
Nationality may be a universal human right, but at least 10 million people around the world live without it. These stateless people lack a legal identity, are citizens of nowhere and are among the world’s most vulnerable and...
Help us promote cultural diversity as a valuable asset to unite communities.
we are London-based charitable organisation
we promote social inclusion
see what we're up to
We're always looking for new skills
On the occassion of Black History Month, Youmanity reports on the Quilombo do Remanso - a close community deep in the forest of the Chapada Diamantina National Park, Brazil.
Quilombos are highly-nit communities established in many parts of the world. They were set up by former slaves to welcome runaway slaves, to fight colonial rule. Many were sought out and massacred by white farmers/miners in a bid to set ‘an example’ to other slaves.
It is reported that Brazil imported more African slaves than any other country. An estimated 4.9 million slaves from Africa were brought to Brazil during the period from 1501 to 1866.
The Quilombo do Remanso was set up as late as 1940 by Manuel Silva Pereira - known with affection by many as ‘Manoelzinho do Remanso’. He founded his Quilombo in a very isolated spot, close to what is known as the Mini Pantanal - an area rich in flora and fauna.
"To this day, members of Quilombo do Remanso work together the land, rivers and lakes, sharing harvests. Until recently, because of their isolation, they copulated among cousins. Remarkably, no genetic disorders were ever observed on any of their offspring," stated Angelo Iudice, Chair of Youmanity, who visited the 250-soul community in April 2018 (see film below).
An historical note
Despite the fact that slavery was abolished by Brazil's Lei Áurea ("Golden Act”) in 1888, slaves were still trafficked and forced into labour until very recently. In 2001 the Brazilian government freed more than 1,400 slave labourers from many different forced labor environments in different parts of the country.And, according to a 2007 BBC report , the Brazilian government declared to the United Nations that at least 25,000–40,000 Brazilians worked under work conditions "analogous to slavery."
In Britain, the Slavery Abolition Act 1833 abolished slavery throughout the British Empire. Of course, it took considerable debating before the law was actually passed as there were several members of the governing class who owned sugar/coffee producing plantations in the colonies. As such, the Act provided for compensation for slave-owners. This amounted to an astonishing £20 million (almost £20 billions in today's money), 40% of the Treasury's annual income. This meant that the British government had to take on a £15 million loan with banker Nathan Mayer Rothschild. The money was not paid back until 2015.
It must be noted that, since the official abolishment of slavery in mid 19th century, many former slaves had no where to go. With no money, no property and no protection, many had no choice but to stay on, working for some kind of grace-and-favour for the same or new ‘owners’. Many people fell prey to coercion through debt, violence, physical and psychological threats. The level of coercion that slaves had to face on a daily basis, made it difficult, if not impossible, to turn to authorities to report the abuse.
References
Join our team of friendly volunteers or, if you have a project in mind, get in touch.
We would love to hear from you
All cash donations are invested in projects that aim to encourage a cultural dialogue between communities and countries worldwide.