KINDLE E-BOOK

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The Journey

Part Three (3)

São Paulo

September 22 — October 6

My first week in São Paulo was spent with my historian friend Antonietta de Aguiar Nunes from Salvador, who was attending a conference in the city. She showed me the historical São Paulo as I  would never have been able to see myself - Bandeirante, Jesuit, “coronel,” sons and daughters of Empire, we followed the tracks of all in museums and at sites around the city, while continuing our exhaustive discussions and debates on the “Brazilian thing.”

The Bandeirante House

September 27: -- With John and Julie Tilley (names changed) at a fazenda in the rolling hills of Tietêª. Weekend spent with this friendly American couple and friends, Ruth and Peter and Frida Ramirez (*ditto)from U.S. consulate in São Paulo. Does one good to spend time with reps of "domninant ideology" after so much local exposure. Some contradictions worth thought: Why, for example, is is possible for Tilleys to turn 250 hectares into a profitable multipurpose farm supporting 200 head of cattle? Why is it possible for multinationals to make success of farming in many arid areas, whereas whenever Brazilian government gets involved in operation it is run down by bureaucracy? Apparent failure over centuries if compared with rapid success of immigrant Italians, Syrians etc?

Was staggered to learn of 300,000 hectare sugar estates in São Paulo area: same exploitive attitude toward land as ever, transferred from north to south. On multinationals, worth looking at conflict between nationalist desire to be rid of them and real need for their research and example etc.

September 29 Have had a day for reflection on last weekend: despite Tilleys' sincerity and obvious good works on the fazenda, I cannot get away from the feeling of spending time with “colonials.” They've been here for twenty years, have obviously worked very hard at their 250-hectare holding, and have brought up their children in Brazil. Yet they talk with and show the same prejudices of most Americans, particularly when guard is dropped at cocktail hour. The distance becomes apparent on a visit to town on first night of festival of St. Benedict - I found it curious that as we walked through town, there wasn't a single local whom John or Julie greeted or stopped to speak with. It was incomprehensible, really, in the town where they lived for several years, not one person greeted them and vice versa.

Driving back with Ruth and Peter, journey was occupied with discussion of the “good America” image and reflections on why Brazilians have screwed up things and continue to do so; on “pinkies,” as Ruth calls them. On and on until we're nearly home and Ruth finally admits, Glory be, that she can see millions of people are deprived and things must be done to help them. She says she is worried about their “breaking things.” (quebra-quebra.)

You cannot ignore what John has achieved on his farm but neither can you ignore fact that he has a) knowledge and b) access to it. As I said earlier, it was a depressing weekend and certainly my last serious contact with estrangeiros living here. Back to the Brazilians!

Am beginning to get restless. I feel quality of “discovery” is waning and that I must get down to specific research and writing. I have a broad grasp of Brazil, far more detailed and perceptive than when I started out, but I must begin to apply this. The gaps that remain are enormous but can be filled at home. Approaching the 90th day of this voyaging, I feel I am reaching the limits of absorption and must soon begin to release all that's been crammed into my head. Say half a dozen interviews and I will be ready - plus redoing my outline in light of all these “discoveries.”

September 29 With historian, Fernão Novaes, who is working on book on slavery in colonial times, with special reference to period when Portuguese and others became conscious of evils of slavery and raised questions about it. (vide Viera, Manoel Ribeira da Rocha.)

Novaes theorizes that it is the slave trade, the economics of it that explains slavery, and not the other way around. Agrees that important questions remain unasked about Brazilian slavery. Why, for example, was there no breeding of slaves? Notes that most studies of slavery relate to 19th century and findings of that period are transposed to previous centuries. Circumstances might not be the same.

The U.S. form of slavery was totally “independent” in sense that it existed in the U.S. south alone and was not tied into a wider mother country. In Brazil there was no breeding, no independent operation.

From the beginning, manumission was seen as a good thing, as a way toward saving the owner's soul. The idea of full Christianization of the slave, other than simple act of baptism and saving of slave's soul, came with the Methodists and not before. In Brazil/Catholic sense, the Christianizing was usually superficial. (Picture: Capoeira, Dance of War, by Johann Moritz Rugendas, 1835)

Fernão agonizes over question of Brazilian identity: “The Mexican seeks an identity divorced from the Spanish in his Aztec heritage. Similarly, the Peruvian will claim a line to his Inca forbears. Indo-American culture, even if an illusion, is important - Brazilian identity exists but is difficult to conceptualize in similar terms. It is peripheral, not European, not centralized and yet clearly different from Latin America.” - "Yet,” says Fernão, "in the U.S., I feel Latin American but in Europe, France or England, I feel Brazilian!”

On contemporary politics: After the 1969-74 repression, a new force emerged based on a) syndicates who mobilized very differently b) a totally new church different from the past. (Symbolism: priest saying mass with back to people; today he faces them as he faces the problems of his nation.) Moved toward independent opposition as they were turned off by Communists + disturbed by lack of a democratic base, always worried by aspects of totalitarianism and authoritarianism. (Aside: Lula visited Lech Walenska, who warned him to stay out of politics; Lula said that to progress he had to have political base.)

Between '69-'74, Church was only voice of opposition. “Never forget importance of church in Brazil. Political parties look to the next election, the church does not. It has until Judgment Day to carry out its work.” ( Excellent point!)

Fernão is in general agreement with ELU observations on 'colonization'/ INCRA's Amazon disaster/failure of private enterprise to create opportunities for underprivileged in the new regions/internal colonization of Brazil/re-establishment of latifundia.

He seems more optimistic about positive elements that emerged in the military since 1974 and have led to “abertura”/agrees on the pressure-cooker theory/ and, above all, agrees on the naivety of U.S. policy toward Brazil (as in South Africa) which may offer short-term benefits but in long term can alienate majority of Brazilians and create an irreparable break between the two giants of America.

October 3 Missing entries but not quality of impressions! Today met for four hours with Luis Hafers, one of the great financiers of Brazil, just back from Washington where he negotiated a $60 million factory loan. He is a cousin of Eduardo Suplicy (interviewed previous day) A director of Matarazzo empire, owns coffee estate near Santos (calls himself a Santanista ), two farms in Amapa (2000 cattle) and Acre, fishing interest in Salvador, cotton trading business. Lived in very close family atmosphere - they go back 400 years — until he visited Alaska (!), first outside experience, “then went on to discover Brazil!” A handsome, slender man who plays polo, travels widely, well read.

Luis relates stories of his experience in the North-East and appears genuinely aware of the problems. He remembers times of drought and droves of people streaming into town in Piauí­, where family owned ranch. “They were quiet, very quiet because of their hunger.” Tells anecdote of sharing bowl of manioc with poverty-stricken blind violinist.

He has strong words against people who talk of “lazy North-Easterners” - If one of his Caterpillars has no fuel, no energy, it won't operate, he says by way of illustration. So, too, if one of his workers has no energy, insufficient food, he will be unable to work.

To Luis, key to Brazil's future lies in education. “Property will not yield power in Brazil anymore - education will. Even though education is backward, it is still a bigger force.”

Says São Paulo is a meritocracy, talks of power of Minas Gerais political bosses. Regards his cousin Eduardo as honest man pursuing hopeless ideals for PT; Lula etc. No effective platform and talk only in vague terms.

Brazil's progress bedeviled by bureaucrats who are conceited and intellectually dishonest. Says Brazil needs a Teddy Roosevelt who'll say “Let's do it” and the nation will get on with the task.

Agrees land situation is a mess and says Brazil needs a Land Act. “There is enough good land for all, distribution is delayed by bureaucracy and its endless studies/tests etc.” But cerrado is not for the small farmer, a highly technical, complex land area.

Talks vehemently and with passion against priests, who he calls S-O-B's. He sees political priests as morally dishonest, “the poor man's Richelieu.” Does not believe that they're honest in their motives but merely seek to build the power of the church.

His anger against priests surfaced several times and he foresees a confrontation between them and the state. It happened in Dom Pedro II's time, he says, and he disposed of the question effectively and so it will be again. A confirmed churchgoer he regards religion as a very personal matter.

Speaks freely about his black ancestry, says Brazil essentially of Portuguese and African heritage with little other influence. Sensitive about question of lack of opportunity for blacks, quickly denying there is racism...

On Brazilian “independence,” accepts importation of technology etc. as necessary but in other areas, agriculture and “culture” proper, Brazilians must work it out for themselves. Describes those who talk about socialism for Brazil as “ pamphliteros.”

I sense that deep down while accepting “cheap” money for Brazil from outside, he resents it and would prefer Brazil to go it alone.

Belo Horizonte/Vila Rica de Ouro Preto October 4 — October 8

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