00:00In Brazil, more than 1.3 million people identified as Quilombolas, according to the 2022 census.
00:06The majority, 68.2%, live in the northeast region.
00:11A member of our team traveled to the state of Frenambuco to tell a story of resistance and achievements at
00:17the Quilombo Castaño,
00:19founded in 17th century by those who survived the massacre at the Quilombo dos Palmares,
00:24the greatest symbol of the struggle against slavery in Brazil.
00:32Quilombolas are people from traditional black communities who fought against slavery in Brazil.
00:36This is Quilombo do Castaño, home to 360 families in the city of Garanjuntz.
00:43Recognized by the federal government's Palmares Foundation in 1998,
00:47its origins date back to the late 17th century when, following the massacre at Quilombo dos Palmares,
00:52the main center of anti-slavery resistance in Brazil,
00:55those who resisted followed the course of the Mundau River until they reached this region.
01:00Four centuries later, they keep alive the memory of Zumbi dos Palmares,
01:04a national hero assassinated on November 20, 1595.
01:10Zumbi dos Palmares, for us, was one of the greatest leaders on the planet.
01:14When I say the planet, it's because he came from Africa, he has an African history.
01:19He was in the Cerro da Barriga for a long time and was a great leader there.
01:23And then, a great massacre took place, the assassination of Zumbi dos Palmares.
01:28So, people ask,
01:29But why did they kill Zumbi? Don't they know why? We know why.
01:33Because Zumbi wanted a little freedom for his people.
01:38Little by little, the families are arriving.
01:41It's a day of mobilization in the Colombo Castaño.
01:45Once a month, they gather an assembly to evaluate ongoing projects,
01:50decide together what they want for the future,
01:52and decide what they want for the future.
01:53and devise a strategy to secure more public policies for the community.
01:58The importance of today's meeting lies in the achievements,
02:02as I said, of the projects currently underway,
02:04and we must always remain united.
02:07Because if we aren't united,
02:09there's no way we can achieve the major projects we've been accomplishing every day
02:12and those that are yet to come.
02:16One of these achievements was the expansion of an old school in the community.
02:20Founded in 1947, the school operated under precarious conditions
02:24with only one classroom and no bathroom or running water.
02:28Thanks to pressure from the community,
02:30over a decade ago, the school was expanded
02:32and now has nine classrooms and serves more than 300 students,
02:35including children, youth, and adults.
02:39It serves as a process for strengthening Colombola identity.
02:43Within the territory, the school, which is located within the territory,
02:46is considered, according to the curriculum guidelines for Colombola education,
02:51to have the character and status of a Colombola school.
02:55Agriculture is the main source of income for this traditional community.
03:00Edvaldo Bernardo, known here as Vardo,
03:02is 63 years old and has been working in the field since he was five.
03:05He grows cassava, beans, and corn.
03:08He calls for investment to increase his production.
03:11If the government were to provide funding so we could use fertilizers,
03:14we'd have much more.
03:16We'd produce more and more.
03:17Because, look, this entire plot of land,
03:19C, has no fertilizer at all.
03:20It's all from nature, from the earth itself.
03:22We don't add any.
03:24The main demand of the Colombolas is the recognition of their territories.
03:28The National Coordination for the Organization of Rural Black Colombola Communities, COKA,
03:34estimates that, of the 9,000 Colombola settlements in the country,
03:37less than 5% have received title deeds.
03:41That is, definitive recognition that the territory belongs to the traditional community.
03:46During election season, they take stock of what the country was like
03:49under the far-right government and under the current administration.
03:53When we arrived in the city, everyone looked at us with contempt and said,
03:56now the government is ours,
03:57just as those who defended the other government used to say,
04:00our government is there.
04:01I want to see what these Colombolas are going to say now,
04:04that they'll want land,
04:05that they'll want a home,
04:06that they'll want a school,
04:07that they'll want a university.
04:08These Colombolas are finished,
04:10they have to start from scratch.
04:11And we had to endure those very difficult moments
04:13during the Bolsonaro administration.
04:17There is still a long way to go
04:18before those who resisted and won their freedom
04:20can have all their rights respected.
04:23But the Colombo-Castainho is an example
04:25of how only struggle changes lives.
04:29Andre Vieira and Sebastião Soto,
04:31Telesor, Brazil.
04:32The Colombo-Balo scout.
04:32The Colombo-Balo-Balo-Balo eastp assez simple.
