Not here

When racism and religion intolerance mix, African- Brazilian creeds and religions suffer with the disrespect and violence. The Candomble is the one that gets affected the most Not here!

Talita Laurino

Over the speed limit a car crosses the fence of the terreiro -piece of land where the Candomble cults are celebrated-, the candombleista -what Candomble followers are called - and pedagogue Ludmila Freitas hides behind a cement vase while the car keeps speeding up on her direction. From a miracle of the Orixás -Candomble deities - the vase protected her from the car, saving her without one scratch. This is the fourth time that Ludmila suffers with an attack from the same man. The first few times were less aggressive, without physical violence. He was trying to argue that the opening of the terreiro in Paranaguá was illegal and would call the police during the cult saying that it was disturbing the neighborhood. “I used to ask the police officers if a birthday party with 15 people together would also make someone call the cops,” remembers Ludimila. She considers herself lucky that when the cops arrive, it was always a black cop that would end up sensibilized by the story of the space that was open by a black old lady with her daughter (Ludimila). Her mom that is also a mãe de santo -mother of saints and important figure at the cults- also doesn’t feel safe on her own terreiro space. This story was told on the 2ª general convocation during the African descent religion forum, where politicians hear the case of intolerance and violence suffered by candomblecistas and umbantisas -and other popular african descentent religion that is practiced in Brazil. After listening to Ludimila story, the coordinator of Racial Equity from Curitiba´s mayor office, Adegmar José da Silva, also known as Candieiro, raised his vice to

“The hate against us is violence and blood. ”

Candieiro, coordinator of Racial Equity from Curitiba ´ s mayor office

say: “ The hate against us is violence and blood. The hate against us kill. We are not talking about hate comments, we are talking about death and racism.” After the applause the conference went back to the discussion of strategies to resist the growing of intolerance. The idea was leaving the discussion with tools to raise the respect between religions. “ It is a long fight. But only elephants are born with a big step, the rest of us have to fight for it slowly,`` said Candieiro at the end of his speech. In the same week that the conference happened, the sons of terreiro of Portão made a party for Ogun - one of the Orixás. The celebration reunited spirits, católics, evangelical and buddhists. The association against religion intolerance that Isabel Cristina, mãe de santo, is part of making sure to promote mixers between different religions. Sadly the respect between religions is not that common. In February 2019, the community was reunited to pray after the death of the pai de santo, father of saint, that passed away with cancer. According to the tradition, the Axexê, ritual for the death must go on during the whole night and the community was ready to give him the celebration he deserved. The ritual had to stop after some rebels started to throw bricks at the roof. The pai de santo that was conducting the ceremony had to stop and go outside to ask those vandals to stop: “Iansã- one of the Orixas- has seen what you are doing, I will tell her to go after each one of you if you guys don’t stop it”, he alerts. The vandals were not afraid of the spiritual threats and kept going. Inside the house, the sons of Iansã, an other Orixá, were in a part of the cult where they were totally in the spiritual world. Elizabeth Ceballos can only remember the strong noise and people screaming. When the ceremony stopped she felt like the roof was about to fall. “We could had died. The structure is very fragile, the house doesn’t get any money from the government to survive like the catholic church. We would be responsible for paying for the damages.” The Axexê must go on. “It is important to the house and cannot stop. We won’t let them stop us.” Said the pai de santo that even with the fear of the intolerance, continued the ceremony. This was not the first time that the space

Senff e Marchesine

dedicated to the celebrations in Portão went through something like that. Elizabeth remembers her Candomblé day, her initiation at the religion. She decided to convert into candomblé two years ago motivated by health issues. It all start with saying isolated for 12 days at rocó, a special room for the ones been initiated in the religion. When they leave they have to shave their hair and give birth to their Orixá. She was super anxious when realized that Sandra was gone.”They said we cannot give a name to the animal because then it runs away, and that happened.” She said laughing at her own situation. Sandra was a goat that was going to be sacrificed at the cult. It ran away while they were distracted organising the party to escape through the gate. Some of the neighbors saw it and called the police saying that they were mistreating the animals. Was hard to convince the offices to not go in and ruin the ceremony. What saved us from complications with the justice was ironic the law. According to the decree 2.848, article 208, is prohibited to stop or disturb a religious cult. After alleging that the police officers left and Sandra came back. “It is hard to explain to the society that we do not kill animals for mistreatment. All the meet is sanctified and respected.” She explain The lawyer Flavio Parisi complements that the article 5º of the Brazilian Constitution

Talita Laurino

say that is inviolable freedom of conscious and human belief. “The freedom of religion cults is guaranteed in the law, that also protected the religious spaces and cult places.” But had a big difference between accepting and respecting according to the theologian and pastor at the Evangelical church Edson Tadesco. “The Bible is clear saying there is only one God. A lot of people leave the other Gods and came to the Evangelical religion because they identify more with it, and it also happen the opposite way around. These changes are not a preconcept against candkmblé, people have the right to change their mind”, he argues. He also defends that the hate is a feeling that came from the religious fanaticism. The Candomblé beliefs bother other religions for having characteristics that go against the ones taught by God, for example reincarnation and animal sacrifices “The religion is used for the good and the bad. This creates contempt when it comes to the conduct. Everyone had the right of choosing your path, but because of this idea of been for good or bad the Candomblé suffer with intolerance”. Cardineiro, coordinator of Racial Equity from Curitiba´s mayor office, disagree. For him the reason of the hate against the relation is related with having it roots in Africa. Statistics show that the complaints of discriminatiom againts those who follow African religions got 7.2% higher in 2018 in Brazil. Those complaints were made to call 100, the 24 hours help from the Minister of Human Rights. 71 calls were made between January and July 2018, in 2017 only 66 calls were made in the same period of time.