Rio's Favelas
Beyond the Bang Bang

An ambitious young Rocinha artist shows off his work

Article by: Regis St. Louis, April 2007

Life in Rio de Janeiro's favelas (shantytowns) is a struggle. No roads, no sewers, children dropping out of some of the city's worst schools, communities often run by drug lords. The long bus commute to work can take hours on traffic-snarled roads and salaries may not even meet living expenses. There's also the social stigma of living in the slums.

A morning streetscape in Rocinha, Brazil's largest favela

But it isn't all gloom for Rio's favela residents (who number an estimated one million). In the last two decades, grassroots organisations have begun appearing in favelas across the city. While small in scale, these locally managed groups offer residents the chance to learn new skills, gain a sense of pride, and share their talents with the world; more importantly, they bring something even the local government has failed to deliver: hope.

For many poor favela children, the Grupo Cultural Afro Reggae is a lifeline out of an otherwise bleak existence.

Empowering Through Music

For many poor favela children, the Grupo Cultural Afro Reggae (GCAR) is a lifeline out of an otherwise bleak existence. In 1997, GCAR opened a cultural centre in the Vigário Geral favela; it offers workshops in music, theatre, dance, hip-hop and capoeira. Music, of course, is the main vehicle that attracts youth to the centre. Anderson Sá and Jose Junior, founders of GCAR, view the centre as particularly empowering for the community. It provides kids with a chance to get off the street, tap into their Afro-Brazilian heritage and gain self-esteem by working towards fulfilling goals. Aspiring young musicians particularly want to follow in the footsteps of Sá, who tours abroad with his increasingly popular band, Afro Reggae. GCAR and its favela affiliates now offer more than 60 different programs for poor residents around Rio. The centre even teaches literacy and other classes to young children. (For more about Sá's story and the positive changes he's brought to the community, check out the recently released documentary Favela Rising.)

A Talented Collective

Sociologist Maria Teresa Leal founded a sewing collective in Rocinha in the 1980s. The idea began with Leal's repeated trips to the favela with her housekeeper, a Rocinha resident. During her stays, Leal encountered many women who were talented seamstresses but had no chance to earn money for their skills. So began Coopa Roca, a small group of women who worked from home to produce quilts, pillows and craft items, often made from recycled fabrics. As bigger orders arrived more women joined the ranks, and today the co-op employs some 150 women. The work also grew more varied over the years and members of the co-op have employed unique techniques like fuxico (embroidering with pieces of fabric). The collective caught the eye of the fashion world in the early 1990s, and received commissions from Brazilian designers Osklen and Carlos Miele, as well as British designer Paul Smith.

The headquarters of Coopa Roca remain in the favela (a new building was erected with help from Miele and Gilberto Gil's Ministry of Culture), and it continues to be a source of inspiration for many within the community.

Rio's biggest party, Carnaval, was born in the favelas.

Parties for the People

Rio's biggest party, Carnaval, was born in the favelas, and they continue to be pivotal to the festival; prize-winning samba schools are usually found in Rio's poorest neighbourhoods. Baile funks, the latest party craze, arose out of the favelas during the 1970s, and their popularity has skyrocketed. Both rich and poor flock to the gritty hillside neighbourhoods to hear DJs spin Rio's bass-heavy funk. Each weekend some 100,000 people attend the bailes, which are held in nightclubs and sports halls or out on the streets.

Young students at Para Ti, an NGO-sponsored cultural and educational centre inside the Vila Canoas favela

Visit, Get Involved, Stay

Travellers interested in getting to know the favelas have many options. Favela tours are one way to interact with the community. Choose guides who invest in the community (like Marcelo Armstrong, who donates a portion of his profits to favela-based social projects). While on a tour, you'll have a chance to buy artworks and handicrafts from the locals who made them.

Those who want to do more than just pass through the neighbourhood can volunteer. Organisations like Iko Poran link the talents of volunteers to the communities most in need - and they can help provide housing for volunteers.

If you want an inside look at favela life, you can always stay overnight at Pousada Favelinha, a guesthouse located in the favela of Morro do Pereirão. With its stunning views and friendly welcome, Favelinha has received positive reviews from many international visitors.