InMaréasinAfrica

Just as in many territories throughout Brazil, the Black presence is deeply significant in the history of Maré, and it shows itself through the many religious expressions, accents, dances, rhythms, and the resilience of reinventing itself within the territory.

If until the 19th century the African and Afro-descendant presence was mostly linked to captivity — on the farms of the Baixada de Irajá and the Inhaúma micro-bay — or to the existence of the Vai e Volta quilombo, where the Penha is today, from the 20th century onward this presence acquired new meanings.

Starting in the 1990s, some African immigrants joined the waves of migrants from the Northeast who had been arriving in Maré since the 1940s. Even though the number of people is not high, this new flow of Africans who have adopted Maré as their place of residence contributes in various ways to deepening the complexities that the territory holds in colors, accents, origins, and habits.

Many of these people come from countries that have recently experienced civil wars and economic crises, such as Congo, Senegal, Ghana, and Angola. Some of these immigrants — like the Angolans — find in Brazil the ease of a shared Portuguese language.

Image description: This is a photograph of two children smiling in front of a metallic blue background. The child on the left has short hair and is smiling with teeth showing. The child on the right has longer hair, styled with several colorful accessories. Both are wearing vibrant clothing with floral patterns in shades of green, yellow, and red.

This is the case of Nzaje Vieira Dias (Nizaj), a young Angolan artist living in Salsa e Merengue — one of the newest favelas in Maré. He is a regular at one of the meeting spots for African communities in Rio, between Vila do Pinheiro and Salsa e Merengue, where bars and restaurants serving African cuisine are located. In his raps, Nizaj talks about being a foreigner living in Maré, the place where he became a "cria."

NIZAJ Clip - INMYHOOD SALSA E MERENGUE (Complexo da Maré). Direction: Volume Visual

According to the National Registry of Foreigners (RNE), in 2016 Angolans living in Rio de Janeiro accounted for 11.5% of all people of that nationality residing in Brazil. Of these, many settled in Maré for the same reasons as previous waves: nearby job opportunities, services such as schools, a lower cost of living, and solidarity among neighbors — both their fellow countrymen from the African continent and those who, having similar family histories, show empathy toward those who left their homeland to try to build a better life for themselves and their children.

Image description: The image is a comparative chart in map format, representing the Brazilian states with the highest number of Angolan immigrants in 2000 and 2016. The left side shows data from 2000, with São Paulo in light orange and Rio de Janeiro in light yellow. The right side presents data from 2016, where São Paulo is in dark orange, Rio de Janeiro in light yellow, and "Others" in light pink. All maps are overlaid on a light beige background.

These immigrants and their children, despite the prejudice and racism they face, have managed to establish themselves in the country and put down new roots. Bringing an Africa closer in history and identity, they become mareenses through lived experience, with identities forged in dreams and in the hope of a better life.