The New Favela of Rio de Janeiro Safety Net of The Poor and The Former Middle Class
Bernard Asagai ________________________________________________
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n the State of Rio de Janeiro the word favela holds mantric-like powers. It invokes in many thoughts of violence, drug wars, gang retaliations, drug trafficking, and a second home for bought-off cops. Albeit some of the fears may have some degree of truth, the day-today reality of life within these communities is distant from the concentrated imagery of violence that is fed to the public through the instrument of media. The story that is silenced is that these areas of survival, informality and vibrancy are beginning a silent competition for residents. Complicating the stories of the fed imagery are the dynamic economic and social changes that have been felt by all Brazilians within the region of Rio de Janeiro. These challenges are having great affects in the center-city but possibly greater ones within the communities of favelas. The dynamic economic shifts have forced not only the existing poor to head for the hills1, but the fallen middleclass as well. As the region is experiencing high levels of unemployment and record-level inflation, the ability of the middle class to remain upwardly mobile and within the zone of the status quo is faltering. The two largest economic engines of Brazil are Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. SP accounts for 33% of Brazil’s GDP, and RJ accounts for 29%. Each of these regions has various industries that account for their percentage of GDP, but Rio de Janeiro’s is the only state predominately centered on tourism. Such a position functions well should international travel and tourism remain strong, but should the industry confront high levels of decline or should the host location become known for high levels of crime, this single-faceted approach
1 Favelas or, Morro as they are referred to by their residents, are communities that are normally located on hillsides within or surrounding the perimeter of the city-center. They are distinctive in that residents normally add elevated levels to their housing structures as a family may expand, or as a form of informal income. *Morro=Favela
may begin to collapse. This is currently the reality within the State of Rio de Janeiro and it is causing negative effects throughout the region. Furthermore, the State is loosing its attraction as a strong location to acquire employment as it has lost many of its factories and agricultural industries over the years. Its problems have been compounded as its leadership has failed to provide measures that will cause resurgence in these areas of industry. The region has yet to respond to the countries economic and industrial engine of Sao Paulo. The lack of official responses that can reshape the declining economic conditions for Rio residents is creating a host of non-formal, non-taxable businesses for individuals without employment. This to a degree has been positive as it has forced residents to create new areas of business, but the lack of formal opportunities has increased substantially the number of unofficial industries of crime and drug trafficking as well. This effect has had dramatic repercussions on the region and within its favelas as well. As economic formality appears to be on the decline, the favelas of Rio de Janeiro are beginning to host much more than the disenchanted. Because of the unstable economic conditions that many Rio residents are now experiencing, a substantial number of individuals and families are taking refuge in the morro* due to their displacement. In the morro there exist many REAL negative factors that can be life threatening, but there exist positive factors as well that can make it a comfortable safety net for those who no longer have the resources to reside in the city. The renting of a 2 bedroom apartment or a barraco2 can be obtained for as little as R$100 ($50) a month. As is the case with many residential infrastructures in the city, there are no condominium fees in the favela. This is the case regarding taxes as well, there are none! Another overwhelming factor of these communities is the feeling that nothing goes unnoticed. This may have such to do with the extreme closeness of the housing structures, crowded streets, and width of the streets as well. This factor does come with a price; the notion of true private space does not seem to exist. As favelas are on surrounding hillsides, transit access is normally limited to the base of hills, but some communities have created thin roads along the hillsides that are used for Motorcycle Taxis. This mode of transit can be witnessed within favelas such as Rhocina. Motorcycle Taxis not only provide services to various locations within the favela, but provide point-to-point access to center-city destinations as well. Furthermore, favelas that exist surrounding the center city
should truly be looked upon be looked upon as a form of Transit Oriented Developments. Almost all follow a principle of high-density development and are located within to mile3 radius of mass transit to the city. They can be absent of many amenities that are prescribed for such developments, but in the case of the favela Rhocina, it certainly can be called a TOD! Given these areas gravitation to informal means of income, favelas normally are packed with informal transit access to the city and beyond. The Adaptive Transit4 infrastructures within these areas are normally the preferred methods of mobility. Internally the mode of mobility normally walking or biking, but externally the mode of travel is through a van or jitney. Given the high competition for business, these services are normally maintained at high levels of service. Vans and jitneys are normally very clean and air-conditioned. As operators constantly look to lower their prices in an attempt to attract higher levels of ridership, locating new or older vehicles burning new forms of efficient Alcohol or Natural gas is quite the norm. Given that housing and transit cost are very minimally, the fallen middle class is finding these areas very attractive The Favelas of Rio de Janeiro are rampant with non-formal necessities as well as amenities. It is quite common to find someone leeching off the arteries lines of the city like a strange form of BitTorent. The communities have cable network access; national and international telephone service, high-speed Internet and electricity as well. The difference of these services in the favela, are that they normally are FREE! Such services are siphoned from access lines that pass near favelas and are then daisy-chained by residents through a maze of wiring. All of the services and amenities listed above make the favela a draw to individuals and families that fall out of the ranks of the middle class. For residents of Rio de Janeiro, the greatest dilemma to being forced out of the middle class and having to reside in the morro is living a life absent of Status. To Western ears this may not mean a great deal, but to many Brazilians this can be the equitant of entering hell itself. The importance given to status is not only present in the carioca5 culture it is also present within the built-environment as well. It is possible that no other place represents the absence of this social symbol than that of the favela. The purpose of this piece is to investigate this shift of residents and their effects within the regions favelas.
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Housing infrastructure made from brick, wood, or other similar building materials.
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(Cervero, Robert, The Transit Metropolis: A Global Inquiry: 1988) (Dittmar, Hank, The New Transit Town: Best Practices In Transit-Oriented Development) (Cervero, Robert: 1988) Term given to people born in Rio de Janeiro.
District: Vila Isabel Community: Morro de Macacos Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Date: July 24th, 2007 Interview Questions What is your name? What year were you born? How old are you? How many siblings do you have? Were they all born here? Where were your parents born? Did they live in the community if so how long? Where did your grandparents live? Do you have any children? Were they born here as well? What were the positive aspects of that experience? What were the negative aspects of that experience? Social • • • • • • • •
What are the greatest problems facing the residents of this community? How has the community changed over time since you have lived here? What do you think the community needs? Is there anything of importance that you think the community has lost? How did people settle in the community when you were a child? Who holds the most respect in the community, why? Who is feared the most, why? Where do the children go to school?
Physical Infrastructure • Does the community have access to clean water, if so for how long? • Does the community have a sewage system, if so for how long? • How does the community dispose of its trash? How long has trash been disposed in this manner? • How does someone move in the community? How has this changed over the years? • What establishes ownership? • Do most people own or rent in the community? How was it when you were a child? • How does someone build on land or atop existing infrastructure? Transit Access • What is the most commonly used mode of transit inside the community, Bike, Motorcycle, Car, Bus, Colmby/Jitney, or Walking? How has this changed over the years? • What is your experience with transit and access to the city? What makes this experience better or worst?
Demographic • How old was the eldest person you knew/know for the community? • How many people in the community are shot every month? • How many people do you think die violently every month in the community? Economic conditions • What are the best job opportunities within the community? • What are the best job opportunities outside the community for residents? • Are employers less likely to hire you if they know where you live? • Have you heard of people that have lost their jobs once their employer knows? Public sector/politics • Are there any specific events that can make internal life more difficult for residents? • How would you say most residents view the government of RJ • How do you think most residents view police? • How do you think most police view people from the community? • Do you think the government cares about the residents inside the community? • Has there been any particular government or politician that you ever thought was seeking to make things better fir the community?