The Armazém do Campo received, last Thursday (21), women leaders of African-based religions for the official launch of the documentary series “Terreiros Urbanos”, produced by BdF. The episodes are available on the BdF YouTube channel.
Before the episodes were shown, they, who are present in the documentary, talked about their work and, mainly, about their dreams.
“Our dream—not just mine, but my community’s—is safety, because I want to go out dressed like this [in religious clothing]. I want to leave my house without being beaten, without being discriminated against. I want to take the subway, I want to take the train, I want to take the bus dressed exactly like this”, said Mãe Janaína Cunha, from Ilê Asé Ojú Oyá, in Valinhos (São Paulo state).
Mãe Luciana Bispo, from Ilê Obá Asé Ogodo and Lar Maria Sininha, in the southern zone of São Paulo, pointed out that her dream involves political representation. “Public policy for the people of terreiro will only happen when we have directly involved parliamentarians. It is necessary and urgent that we have a terreiro caucus, a caucus of Black people. Look closely at the yalorixás and babalorixás who are running for office. Connect with these people. We need to have groups, we need to discuss plans so that it becomes effective, because other religious organizations have secured policy through the pen. You can put 50 thousand people on Avenida Paulista. Without the pen, nothing works.”
“What we are doing, those who should be doing it are the rulers. I have been there [at the terreiro] for 43 years, and we have managed to do so much, with no help, just on our own. The state could be doing this kind of work. I wish they could see a little bit of what we are doing in the schools, because in the schools no one knows us, and sometimes we can’t even say we are from Axé,” highlighted Mãe Neide Ribeiro, from Egbé Awo Asè Iyá Mesan Orun and the Orunmila Cultural Center.
Mãe Janaína also spoke about the importance of working with education. “We go to school to say that macumba is not demonic. There is a demon that people have created out there. And Exu is that wonderful person with whom we dialogue and ask him for the right words,” she explained.
Ekedi Eloiza Lourenço, of Ilé Asé Omo Guian Ati Oya, in Ilhabela (SP), also took the opportunity to talk about awareness, detailing the work she does on the north coast of São Paulo and in neighboring municipalities in Rio de Janeiro. “We are in a difficult, long, and delicate process,” highlighted the religious leader.
One of the main difficulties encountered by Eloiza is the lack of recognition. “Ilhabela was truly colonized. It is a city where people have difficulty with self-recognition. People understand that one is born caiçara, but few have the awareness of being caiçara,” she said, pointing out that the greatest difficulty lies among the youth.
After the panel with the leaders, the participants watched the documentary with the presence of the interviewees.
** “Urban Terreiros in São Paulo” is a production by CPMídias and Brasil de Fato, with realization by the Secretariat of Culture, Economy and Creative Industries of the Government of the State of São Paulo.
