“It’s time for a true ethnographic experience!” Said
Professor Campbell, almost giddy with the possibilities. Those were a few of
his final words before leaving six of the EJB boys in the care of a family in
the rural village of Capivari, where no one spoke anything other than
Portuguese. As the bus pulled off with the rest of the group, the six young men
from the U.S. took their places in the children’s rooms which had been vacated
specifically for the group’s stay. Not knowing what to expect, the wait began.
The
houses were clean and orderly, but in need of some repair. Thatched ceilings drooped
down in the corners, needing to be replaced or fixed soon. The task of weaving
often falls to the women in a given culture, and tonight the women were busy
with preparing a satisfactory meal for a group of hungry Americans who had never
been to a place like Capivari before. The guys from EJB were just looking
forward to warm food and some sleep.
A town
of maybe 500 people, Capivari is an unofficial quilombo community, meaning
inhabited by the descendants of escaped slaves. The official recognition
process is a long one which requires a good deal of research, not to mention
community consensus, and Capivari had not officially begun seeking recognition.
More than just filing paperwork, some people struggle with the notion of
accepting the slave history of their ancestors, and it can also inspire
self-hatred due to social pressures such as “whitening”.
What occurred
that night in Capivari were two groups of people separated by a language
barrier. The boys knew enough to say “thank you” in Portuguese, and little
else. Their hosts knew no English but were clearly practiced in sign language
to get their messages across – “dinner is served”, “help yourself”, “would you
like more?”, notions of hospitality and generosity. The guys from EJB were
simply as polite as they could be. Two parties, so close in proximity yet so
far in understanding. And both were trying to meet the other’s expectations
without being able to discern what they were.
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