Afro-Brazilian Literature (Women Writers and Liberation)

My Brazilian literature class recently read, Women Righting: Afro Brazilian Women's Short Fiction. The book presents intriguing tales about Black Brazilian women. After reading the introduction, one sentence struck me as very significant to keep in mind when reading any form of Afro literature. The editor states, "The central focus in Afro-Brazilian literature, as in the literature of the African Diaspora in general, is liberation. The inspiration is African but struggle is global." After reading this sentence, I began to reflect on the African Diaspora and its literature and I saw that(in some way)the editor was right.

I automatically saw this concept of "liberation" in my own work, as an African American and Belizean woman. For example I have recently written a an essay entitled, "No More Tomorrows" The travel essay is about a village that I grew up in, during my early childhood years in Belize. The village's name is More Tomorrow and I found the name ironic since the village I remember is no more; the people I remember there are no more. In my essay, I point out that the village is under "development" and losing it's rich natural resources and the people living there (Afro-Belizeans) are experiencing displacement in there own country. The people want freedom from this forced "modernity" and desire to live a simple life (or at least the educated ones do, but most of the people just go along with whatever the government does). In my essay, I show how the people suffer in the village (because of all the changes and how their complaints are ignored due to their race/status). There desired liberation from the "modernity" and how it affects their livelihood is almost a joke. No one cares--by no one I am talking about the people in government positions who can change how modernity is hurting the environment, but choose not to.

I embrace this concept of liberation and it has found its in my work. Most of my scholarly work (especially in undergrad) focuses on the issues affecting the African Diaspora in the Caribbean and the United States. One of my essays entitled, "Victims of History" discussed how both the Black and White races (especially in America) were (still are) victims of slavery/American history. So, in a way, the Black and White races in the U.S will always seek liberation (mentally, psychologically, and emotionally) from the past of slavery, until it is thoroughly discussed and the disease of racism and prejudice are solved. Slavery's affects, on both races during the past and present, need to be understood. Since, Obama has been elected president there have been racial attacks against him, but he has not openly talked about it. But I think that because he was elected president, this means that U.S citizens have been discussing the issues of race and have decided to start to liberate themselves from racism, prejudice, and stereotypes.

This concept of liberation is what the Afro-Brazilian women writers gave to the world. These writers showed the complex world that some of the Afro-Brazilian women lived in (still live in); a world full of stereotypes, struggles, and masking poverty (such as carnival). One story that we read in Brazilian Lit was by Esmeralda Ribiero's, "In Search of the Black Butterfly." One of the main characters, Leila, is on the phone with her friend and talks about her French boyfriend, "I suspected he was with me because he believed the stereotype: black women are good in bed." After reading that line, I realized that this is a common stereotype about African American girls as well. The African American female is referred to by other black men (in hip hop videos and some African American communities) as whores or "Hoes and Bitches"--whether she is with a white man or not. Now, if she were to be with a white man this offense reduces her even lower than the normal accusation of being a bitch or hoe. So, it was easy to identify with Leila's experience and compare it to what I witness in the African American community. Leila's confusion and struggle to understand her predicament is a reflection of a similar struggle by the women in the African Diaspora.

Most of the stories were directly or indirectly about the Afro-Brazilian women and their sexuality. Whether the women viewed their sexuality positively or negatively it was present in their lives. The Afro-Brazilian writers draw attention to the characters' sexuality to show the reader the complexity of the African Diaspora after slavery. In the African Diaspora, older women recount many instances when they were sexually harassed by white men, but could not defend themselves. (the stereotype is that Black women were/are highly sexual and are ready wherever, whenever, with who ever). But then Black men degraded the women as well and it seems as though the women participated in degrading themselves by identifying with it. The Afro-Brazilian Women writers represent the honest-truth of this issue of exploited sexuality of Afro-Brazilian women. The Afro-Brazilian women's plight for liberation from stereotypes, struggle, and exotic sexuality is prevalent in the readings from my class and if you are interested I suggest you read the book I mentioned earlier. It is very reflective of issues that are still present in the African Diaspora today.

And as I continue to witness the similarity with these issues in the Caribbean and the African American communities, I am overwhelmed with the African Diaspora's predicament and wonder if liberation (mentally, psychologically, and emotionally) is possible for displaced people; a people who's ancestors have been worked, whipped, degraded, indicted, and discriminated against; a people who still experience lesser forms of discrimination even today. How can the African Diaspora forget the past, when they are reminded of it through their own failed lives...How can they forget when that past of slavery affects their present?

Is it possible for a people to liberate themselves from the stigma and past struggle of their race?

Is it possible for the descendants of the oppressors to forgive, heal, and liberate themselves from guilt?

I believe that it is.