The I.C.B.I.E. Blog

Alarm clocks rang early to awake Marcella, Ivanildo, Pietro, Roy & Silvia for their Sunday trip to the Bahian outback.  By 9 o’clock we were in Santo Amaro, a historic town known also as the birthplace of Caetano Veloso, and after a quick walk around the center and a coffee (OK, there was a shot of cachaça as well), we drove another 20 kilometers to Paranaguá’s fazenda for a delightful day with our friend, his wife Shirley and their two adorable daughters.

After a sumptuous breakfast of juices and fruits, we explored his garden full of exotic plants, played on his elaborate playground, and we even got a chance to mount his horses for a trot down the road.  Before we knew it, we were sitting at the table again for beers and a snack, and then it was time for a car ride to survey his extensive property, while lunch was being prepared.

The meal consisted of a vast assortment of vegetables, meats and sweets, and everything was so tasty that we stuffed ourselves to bursting, amidst lively conversation and good spirits.

A big ICBIE thank you to Paranaguá and his family, for a truly unforgettable day!

(Photos by Paranaguá)

On Monday afternoon, three “illustrious” members of the ICBIE team were treated to a guided tour of the Salvador water works and the Embasa Archeological Museum by our dear friend Paranaguá, who just happens to be the director of the museum.  We saw the old pumping station, built in 1852, and the water company museum, with its fossils, relics of indigenous tribes, Portuguese and French porcelain and coins, and other interesting objects that came to light during excavations for the city’s water and sewer systems.  Outside the museum we admired old manioca and sugar cane mills, and we were illuminated by Paranaguá’s encyclopedic knowledge of the city’s fascinating history.

Visitas ilustres no Museu Arqueológico da Embasa

Na última segunda-feira (25), os amigos Roy Zimmerman, Marcella Sgura e Veronique Gob, na minha companhia, visitaram as instalações da? antiga estação de bombas no Parque do Queimado e o Museu Arqueológico da Embasa (MAE), localizados no bairro da Caixa D’Água.

Durante a visita, o grupo, através das informações ficou conhecendo como funcionou o antigo sistema de água de Salvador, construído pelo ?Governo da Província, em 1852, as origens e os acervos arqueológicos do MAE (fragmentos de cerâmicas, cachimbos indigenas e africanos, faianças? portuguesas e francesas, rocas ou rodas de fiar, xilo-fósseis, ralador de mandioca, moenda de cana-de-açucar, dentre outros) que estão ?abrigados na área interna e externa do museu, oriundos das cidades onde foram executadas obras de abastecimento de água e esgotamento?sanitário.

(Photos and text by Paranaguá)

As the ICBIE saga progresses through year after challenging year, the greatest satisfactions come from the the people who are part of our passionate community.  With the rewards that they inevitably reap, out there in the real world, we rejoice.

Take the example of Thais Muniz.  Her connection to the ICBIE could be regarded as tenuous, as she has never frequented ICBIE courses or taken a direct role in our initiatives, yet, ever since she came into Júlio’s life, her dynamism has been a constant source of energy and optimism for all of us.  So, the news  that tomorrow she is making her debut as a fashion reporter on the popular TV program TUDO AV  on SBT Bahia (TV Aratu), well, that  just makes us jump for joy!

Thousands of miles away, in the south of Italy, another person on the ICBIE fringe, Ivanildo Viana, is giving a capoeira workshop in Ostuni this weekend.  Even on his honeymoon with Marcella, he was eager to promote the culture of Bahia.  His Italian has improved dramatically, too, and he will undoubtedly leave a deep impression on all the participants in this singular workshop.

Once again, thanks to the ever-vigilant Paranaguã, we can enjoy these great pictures from Nova10Ordem’s big art project commemorating the tragedy in Japan, divided between human solidarity and anti-nuclear protest.

Grafite solidário e de protesto

Foi um sucesso o mutirão “Spray for Japan” organizado pela crew Nova10ordem, no último dia 19 de março, para pintura na lateral do muro de um edifício (acesso Campo Grande/Vale do Canela), em Salvador, em homenagem ao sofrimento dos nossos irmãos japoneses na tragédia causada pelo tsunami e o terremoto no Japão.

O evento que contou com a presença de vários grafiteiros, entre outros artistas, além de prestar solidariedade através da arte, valeu também pelo protesto contra a instalação de uma usina nuclear no estado da Bahia.

After all the earth-shattering news of the previous post, this lovely story from our great friend Paranaguá provides a pleasant distraction, with the tale of his visit to a spectacular place in the Bahian outback.

(English translation below)

Jacobina: cidade do ouro
Recentemente estive no município de Jacobina acompanhando os serviços de sondagem arqueológica realizados pela equipe da arqueóloga Leila Almeida, durante as obras da Embasa para implantação da rede do sistema de esgotamento sanitário da cidade.

Trezentos e trinta quilômetros separam Salvador de Jacobina, município situado no extremo norte da Chapada Diamantina. De Salvador (Acesso Norte) até Capim Grosso a rodovia está ótima. Já uma parte do trecho do entroncamento de Capim Grosso até a entrada da cidade, o motorista deve dirigir com cautela devido às ondulações na pista.

Ao me aproximar da entrada da cidade, observei que Jacobina é cercada por serras, formando desfiladeiros e canyons. Os morros altos, lagos, rios, cachoeiras e a vegetação predominante com flores nativas, xiquexique (Cactáceas), entre outras espécies, tornam-se excelentes destinos para a prática do turismo ecológico e de aventuras.

Na companhia de Diego (estagiário da equipe de Leila Almeida), aproveitei o tempo livre para conhecer os pontos turísticos: Hotel Serra do Ouro e o Alto do Cruzeiro, locais de onde se tem uma bela vista panorâmica da cidade; igrejas da Matriz e Missão; Avenida Beira Mar, dividida pelo Rio Itapicuru; grutas dos índios Jacob e Bina; Mercado Popular, com uma variedade de produtos, dentre outros.

No quesito gastronômico, além de excelentes restaurantes, incluo na lista o “Bonzão do Bode”, apesar da simplicidade, a comida é gostosa e o dono do estabelecimento encanta os clientes com sua gentileza e simpatia. Comprovei isso, ao degustar um prato de bode assado com aipim cozido, sugestão do meu filho Markus Vinicius e minha nora Patrícia, que residem na cidade e ambos trabalham na Jacobina Mineração e Comércio, nas funções de engenheiro ambiental e segurança e nutricionista, respectivamente.

Um pouco de história
Jacobina foi criada em 1722. Conhecida como “Cidade do Ouro” – uma herança das minas de ouro que atraíram os portugueses e bandeirantes paulistas, descobertas no início do século XVII - , possui um valioso patrimônio histórico, cultural e natural e foi cenário de importantes passagens da História do Brasil. Seu nome tem origem indígena e significa “Campo Aberto” ou “Campo Vasto”, além disso, existe uma lenda que diz que nas terras de Jacobina vivia um casal de índios, Jacob e Bina e que pela junção dos seus nomes deu Jacobina. Atualmente a empresa de mineração Yamana Gold, através da Jacobina Mineração e Comércio (JMC), faz operação de extração de ouro na cidade.

O magnifico visual do Alto do Cruzeiro, com mais de 200 degraus, pode ser observado de qualquer ponto da cidade. Um dos principais eventos de Jacobina é a Caminhada Penitencial, anteriormente chamada de Caminhada da Luz, nome alterado pelo fréi João Zacarias da Paróquia Santo Antônio. A festa é um espetáculo de fé cristã para os católicos, culminando com milhares de fiéis que sobem em direção ao Alto do Cruzeiro, conduzindo tochas acessas, formando uma serpente viva de luz e fogo.

Jacobina: City of Gold
I recently stayed in the city of Jacobina, accompaning a team doing an archeological survey led by the archeologist Leila Almeida, during the construction of an EMBASA public sewer for the city.

Located 330 km from Salvador, Jacobina is a city on the northern edge of Chapada Diamantina. From Salvador, the road is excellent all the way to Capim Grosso.  But from the Capim Grosso exit until entering the city, you have to drive with caution, due to the dips and bumps in the road.

As I approached the city, I saw that Jacobina is surrounded by mountains, broken by canyons and passes.  The high hills, lakes, rivers, waterfalls and the vegetation dominated by native flowers, xiquexique cactus and other species, make it an excellent destination for adventurous ecological tourism.

Accompanied by Diego (a member of Leila Almeida’s team), I spent my free time discovering the tourist sites:  the Hotel Serra do Ouro and Alto do Cruzeiro, a place where there is a beautiful panoramic view of the city; the churches of Matriz and Missão; the Avenida Beira Mar, divided by the Itapicuru River; the caves of the Indios Jacob and Bina; and the Mercado Popular, with its wide variety of products.

As for gastronomic treats, there are excellent restaurants, and I’d include the “Bonzão do Bode”, thanks to its simplicity, the tasty food and the owner of the establishment, who enchants his clients with his gentileza and simpatia.  I can attest to this, as I enjoyed a plate of roast goat with boiled cassava, recommended by my son Markus Vinicius and my daughter-in-law Patrícia, who reside in the city and work for the Jacobina Mineração e Comércio as environmental engineer and nutritionist, respectively.

A little history

Jacobina was founded in 1722.  Known as the “City of Gold” — after gold was discovered there at the beginning of the 17th century, its mines attracted the Portuguese and the bandeirantes paulistas — it possesses a valuable historic, cultural and natural patrimony and was the scene of important moments in Brazilian history.  Its name is of indigenous origin and means “Open Field” or “Wide Field”, moreover, there is a legend that says that in the ground of Jacobina lives an Indios couple, Jacob and Bina, and the combination of their names gives Jacobina.  At the present, the mining business is by Yamana Gold, through the Jacobina Mineração e Comércio (JMC), which operates the gold extraction in the city.

The magnificent view of the Alto do Cruzeiro, which spreads across an arc of more than 200 degrees, can be seen from any point in the city.  One of the principal events of Jacobina is the Penitential Walk, previously called the Caminhada da Luz (walk of light), a name altered by Brother João Zacarias of the Santo Antônio parish.  The festa is a spectacle of Christian faith for Catholics, culminating with thousands of faithful who wind their way up in the direction of Alto do Cruzeiro, carrying lighted torches and forming a living serpent of light and fire.

Text and photos by Paranaguá.

On this day in 1549, a fleet of Portuguese settlers headed by Tomé de Sousa, the first Governor-General, established the city of Salvador as the capital of Brazil.  Happy Birthday number 462!

(English translation below)

A ação nasce após o artista urbano Júlio Costa receber uma imagem com a  frase “Pray for Japan” que significa Reze pelo Japão.

Para quem tem super afinidades com o graffiti, a palavra Pray remeteu imediatamente a Spray, logo, saiu convocando artistas e não artistas da cidade, para uma ação coletiva  cuja proposta é prestar uma homenagem para esse país tão brilhante que passa por um momento tão vulnerável de fatalidades naturais.

Tintas, sprays, pinceis, colagens, e outras formas de expressão farão parte do momento de silêncio e reflexão que será pintado em homenagem ao sofrimento dos nossos irmãos japoneses.

Aviso: Gostaríamos que todos os envolvidos fossem com uma mascara descartável, para fazermos uma corrente de união alusiva ao fato de que a radiação não é boa nem para nós que estamos tão longe

Informações:
O que? Pintura coletiva em homenagem às vítimas do Japão
Quem ? Coletivos de artistas e não artistas de Salvador
Quando? Sábado, 19 de março 2011
Hora? A partir das 09h30
Onde? Ladeira de acesso ao Vale do Canela, próximo ao Campo Grande (muro dos pontos de ônibus)

Telefone para contato: (71) 8816-6411(Julio) ou 8197-2245 (Bigod)
Thaís Muniz | 71 8891-7650

——————–

This initiative was born when the urban artist Júlio Costa received a picture with the phrase “Pray for Japan” .
That made for a super affinity with graffiti, because the word “pray” easily morphed into “spray,” so straight away, the city’s artists and non-artists were invited to participate in a collective action whose intent is to make homage to that wonderful country as it endures such a moment of vulnerability, caused by a natural calamity.

Paints, sprays, brushes, collages, and other forms of expression will play into this moment of silence and reflection, which will be produced in homage to the suffering of our Japanese brothers and sisters.

Notice:  We would like for everyone who takes part to wear a discardable mask, because we want to make an allusive statement, regarding the fact that radiation isn’t good, even for us, so far away.

Information:
What?  A collective painting in homage to the victims of Japan
Who?  All the artists and non-artists of Salvador
When?  Saturday, March 19th, 2011
What time?  Starting at 9:30 AM
Where? The access ramp of Vale do Canela, next to Campo Grande (the wall of the bus stops)

Contact phone numbers:  (71) 8816-6411(Julio) or 8197-2245 (Bigod)
Thaís Muniz | 71 8891-7650

Like everyone else, people at the ICBIE have been watching the exciting developments in North Africa, but as always, we go a little deeper into the subject, favoring an active role to passive observation.  As the ICBIE Honorary President, I decided to make a bold move and travel to Egypt, to witness this historical moment firsthand.  I was answering an appeal from Egyptian students who campaigned on facebook, asking people to come to Egypt, because if the tourist industry didn’t bounce back, their economy would collapse, irrevocably compromising their revolution.  I recruited a couple other ICBIE supporters:  Steve from Lahn artists in Kaltenholzhausen and my colleague Lars at the American Overseas School of Rome unflinchingly jumped at the opportunity. We boarded an EgyptAir flight last Wednesday, and that evening we were on the streets of downtown Cairo.

From the very first moment, we were enthusiastically greeted by everyone, mainly because we really stood out, the only foreigners around.  Even the hundreds of journalists who had covered the revolution had departed for Libya.  It took several hours to wander the length of Tahrir Square, because every ten feet we were accosted by people of all ages and all walks of life, who were eager to tell their stories and welcome us to New Egypt, while they snapped photos of us, in big, jubilant group pictures.   By the end of the evening, it was clear that we were in a very special place at just the right time.

The next morning, we were at the Egyptian museum at 9 AM.  There were a few young Egyptian visitors along with us, but otherwise the place was deserted.  In the rooms on the upper floor that contain the King Tutankhamen treasures, I was able to silently contemplate, undisturbed, when normally hordes of tourists would be filing through, pushing and shoving.  The tanks and smiling soldiers guarding the entrance, and the giant burned out building, Mubarak’s NDP headquarters, right next to the museum, only heightened the emotions.  As we left the museum, we were approached by a group of young people working for a big tourist agency.  Because there was no work, they had decided to video interview the first, rare tourists, so they could use their testimonials in their promotion campaign.  In their interviews and the conversations that ensued, they showed their clear focus, their cosmopolitan savvy and their irrepressible optimism, as well as a pragmatic awareness of the dire challenges that lie ahead.  Surprisingly, the women were the most outgoing and had the best command of English and Italian, so they did most of the talking.  We started to make a list of the worn stereotypes of the Muslim world that were being shattered in rapid succession.

In the afternoon, we visited the Islamic quarter and there we received the same kind of assiduous and totally friendly attention.  A college student took us on a tour of the hidden back streets and to a stupendous little restaurant, before he cleverly accompanied us to a few shops, hoping to make a commission (and he wasn’t completely disappointed.)  The following morning, we were driven to the pyramids, both in Giza and Saqqara, and there, too, we only saw two other Europeans, and the official government guards were always trying to entice us into forbidden areas and to photograph  inside tombs, where it is not permitted.  It took us awhile to understand that they were just trying to increase their tip, because they depend on that income to support their families.  The trip from the city center takes about an hour, and for the entire time, you pass through the terrifyingly poor periphery of the city, with endless rows of identical, nearly window-less housing blocks.  But on the streets, there were plenty of happy faces and throngs of children dancing about, just like in Bahia!

We got back from the pyramids just in time for the big demonstration in Tahrir Square, celebrating one full month since the beginning of the uprising on January 25th.  Once again, we immersed ourselves in the crowd, and the same barrage of encounters, discussions and photo ceremonies began.   Instead of feeling like intruders, we were often protagonists, at the center of attention, also because we had Katya, a beautiful Russian girl who we met at our hotel, with us.

The gathering represented all Egyptians, and I was lucky enough to get close to one central event.  A Coptic priest was walking through the square, arm in arm with two Muslim Imams.  Too bad the kid moved his red flag and covered the priest’s face, just as I snapped the picture!

As I was contemplating the total absence of religious tension, an elderly woman in a full black chador, clinging to two excited little girls who were probably her granddaughters, walked straight up to me with smiling eyes and embraced me, saying the ritual “Welcome!”   There were whole groups of students waving old, pre-Qaddafi flags and bearing posters with his face covered by a large yellow X.

After all the excitement, we decided to do the one politically incorrect thing that we couldn’t avoid any longer, and we went across the square to the Semiramis Hotel, a five-star monument right on the Nile, to order our first alcoholic drinks.  We were the only people in the large, elegant bar, and before long Steve had made friends with the general manager, Mr. Ahmed El Gindi, who invited us to his table.  For the rest of the evening, we listened to his stories (which came from a very different angle, but which, finally, revealed the same excitement, sense of extraordinary achievement and trepidation for the future), while he thanked us for coming to his country at this difficult moment.   He took us up to the top floor, to look out on the city from the balconies of the Pharaoh’s Suite

.

In three intense days, we were able to get a good feel of the New Egypt, and it is absolutely wonderful.  This revolution is even better than I could have imagined, and the Egyptian people deeply impressed me, with their unity and their iron determination.  I will never forget their hospitality, and the openness with which they shared their experiences and their hopes with me.   If their struggle has touched you, I hope you will make plans to visit their country as soon as possible!

Roy Zimmerman

Last September this blog featured a big article about our budding friendship with Roberto Corradini, the Italian artist and mosaic-master, and his wonderful school in Mata Oscura.  Since then, plans have moved forward and there is exciting news.

Roberto spent this last weekend at the ICBIE, where he worked with our great art teacher Geisiel (and some assistants) to finish a new mosaic on the wall of the bathrooms at the back of the Institute’s front patio.  The inauguration (and inevitable party) will be the next ICBIE event, and it will be particularly important because it also celebrates the opening of Roberto’s new school in Salvador.  In fact, he seized an opportunity to transfer operations from the isolation of Mata Oscura to the city of Salvador, having found a beautiful location in buildings next to the St. Anthony church, up near Barra.

Everyone at the ICBIE is delighted to have Roberto, and his school, closer to us.  He is rightfully proud of his operation, and we take this opportunity to show his wonderful new facilities, where, starting today, his first mosaic classes are beginning (the painting classes started last week).  And we invite all our friends to investigate his laudable work by visiting the site of the Associazione Meu Brasil Onlus that supports it.

Here is a mixed bag of news from the summer in Bahia, starting with a wonderful, feel-good story.  For years, Pietro has been friends with a very impressive local man named Cau, a fellow who garners instant respect, not only because of his imposing physique, but also for his deeply informed insights into the plights and challenges facing the Afro-Brazilian people in Salvador.  Recently, Cau proudly mentioned that his sister Zenilda had just become a fully-certified lawyer, so Pietro, thrilled to know that a woman from an impoverished neighborhood could attain such success, offered to open the ICBIE to host a proper party in her honor.

On another front, the illustrious Italian artist Guido Daniele recently paid his fourth visit to the ICBIE, this time to simply thank Pietro for the help that the ICBIE offered him, by hosting a big exhibition of his live body painting and other works, which marked his first success in Brazil.  Since then, he has become world famous, and his unique Manimali (human hands painted in a way to startlingly resemble animals) have been adopted by AT&T for its global roaming publicity campaign, carrying him to Japan, France, Germany, the UK, Venezuela and Cuba.  His ties with the ICBIE have been held tight, because of one of our students, Adriana, who, after her Italian lessons at the ICBIE, became his favorite model.  This affirmation has transformed her into a poised and confident young lady who speaks impeccable Italian.

And to close, a sweet little bit of gossip!  Two of our most faithful students, the inimitable Bogus and charming Monica are engaged!  Of course, the entire ICBIE community wishes them infinite happiness!