Orienting myself

The orientation:

First things first, I’m here in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil – and I’m in love with this place, unencumbered in such a way, that I didn’t know I could be. Where should I start to recount these adventures, unfold this narrative? Maybe I should start at Vanderbilt? Nao, my experience now seems to overshadow that experience. Maybe I should start with our walking to the market? Nao, that is too recent. Oh, well, maybe I could talk about how I wish my family and sista friends were here with me? Nao, that would not provide enough detail which conveys all of these emotions. Perhaps to appease myself, I mean dis is OUR blog, and I am a part of OUR … So, I just want to talk it out, laugh it out, shake it loose. As my ears are becoming more and more open to Portuguese I’m just gonna speak like I wanna here, in this space.

I guess the question becomes, “why Brazil.” Especially, since I have been asked this over and over again. Each time I want to tell the truth, and dared to do so at Vanderbilt, that didn’t go over so well. Went over about as well as my asking how hegemony and white supremacy ideology has shaped the “race neutral” myths in Brazil. That went over like a rock floating on salt water.

Anyway, rocks aside … our Fulbright experience began with a two day orientation hosted by the Latin American Studies department at Vanderbilt in Nashville, TN. Finding out that we were going to Nashville was good, because I had a memory of the city, a knowing that eased my unrelenting anxiety. OMG, I did not want to be the ONLY Black person in the group, that worried me so. Back to that … as the dialogue unfolds.

The purpose of the orientation was to introduce us, 15 university professors, from across the US, to the complexities of Brazilian history and culture. The days were situated around the historical foundation of Brazil and it was quite interesting. From the very beginning through the lectures I felt an immense pull to Brazilian people and land. For two days we were sequestered in a room equipped with modernity – smart as all get out. Our presenters/teachers were lovers of Brazil either born there or abroad. They all had an immense knowledge and infectious passion.

We explored Brazilian history from 1432 until the present. I mean seminar is entitled: Land of the future or of the present? Guess that sums it up, huh? Well, there are almost 200 million people in Brazil. The average lifespan for men is 69 years and 76 years for women. There is little over 13% illiteracy, and that includes those who are “functional” illiterate. There are 26 countries in Brazil and it is the 8th largest country in the world, well on its way of becoming the 5th largest country. A viable historical argument can be made that Brazil is not a part of Latin America, though it is perceived and discussed as a Latin American country. These thoughts are based on several distinguishing factors.

Firstly, the most obvious … they speak Portuguese. Another is they are in closer proximity to African than their Latin American counterparts. They also consider themselves to be an Atlantic civilization. Since it does face the Atlantic, it has not been included in the Latin Americas. That does not mean that the same imperialism notions found in Latin America cannot be found in Brazil.

The country is divided into several regions; the majority of Afro-Brazilians are situated in the northeast, where I am currently situated – Salvador, Bahia – the land of happiness. I mention Afro-Brazilians, but race is a nebulous and pervasive concept in Brazilian culture, though its history underpinnings are quite clear. Determining the demographics is quite difficult, as the census is determined by self-identification. So, the census worker would ask you, what is you? You may select from one of the larger categories which include: Indigenous, Mixed, White, Asian and Black. Though these descriptors are fluid across class lines, what is obvious across global lines is an intrinsic belief that … dark skin is akin to or at least aligned with inferiority. Perhaps this quote was the most striking, Brazilian land is American, its façade is European and its soul is African.