non favela kid, they would pretend they did not like me. Weird peer pressure.

Its kind of sad becase in youth is where prejudices are born. It where people learn to hate. As I said in another Blog entry that is in another place: ignorance + fear = hate. How true. So sad becase understanding and learning is what we need. Why cant favelados and asfaltos be friends? Again it goes back to education!

The outside world sees favelas as a place where people have stolen everything. To them we have taken electricity, water, land and do not pay taxes. Favelas are places where "those kind of people" live, dirty, theives, uneducated etc..And there is some truth to that, but rarely do people want to know the "why"???? Why do favelas exist?

We lets start with a history lesson, the goverment promised soldiers who were freed slaves, that if they fought in the war of Canudos (1893-1897) in Bahia, that they would provide these soldiers with jobs and housing. After this war, many migrated to larger cities in the south of brasil. Areas like Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo brought many people with the hopes of jobs. People were able to find jobs but could not find afordable housing. When the soldiers asked the goverment for help, the goverment turned to the hills pointed and said "build your houses there". So, the people did just that without goverment help. The first official settlement was in dowtown Rio in a area called “Morro de Favela” after the plant that grew there on the hill. Later the first “favela” was named "Morro da Providencia" or Providence Hill. Morro da Providencia still exists today in dowtown Rio de Janeiro.

If a favela is without government control or structure, it is obvious that services like water, eletricity, sanitation and proper sewer systems will not exist. If the government does not even recognize you enough to put your community (of 250.000+ people) on a map, that says a lot about discrimnation. So, then where does the community get these things? Well several places. In Rocinha the Estrada da Gavea was paved in 1939 way before Rocinha was favelized (if that is a word). Back then it was a small community of farms where vegetables were sold and car races used to run up and down the estrada. Eletricity was brought to the main street by the influence of the catholic church, who was instrumental in the 1950’s to getting services for the people who settled there. Today there is formal eletricity to most of the residents but not all. The company called “Light” is located at the bottom of the hill near the pasarella. If you are one of the residents who lives deep in a beco, you probably run a “gato” or line to your neighbors and get power from them. But in turn that person’s light bill is higher, so nobody gets for FREE! I am sure there are people who have rigged the system and do steal, but that is a minority.

Water has always been in Rocinha but acess has not always been easy. There is a water source deep in the woods close to Portao Vermelho and other areas higher up where water is pumped by CEDAE, which is a municiple company. The majority of residents have water but still problems occur. Two months ago I went 2 days without water and had to use neighbors facilities.

Sewage is more dificult to understand as it exists but there are many open places where sewage is visable and contributes to health hazards for residents. There is a open sewer ditch in a area called the Valao, instead of building that PAC project of the futebol field/swimming pool next to the samba school, they should cover the Valao! There are pipes you can see that criss cross the hill but nothing like the USA where you never see or hear it.

Sanitation and garbage pick up a problem. There are areas on the side of the road desgnated for pick up. The prefeitura is supposed to pick up the garbage 2 times a day, but rarely do they.The residents also need education about not littering in the becos or small alleyways deep in the favela. But it starts with having garbage cans available for people to put garbage in! The residents association does have people who they hire to clean the streets. I would think it would be easier for them to clean if there were garbage cans around. I walked one day for about 30 minutes before I found a garbage can. Garbage on the streets and in the becos also attracts rats!

As far as taxes, well in Rio, if you make under 1.300 reais a month you do not pay taxes. The majority of favelados that I know make from $500-$800 reais a month. So, that explain the taxes situation. And with that little money, where else could you live but a FAVELA!

Many of the services came about due to the residents association and the influence of the church. They both fought for attention to be brought to the community. The services are still substandard but are better than nothing.

If somebody does not understand the community or have fear, they create a dislike automatically and avoid. This is how I feel the asfalto world looks at the favelas. Better to avoid and marginalize, than to include in everyday society. This is where opportunity comes in. Who has it, and who does not? The people in power distribute that opportunity according to one’s worth. In Rio, monetary worth, specifically, where you live. If I live in Gavea or Barra de Tijuca, automatically, I am seen as a person of value and opportunities of all types are “given” without question, to me.

If I am from Rocinha or another favela, I am seen as a person not of value. Instead I am seen as a servant to service the upper classes.

Opportunity changes things dramatically. But opportunity comes in diferent ways. Education is number one! They say in Brasil, everybody has the right to education and that is true, but the quality of education is what everybody deserves. The favelado gets minimum education that prepares him to be a “servant” for the rest of his life!

If a person has access to decent education, they can change their life. How much, is dependent on what society will allow. What I mean by this is if a guy from the favela is smart enough to become a doctor through all the schooling necessary, will he be given the chance to practice? Or will he be not valued just becase he comes from the favela? Hard to say on that becase the few who do make it to that level, have to lie and deny their roots just to get ahead. I am certainly not close to that level, but in my past I lied about where I was from, becase the media constantly pumps negative images about favelas in the news. Who would want to say they are from such a horrible place.

So now back to this statement:
I believe that the lack of empathy and understanding from outsiders remains a big obstacle to long-term improvement of life in the favelas.

There is much truth in this, but I feel there needs to be exchange on both parts, favela and asfalto. Only the next generations can change perspectives about how each are viewed. The outside needs to get to know and understand people of the favelas. And the favelados need to give them the chance to get to know them.

Seana in Rocinha

Seana with one of the kids from Rocinha


Its rare when you meet somebody who truely has a love and passion for a place. I remember one of the lasts days before Seana had to leave and it was so sad. I know she did not want to leave Rocinha. As she says, Rocinha stole some of her heart. She fell in love with the place and people and this is not the first time I have heard this. And I know it will not be the last. I know if it came to it, she could easily live here. She made so many friends who ended up like family for her.

I first had contact with her a few years ago when she contacted me about coming to Rocinha for her school project. She was studying funk music from the favelas. I remember sending her some and her interest in Rocinha became stronger. The one day she sent me a email telling me she was coming. It was so nice to put a face to the emails. She is so sweet, kind and always has a smile on her face..

So, now she is RETURNING in the begining of June. So, I will see her again. I know she is soooo happy to be coming back and I look forwards to her return. But heres a interview I did with her. She is sharing her experiences of favela life.

Enjoy!!!

~Zezinho


- Can you tell me your name, where you are from?



My name is Seana. I am from Florida, U.S.A.

- Why did you come to Brasil?


I came to Brazil because I study Brazilian funk music from the favelas in Rio de Janeiro.



- When you arrived where did you live?


I wanted to stay in Rocinha my first trip to Brazil. But I had a difficult time finding housing there without knowing people there. When I arrived, I stayed in a woman’s apartment in Copacabana where a friend of mine was living.



- How did you find out about favelas?


I have studies the social relations that exist in the favelas in Rio for the last 6 years. I found out about them from studying about street children in Brazil.


- Why did you decide to move into a favela (Rocinha)?

I wanted to move to Rocinha because I study the music there and want to be as close as possible. I decided to move to Rocinha because I feel safer there than anywhere else in Brazil. There is a sense of community like I have never felt anywhere else. People are warm and welcoming.




- Before moving here what did you know about favelas?


I knew that the favelas are a place where drug traffickers control the communities and police invasions occur. I also knew that there is a lot more to favela life. 



- Since living here, have you impressions of favelas changed much?


They have not changed too much, since I tried to learn as much as possible in the years leading up to my first visit, but I never could have imagined the safety I felt while there or the carinho, or affection that I was shown by the people who live there.



- What do you like about living in the favela?


Everything. Rocinha is the kind of place that steals your heart. When I had to leave Rocinha, I would feel the physical absence, a love sickness perhaps, as if I had left someone behind who should be with me at all times. That feeling has never gone away. Even when I had to return to the U.S., my friends claimed that they lost a piece of me to Rocinha.



- What don’t you like?


There is nothing that I do not like about the favela. Life there is what it is. I feel like the benefits of living there outweigh things that might irritate some people. Water use that cuts the power, cold showers, or dog feces in the alleys. 



-If you had a magic wand and could change anything, what would you change about the favela?



I would change the amount of violence people suffer—the (police) raids, the strip searches, etc.


- Has your experience been worthwhile?

Absolutely. I wouldn’t change it for anything.

What advice would you give someone who wanted to move/stay here?


Learn about the culture of the favela and learn to respect it. Being in a favela is not about having an exciting time living in a “dangerous,” “poor,” or “violent” community. It is not something to do to have a story to tell. I believe it is a place where people should live if they are knowledgeable about the culture and respect that exists in the community. They should be willing to learn about and participate in this culture in the same manner that a favela community member would.



- Would you come back to live here again?


Always.

Seana

Life in the Favela Pt.2

With all the lifes challenges, I still LOVE living here. We can choose to see the bad or good. I prefer to see the good and positive that lives here. I have always said “It’s not the poorly built houses, but the people that make this place special”. Life is good.

Living here has challenges and I want to put out a special get better wish to my friend Robert and Lilia who have been sick due to Dengue. Get beetr soon!!!

I wanted to continue from Part 1 as some of you want to know more. I have been very fortunate to have people who after reading my blog, come here to see for themselves. I am back now and hope to be able to give updates one a week now that I have formal internet in my house.

Why favelas exist
Favelas exist because of the lack of affordable housing for the poor working class. We do not have public housing or a welfare system that aids poorer people, so favelas are the only option. If Rio wishes for the favelas to go away, they need affordable housing or they need to raise the minimum wage so people have the option to move out of the favelas. I know that I could not afford to live outside a favela. Favelas are not bad places, just places where regular people live who make little money. The majority of people who live here in Rocinha, have no interest in leaving. I am one of those content with my life here. Instead of leaving, I would like to help improve life for people who live here. Leaving? Where would I go? What friends or connections would I have to a new place? Many things to think about.

Work, jobs, job opportunities
Most of the jobs favela resident do are simple type work where education or higher education is not needed. Favela residents are construction workers, domestics, bus drivers, cashiers, hotel and restaurant workers. The job you get decides on many factors, like education, where you live and your race. Brazil does not like to admit this but there is racism here. Rarely do you see Afro-Brazilians in high professional type jobs. The biggest stigma is coming from or living in a favela. I am considered white and to Brazilians considered one who probably has opportunity but becase I live in a favela, my status or class drops. I think more people suffer discrimination because of living in a favela. Because favela residents receive poor education, they are not able to pass the difficult entrance exam (called the Vestibular) to get into university. Only the rich or people who can afford tutors can gain entry for university. There is the odd scholarship but it is rare for favela resident to get into university. The guy on the beach selling you water or renting you the beach chair most likely lives in a favela.

Shopping and Commerce
In Rocinha, we have over 6,000 businesses. I love living here because I do not have to leave here for anything. Why? When I can buy everything here? We have three banks here, Bradesco, Itau and Caixa. They are now building a Banco do Brasil as well here. The prices are very cheap or reasonably priced. Every Saturday the nightclub Emocoes (Emotions) located close to the entrance of the favela, opens up a shopping market. It is mostly clothes and shoes but other things can be bought there as well. On Sunday we have the Feira Nordestina located in Largo do Boiadeiro. This is a true Brazilian cultural fair as you can but fruits, vegetables, meat and everything, even a screw driver! There are also the “Repentistas” who sing or “insult” each other through song. But it’s all in fun. I often receive tourists who would prefer shop in Rocinha not only because the prices are cheaper but also because the want to support the favela economy. Most of the commerce is located down at the bottom of the hill.

Water
We have a water resource high deep in the forest of a area called “Laboriaux”. It is a fresh water spring that people can drink the water from. When the water is pumped from there through the pipes to people homes in the favela, minerals build up in the pipes and the water is not good to drink. Most people here drink bottled water. Where I live, I get water pumped into my tank once a week, so conservation of water is important. Water is free and the government built a pumping station at the top of Rua 1 for the residents. I think it is important responsibility to conserve water.


Electricity
Most people pay for electricity but of course you will always have those people who have “gatos” or illegal hook ups to the grid. When I was a kid, it was all illegal but now we have a formal company called “LIGHT” which is a Brazilian/Canadian company which provides formal electricity to about 85% of the residents. I receive a bill every month and I pay between 20 to 50 reais a month depending on how much energy I use.


Taxes
In Brazil we have a law that if you make under 1200 reais a month you do not pay taxes. Most people who live in Rocinha earn between 600 to 900 reais a month, so they don’t pay income taxes. We do pay taxes on good and services though as this tax is built into the price.

Education
I think most people know that public education in Brazil is poor and even worse for the cities 1.8 million favela residents. Education or real education is for the middle and upper classes. We are educated to the point we can function but it is not common to see professional people coming out of favelas. This is sad becase intelligence has nothing to do with where a person lives. But that intelligence has to be nutured and fed to grow and prosper. Many bright favela people will never amount to anything more than a common service worker becase they do not have access to quality education. And becase the minimum salary is low many kids have to leave school and work to help support their families. It is common in Rocinha to see a 12 or 13 year old kid giving you back change in a store. These kids should be in school but many see the lack of opportunities becase the education prepares them for a bleak future, so why waste the time with this. There are some scholarships, but they are rare. I have a friend who was lucky. He is a architect but he and his friends in order to get better job opportunities are renting a place outside the favela. He can not even tell outsiders the truth about where he lives. This is sad. It is common that many employers will not hire favela people.

***If any of you readers want information about a specific thing regarding to favela life or Rocinha, please email me what you would like to read here. My email is: visitrocinha@gmail.com

Orgulho da Favela- Pride of the Favela

I have said this many times, "Its not the poorly built houses that makes this place, its the PEOPLE!"

To some people, the word “Favela” is bad. I embrace the word becase of its roots. The word “favela” came from the plant that grew on the hills of the first settlement in Rio. This plant mirrors the hardships of the people who had nowhere to go other than the hills to build their shacks back in the late 1800’s (1898 the first favela was Morro da Providencia). With this plant, people would try to cut it down but it would just grow back again stronger. I am from and to this day live in a FAVELA..sem vergonha!!! (without shame)

Many people do not realize that the conditions my parents and others came from were far worse. In the northeast of Brazil there were many problems being lack of jobs, drought and hopelesseness of the people who lived there. Many had to leave and migrate to the big cities to find work and to survive. Favelas were the only option at that time. People set their roots to get a sense of stability in their lives. My father did this because he wanted a better life for us. He told me many stories of suffering, starvation and feeling like nobody cared about the people there. Coming to Rio was a lifesaver for him. He was able to find work and slowly build his home and roots in Rocinha. The main thing was to have a better life, not a glamorous one.
I am thankful to my father, mother and relatives to giving me all I needed to make it where I am today. I have a roof over my head, enough food, clothes, and a job that I love. What more could I really want?

The purpose of this Blog, I made first is to inform people about what life is like here. Every week I would receive several emails from students, journalists, and researchers who wanted information about where I live. I also try to put in stories about my life here to give a personal side to things too. I am not a writer, just somebody wanting to share my personal experiences and information. Favelas are often misunderstood places that are often written about but by MOSTLY those who are not from them. I do not know of anyone else from a favela writing about it.
I would think that most people here probably would not write about it becase most people who live in favelas do not like to tell outsiders they live there. There is still a stigma attached for those who live in favelas. I know many here who would never admit to living here because they feel they might be discriminated against. Its sad but this does happen to we who live here. If any of you know somebody that is from a favela and writing about it, please let me know. I would like to meet them!

Favelas are complex societies that even trained or educated people still will never fully understand life here. Researchers try with their “theories”, but theories are just that. For a “outsider” it is very difficult to be trusted and given the detailed information by residents. Most of us here in Rocinha do not trust the intentions of outsiders. We live here becase there is no other option for us. Even in my experience, Many people email me and expect so much from me, but want to offer nothing in return. I see these same people come in the favela and only want to satisfy their own needs at the expense of the community. We are tired of being the “petrie dish” for every researcher who wants to “study” us but never try to help change things. After a while this gets old and people here are not stupid.

Recently it seems every post I put up which challenges somebody ignorance, I get again OUTSIDERS trying to tell me how it is here, change my values or tell me how bad it is here. Are you telling me this based on you living here or just stuff you read or what people tell you? This depends on what you value and what you are used to. I would never expect a middle or upper middle class person from the Europe or USA to come here and like it. But then again here is NOT Europe or USA.

One person wrote “you cant deny the deplorable conditions of favelas etc…”
Ok, he says deplorable, but based on who’s values, his? I don’t think I live in deplorable conditions.

I have always said. Favelas are not perfect, we have problems, challenges, like anywhere. Nem melhor, nem pior, apenas diferente! But they are just different than other countries. I am very happy here and I think that bothers some readers that I could actually LIKE living here in a favela. I think some think of favelas being “romantic”, which I do not understand this at all. Maybe in the movies they are romantic but reality is much different. I do not live in a movie. I am not just staying here, I LIVE here and MY FAMILY lives here too!!! I do not have any plans to leave. And my roots are here, why leave to go to unknown future?

I don’t need to be saved or helped. The conditions I live in may not up to some peoples standards, but I am not complaining. I have everything I NEED. To some, I live in poverty, but I think my life is very rich becase money is not the center of my universe. Yes, I work, but I am not somebody’s slave. And money does not dominate my every thought like most people I know. People and my community are far more important to me.

I think in countries where people have access to everything, they get spoiled and they complain. I saw this especially in the USA. People are stressed out chasing money so much they are not even raising their kids anymore. Mothers do not stay home with kids anymore. Daycare or a nanny is the substitute mother. Dads do not have time to go out and kick a ball with their son becase when they get home from work they are too tired to interact with their kid. Instead they feed the kid tv, internet or video games. Kids in the USA don’t have that connection to their parents anymore. At 18 years old the parents want you out of the house.

I left the USA because I started to see individual rights taken from people based on this “fear of terrorism” crap! Its easy, the government creates horrible events to create a “enemy”, put fear in people and then slowly takes their rights away under the guise of giving citizens more security. Big brother is now a reality.

When I lived in the USA I felt like my life was “regulated”. I had a “formal” job. I had to punch in a clock. I had to wear a uniform. There were regular meetings we had to attend. I had a bank account. I had a rental agreement for the place I rented. I had to have a credit card to do anything like travel or book airplane tickets. I did not get my first credit card until I was 38 years old. It was like a whole new world for me with so much regulation. So different from the simplicity of living in a favela where my word is trusted when I rent a place and no paperwork is needed.
There are many good things about the USA, but I felt after 10 years was enough and I was drawn back to my home. I made the right decision as I feel free from “regulation” and my life is my own. I work when I want or need to, not because I HAVE to. Life is easier and cheaper for me here in Rocinha. Its not perfect, but I am happy.

I am not perfect, but try to keep negative stuff out of my life. There will always be someone who needs to start trouble because they want to drag others down or their lives are miserable. I believe in karma and try to put out positive things and I know when I do, it comes back to me the same. But the test is those who are jealous or have problems and they see the good around you and want to destroy it. The test is to understand and not respond or block them out. Success to me is NOT about money, its about changing peoples lives and impacting them in such a way that they can then carry on that same energy. This is my belief.

So, my blog again is to educate and tell you how it is HERE IN ROCINHA. If you really want to know and understand this place, you would need to live here for at least 6 months to 1 year, the more time the better. And if you do not understand or speak any portugues, you will find it very difficult to interact and understand the life and culture here. The more portugues you speak, the more the community will welcome you. If you don’t try you will always be seen as the outsider and meaningful relationships will be hard to come by.

Please, if you have questions, feel free to write me at: visitrocinha@gmail.com

More Prejudice and Misinformation about Favelas

My good friend Jim Shattuck writes a blog about his life in Brazil and one person wrote below their opinions about a post Jim wrote about favela tours. I respect the idea that there are those who do not like favela tours. That is not the problem here.

I think it is important that readers know what is going on about favelas. I decided to respond to what this guy wrote. As a favela resident I am tired of being socially excluded, stigmatized and marginalized by people who do not know me or about the place I live. I am speaking up for all the people of the favelas as their voice need to be heard.

Ray’s post is in italics and mine is in bold font.

Jim’s website is below:

http://qualidadedevida-jim.blogspot.com/

Ray Adkins writes:
Jim,
 I totally respect your opinion and I admire your initiative, you will be doing more for Brazil in the short time you are there than most do their entire lives.


You make it sound like we in favelas have no hope. How wrong you are. Things are improving for favela residents.
It maybe slow in coming but we see it here in Rocinha with the PAC Project.

My personal opinion about favelas is that I am against the tours and I am also against ignoring them as if they didn't existed.



What he continues to write below has nothing to do about favela tours or the project we are trying to make here for the community. So you are also “against ignoring them as if they didn’t exist”. So how does a person learn or understand about favelas if they come to brazil and do not have access? What do you propose for favelas not to be ignored? Many people contrary to what people think, come on tours to understand the favelas and then return to volunteer or implement a project.

Ray, why is it that all you write is all negative things? Are you just trying to discourage people from helping? Whats your point? So, Ray do you have a solution? You can say tear all the favelas down but that is approximately 35% percent of Rio’s population. Or about 2.5 million people. Ray do you really think that the Brazilian government, as corrupt as it is has a true interest to help ALL the poor people in Rio? Especially by building housing for us people, I think not! (I am talking about Rio because I live here, Sao Paulo is another thing).

I find it interesting how people have opinions but based on what information? Where does the information come from media? people? Personal experience? It is difficult for me to read what this guy has written below because although there are some truths to what he says, there is also a lot of exagerrations or outright lies? Where do people get this stuff?

I would much rather hear somebodys opinion about something that is based on their personal experience rather than what they read or hear. By what this guy writes its obviously not from personal experience.

I think favelas are the most humiliating form of living besides being a homeless person, favelas are dangerous places because they are mostly built on the sides of mountains without any proper infra-structure and when there is a strong rain storm people living in favelas are under risk of being buried alive along with their children or they are built on the banks of polluted rivers and are subject to constant flooding.


Ok so YOU think they are humiliating forms of living. As somebody who lives in a favela, I actually like living here and do not feel humiliated by living here. That is something within YOU to say this. I am very proud to live here in Rocinha. We who live in favelas only want equal opportunity for jobs and to be treated with respect, nothing more. There are definitely challenges and problems but I find there is more a community spirit and people here actually CARE about each other compared to other places I lived in the world. I will never say favelas are paradise or perfect but then again paradise and perfection do not exist. But this is my life and I am happy in my current situation. I live in a house with four walls, a roof, electricity, water, a toilet that operates, and it is confortable.

So if I all in a sudden became rich and was to move out of the favela. What would I have? More stuff? A nicer place? Maybe…but would I be as happy as I am now? Probly not, becase I was not raised with upper class people. I have nothing in common with them. I have no interest in designer clothes, shoes, fancy cars..I am more interested in being part of a community that cares about me where I feel I have a valued place. Favela or not Rocinha is my home. I will not abandon her for money.
Being homeless is just that. Living on the streets is just that. Favelas are nothing like that. Favelas are tight knit communities where people work together and support each other.

It is true that in Rio most of the favelas are built on hillsides but not all are dangerous nor do we lack infrastructure. We have our own. The only thing that separates us from the formal city is money. We have had to create our own infrastructure where the government fail to help.

The reason favelas exist is becase of the lack of housing for the poor working class. Unlike other places we do not have the WELFARE system, the DOLE, food stamps, section 8 or whatever… that people can use, abuse and be lazy. People in favelas live there becase there is no other option.

NOT ALL FAVELAS ARE CREATED EQUAL!!!

Favelas far away in the north or west zones have more problems and challenges compared to where I live.
In Rocinha 95% of the homes are made of brick and cement and are built solidly into the earth. We have two areas Macega and Roupa Suja high up the hill with about 40 shacks that are in the process of going to be removed.

Last April about 200 people died from the heavy rains and most were in two favelas, Morro dos Prazers in Santa Teresa and Morro do Bumba in Niteroi. Prazers hill has always had problems with mudslides unfortunately and Bumba was the favela that was built on top of a garbage dump. With these two areas I agree with what the writer says. I do not know much about Sao Paulo favelas as I do not live there and feel it incorrect to write about something that I haven’t experienced personally.

I think favelas are dangerous because people living in them make illegal electrical connections to steal electricity and live under constant risk of electric shocks and devastating fires, which have happened lately in Sao Paulo favelas and have been widely reported on the media.


In some favelas this is true but in Rocinha where I live we have a company called LIGHT that is a joint venture of Brazilian and Canadian. We have a power grid at the bottom of the hill and most people DO PAY for their electricity. There will always be those who cheat whether it be steal electricity, cable or internet. When I lived in the USA I knew many people cheating the system. Its is not right, but people do it. All I can tell you is that I DO PAY a monthly electric bill. As for fires we have are usually due to stupid people burning garbage. Again I can not speak about Sao Paulo.

I think favelas are dangerous because they live off the grid,on stolen and invaded property, pay no taxes, have little or no social services such as Fire Departments, Police and Ambulance services due to difficult access due to it's lack of planning for streets or any access what so ever.


In Rocinha we have our own firemen (Rambo da Rocinha being one) and since the building of the new hospital UPA, we do now have ambulances that go through our community. We have one main street and three smaller streets at the bottom of the favela. But Ray is correct that many favelas have dirst roads and not paved streets.

You need to understand the history of how favelas came to be and the laws about open not private land. Its obvious Ray that you are not from Brazil. Laws are different in other countries, you know? Some favelas do live off the grid and the land at the turn of the century was given to the people as the government did not follow through on their promise. The promise was that for those soldiers who fought in the Canudos War (1893-1897) on the side of the government, in the northeast of Brazil. The soldiers would receive in exchange jobs and housing. The soldiers were able to find jobs, but the government lied to the people and did not provide or help them with housing. Instead the government told the ex-soldiers that they could build their houses on the hills. The first official favela was Morro da Providencia (1898) which still exists today. So, this was how the favelas began being named after the thorny plant that grew on the hillsides.

There is also a law pertaining to open non private land that if a person can put up a house overnight and it is considered stable, they cannot be removed. This is foreign to people in other countries because of boundaries and laws, but this is how it works here. This is one reason the favelas grew. Lack of affordable housing for poor working class. If they want favelas to go away, the city needs to have a higher minimum wage, people have to pay their help more, so the poor have options other than favelas. But, please who are we kidding, favelados serve a purpose for low paid labor and the upper classes certainly do not want to pay us more..

I would love to see Rio run one week without “favelados” (favela residents like ME)..the city would shut down and collapse. Without us the city could not operate. Who would clean the streets, clean and services hotels and restarantes? Who would drive the buses the metro or taxis?

As for taxes again you do not know Brazilian law. If you earn under 1200 reais a month, you do not need pay taxes. In Rocinha the average salary is from 600-900 reais a month. Something many do not consider is that when we buy things, there is a fixed tax built into the price so we do pay taxes in that respect. But we receive nothing in return.

They living off the grid of society and the lack of easy access also allows drug traffic and other criminal organizations to hide and thrive inside favelas and with the complete lack of social order and little reach from organized society, favela residents have no choice but to fear and protect criminals under the so called "Lei do Silencio" "Silence Law", in other words, you should not be a "rat" like the mafia would say it, you should never be a witness to any crime, you should always be quiet.


Yes, we do have the drug dealers but they do not mess with “trabalhadores” or workers. They do not control my life or anyone elses. And I certainly do not live in fear of them. They do their thing and I do mine.

The reason I do not snitch is becase I never have liked or trusted the police. Nobody in Rio likes the police or trusts them. They are undertrained, trigger happy corrupt ASSHOLES. Even the rich do not like them becase they always try to extort bribes. Maybe is Sao Paulo it is diferent but this is the way it is in Rio. When I leave the favela the police abuse me, put me on the wall search me and treat me like a dog. I am a honest hardworking person just trying to live a peaceful life. We who have lived in Rio and understood the military dictatorship still have trust issues with the system. It is very corrupt here. Lula has helped the poor more than most presidents but the corruption is still engrained especially in the police forces. So, who do you chose? The traffickers who leave me alone, who live in the community and do contribute to things here or do I trust the police, who don’t live here and abuse me everytime I step outside the favela?

Its very complicated. The drug lords work in conjunction with the government and police. The traffickers of course are NOT angels and do horrible things but the police do worse. We all know the traffickers evil side but with the police they are supposed to be the good guy, but they are not!!! When I lived in the USA I would not hesitate to ask a policeman for directions or talk to them but here, why? So they can harass me or try to get money from me?

Contrary to what you think Ray, there is actually more social order here. People do not steal, rob, rape, kill, molest kids…we do not have these problems. Our kids can run freely in our streets without a problem (unless of course the police come in). The traffickers act like police within the community and punish those who break these rules. Becase I am honest, I have no problems with the rules. And certainly do NOT live in fear!!! I feel free here as I can walk the streets at any hour and not be hassled by anyone. I would NEVER walk in Copacabana late at night. Funny to think that the places you think of being most dangerous can be safer than the formal city. The ONLY time the favela is dangerous is when the police try to enter. Do you know the traffickers PAY THE POLICE to stay out of the favela? That is how deep the corruption goes.

Favelas in Rio have fake streets and fake store fronts and home fronts to deceive and sometimes even trap police and unwanted intruders, many residents know about it but are not allowed to talk under fear.


In Rocinha and Vidigal two favelas that I have lived this is not true! Please Ray tell me, where does this place exist?

Society should put their efforts in getting rid of all favelas, destroying all the dangerous homes hanging from a cliff and build decent apartment communities for these people in safe areas where they will have access to legal and safe electrical service, where they will live on a street with regular police presence and Fire and Ambulance service available to them as well as other community services available to the rest of Rio, who pays taxes and enjoy them, where they won't be under constant risk of being buried alive by a mountain side or a raging river.


Good luck, getting rid of all favelas, nice idea? Do you really think the government wants to do this? Boy, would it be great if everybody could be equal and live happily ever after..sorry but you are living in dreamland!! Mother nature is cruel no matter where you live..some favelas yes have problems as you have mentioned but living in the flatlands people have problems too.

So they want to live in the center of it all, even by risking their lives and there is plenty of people who think favelas are a romantic part of the scene and there is nothing wrong with living that way.

Romantic..please can you explain to me how a favela is romantic? Who thinks like this..favelas are just places where people live..what do you mean "Living that way?" I live like you, only I may not have many material things..you think I live in a bad way? You need to come here and see for yourself..

..that along with the complacency of many and the ones who just ignore it...nothing or little will ever happen to improve the poor living situation of this humiliated part of society in Rio.


So, Ray, what is your plan? You talk a lot with your “opinions” but what is your plan of action? You are the one that says "Humiliated", but I am no shamed to live in a favela..

Not to mention that many "middle and upper class" cariocas need the favelas to buy their daily drug of choice near their homes...so it sounds like nothing will ever be done to change that if you wait on the Cariocas who benefit from the presence of the favelas.


Drugs are a WORLD problem, not just a problem in the favelas. Those upper class not only buy their drugs but also get the use of cheap labor from the favelas. Why would they want to lose this? I do not like drugs but all I can do is be a good representative of my community and help show the kids that there are other options than entering the drug trade.

Maybe they should just paint all the favela houses in white, it would look just like those coastal Greek towns on the side of mountains.
I know this is not a popular opinion but I thought there should be nothing wrong if it is expressed with respect and honesty.


Paint on the houses would be nice, I agree!!! Respect would be if you could actually speak from experience rather than media or hearing stuff from people (and are those people from favelas or just neighbors?). If you actually lived in a favela, you would have been more specific or mentioned names of places. Remember real people live in favelas and the last time I asked about 85% in Rocinha are happy, like me and do not want to move. Services are nice but what really brings me happiness is a community where I am loved, cared for, needed and wanted, not the invisible world of some penthouse apartment in Leblon. My spirit would die if I had to live there. Everybody values different things and at age 48 I am happy right where I am. I love Rocinha and Rocinha loves me too!!!

Interesting facts of favela life Part 1

The top fotos are of the transportation here with both buses and Mototaxis available to take you anywhere.
The bottom fotos are of the neighborhoods (L) the Via Apia and (R) is the Largo do Boiadeiro located close to the bottom of the favela. Both neighborhoods are have all sorts of stores to satisfy anybodys shopping desires.



Many have emailed me and asked about things here in the favela. So, I decided to give a little explanation about these things.

Land- is something very scarce. Most of the land is taken. What trees and grass is left is green but on the steep hillsides. Its is dangerous to build there and people are told the risks of building on a steep incline. The start of the favela was at the bottom and it grew up the hills through time. Rocinha was originally settled by three families of Portugues, Italian and French origins. Laboriaux is the highest point in the favela which was settled by the French. Largo do Boiadeiro or Caminho do Boiadeiro was settled by the Portugues and the Via Apia was settled by the Italians. We used to have farms and people grew their vegetables here which is why it is called “Rocinha”. Rocinha means “little farm”. People would come to buy their vegetables here back in the 1930’s until about the 50’s. After the second huge migration of people, the area started to turn more urban as there was more building of houses. Rocinha now has a population of about 300,000 people.

Most people don’t really care about land so much. We value our houses more. We now have rights to our houses and do not have fears to be removed. So now you see many people continuously making home improvements. You could visit here tomorrow and return six months later and you will see changes here.

The majority of people who live here originally come from the North East of Brazil. My family was from Fortaleza but never made it back to their roots in Ceara. I hear of more people wanting to return there, after they save enough money. So, to some, the favela is a temporary place where they can live and work. But eventually they hope to be able to return to their roots someday. My roots are here and I am not leaving. The government started building a wall around the favela to prevent expansion. Favelas grew becase of people wanting and needing to build their homes. The wall is supposedly to protect the environment. Some think of it as another way the system is trying to inforce the social exclusion.

Houses- In most favelas the outside of the house and the way it looks is not so important as what is in the inside. Many houses look bad from the outside but once inside you would be surprised to see nice tiled floors and modern furniture with television set and DVD players. Recently I have seen many people installing satellite dishes. I do not have a tv so, this is not available for me. We have a cable tv company here called tvROC (tv Rocinha).

In Rocinha there are approximately 54,000 houses set in 64,000 meters of space. The majority of houses here in Rocinha are made with brick and cement. We still do have shacks here, mostly in the areas of Macega and Roupa Suja. The government wants to remove them because the houses are not sturdy built into the rock. Everytime it rains there, some shacks are destroyed. Or we have mudslides. Everybody desires to have their own house and we take pride in where we live. I would like to own a house someday. Inside our houses are very simple. We do not have drywall. Everything is brick. Most houses have windows. The windows are metal framed with glass on the inside. It is common to see houses without windows too. Most people have electricity and running water. In Brazil, tiles are popular because of them being cheap and easy to clean. The cheapest places to live is closer to the top of the hill. The more expensive houses and apartments are at the bottom of the hill. Foreigners have bought houses here. The average price for a 2 bedroom house is about $30-35,000 reais. At the bottom of the hill is double. We have two real estate offices here in Rocinha where you can go to buy a place. There is also one rental office. People often sell their homes privately, without the help of the RE office. Since there is no space around the houses, people build multiple floors.

Neighborhoods- (Cachopa, Roupa Suja, Capado) we have 25 different neighborhoods and sub neighborhoods here. These names help for us to know where we live. I live in area 7. But before I lived in Paula Brito. But I was born up on Rua 1. It is common for many people to move to other areas in the favela. The poorests areas are Macega, Roupa Suja, Cesario and the Valao. Some of the houses in theses areas do not have electricity or running water.

The names of the neighborhoods are significant to people who they are named after or because of a certain history of the place. The area of Roupa Suja was named after a area where women would come down the hill to wash their clothes and they would meet together doing their work and talking about the goings on in the favela. In other words, they would gossip while washing the clothes, hence the name Roupa Suja (dirty clothes or dirty laundry). Cachopa means pretty girl. I am not sure who the pretty girl was but she was from that area of the favela. Capado which is located high up the hill got its name from the woman who castrated her cheating husband one night after catching him in bed with another woman. The Valao is the area that has the open sewer system running through it. The word “vala” means ditch and “Valao” means big ditch.
Every area of the favela has a different vibe or feel to it. The Via Apia and Largo do Boiadeiro are heavily commercial and its always noisy there. In Paula Brito or Portao Vermelho its very quiet and not much going on there.

Street life-this refers to action going on in the street. Rocinha is a busy place and with only 1 main road, there’s a lot to see. There are many shops, bars and hang out places. Our houses are not big so its nice to go outside and talk with neighbors. In the “becos” or alleyways, people sit on stairs or just stand. Talk varies from gossip to family matters. When I get bored from being inside too long, I just walk down the street and its guaranteed that I will meet people I know. Its hard to be lonely here. People in the streets are friendly and do greet each other. At the bottom of the hill, there are street vendors and all sorts of people hanging out. The street food there is great too! You will see and hear cars with loud stereo systems. There is a “sound car” that drives through the neighborhood making announcements of whats going on in the favela. Capoeira demonstrations are a common sight. And during Carnaval we will have parades through out streets. From Thursday night to Sunday, parties are everywhere and people have churrascos on their rooftops.

Roads- roads are a luxury in any favela. Most favelas have dirt roads. We in Rocinha have one main street and 3 smaller streets. The streets are made of cement. I did see some repairs in the road last week that looked like black tar. Our main street is called Estrada da Gavea which runs from the bottom area of Sao Conrado cutting up the hill to the others side and neighborhood of Gavea. This street receives cars, buses, mototaxis, vans and now with all the construction, big trucks. Bicycles are not common but some do ride. There is a guy at the top of the hill in Rua 1 or first street (which is a alley way not a street), that has a horse. I see him out riding about once a month. My friend skateboards down the hill. He does it becase he does not have the use of his legs. The skateboard has been his transportation since he was 8. To get up the hill, he catches a mototaxi.

Garbage- this is my only complaint about favela life. There are areas sectioned off as garbage dumping places. But I still see people throwing trash on the ground. There needs to be more garbage cans so we can improve our trash problem. And the city needs to come in Rocinha more often and collect the garbage. I wish they would eliminate plastic bags and go to brown paper bags or the “bring your own” when people go shopping.

Transportation- I feel fortunate to live in a place that has transportation 24 hours. We have three bus routes that go to Leblon, Leme and Botofogo. The mototaxis serve primarily the favela but they can take you outside the favela to other areas for a higher price. Costs inside the favela are $2 reais but to go outside the cost is $2.35 for the bus and 2.20 for the vans. I mostly use the vans as they are the most convenient for me. At the bottom of the hill just outside of Rocinha is now a taxi stand for people who need to go longer distances. My friend uses the taxi to go to the airport.

Internet- we have over 80 Lanhouses or internet cafes. People can also have cable internet put in their houses. Recently the government put free WiFi here in Rocinha but its only available for those who have computers. About 20% of the population has computers in their homes. Even less have laptops. I am lucky to have a laptop and I can acess the WiFi on my roof but its not always a strong signal. Right now I am posting this at Leblon Shopping becase the internet connection is stronger and I can post fotos.

Furniture- it is reasonably priced but you will not find grade A quality either. Shops like Ikea don’t exist. The sofa I have is not the most confortable but it seats 3 people. I miss the couch or soft that you sink into. Or if you had to sleep on it, you would not wake up with a sore back. The mattresses on my bed are firm, well made and good for my back. Because we live in a tropical environment, bugs are common. After having mattresses destroyed by bed bugs and every other critter, I decided that after buying new mattresses that I would keep the plastic on them. Its strange sleeping on top of plastic covering but at least I know they will last a long time. I put a sheet over the plastic but still it takes time to adjust to the sound of plastic everytime you move. Computer chairs are very expensive here. 150 reais for a chair is crazy. But I found a used computer desk for 30 reais which is cheap.

Cell phones- almost everyone I know, has one. The way people here can afford cell phones is by buying minutes. I do not know anyone on a monthly rate. My cell phone, I am like everybody else and buy minutes. Talking on the fone is expensive. Text messaging is cheaper even though I hate it. I have seen a few blackberries and the rare iPhone. People have crazy ringtones like cats meowing or loud alarms going off. I heard one guy has his sound like firecrackers going off. He gets strange looks on the bus.

Television- the two most watched programs are Telenovelas and football. Practically everyone has a tv in the favela EXCEPT ME!!! I have seen simpel black and white tv's and huge flat screens. Most people are hooked up to cable tv or satellite dish service Skytv or Via. I do not like tv so much.

Music- you will hear all styles of music here. The most common music styles I hear everyday are Funk, Hip Hop and Pagode. Walking through the becos you hear more of a variety than on the street. Most popular is Lady Gaga, Justin Beiber and Beyonce for pop music from the US. I have even heard some heavy metal. And I have seen a few “Goths” walking the streets of the favela. They are no different from what you would see in the US, pale faces, long black hair and all black clothing.