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

It’s that time of year; schools are out in the northern hemisphere, and it seems like everyone is flying all over the world, despite the economic pinch and stratospheric fuel costs.  Just to keep track of everyone is quite a task!

ICBIE President Pietro Gallina, after his brief stay in Salvador in the wake of his long European tour, is flying to New York today, for a two week stay.  Right off the bat, he will certainly go to the Museum of Modern Art to see the D’Artagnan painting hanging on its walls; he will also be seeing Kerry at KS Art in Tribeca, to collect some hefty sums from the sale of the maestro’s works; and he will be able to reconnect with Toby and Mary, our faithful supporters in the Big Apple.

Marlene returned to Salvador last night, after her well-deserved month long vacation in Rome, Paris and Barcelona.  She will immediately take up the reins while Pietro is away, and all her Italian students will undoubtedly be happy to get back to their lessons.

A wonderful new ICBIE volunteer, Louise Audette, arrived last week, and today she will begin her English courses.  Louise is a teacher at the American Overseas School of Rome, which has already provided us with three other teachers, Rosa de Bellis, Michelle Falcinelli and Daniele Dattilo, as part of its Bridge to Bahia project.  Louise’s enthusiasm and charming smiles will certainly inspire our students and help them to build useful language skills, and we thank her in advance for her expertise.

ICBIE artist Julio Costa is still in Spain, staying with Celeste and Veronique.  They all spent the weekend on the Costa Brava, enjoying the hospitality of our volunteer Lorena, who allowed them to use her family’s beach house.  After months of rain and cool temperatures, warm sunshine allowed him to fully enjoy the pleasures of Catalunya. Julio has another couple weeks to enjoy his European adventures, before flying back to Ribeira.

Our faithful Bogus (who can rightly claim to be our finest Italian student) is also preparing to embark on his second trip to Italy.  With the precious help of Sandro, a retired Alitalia pilot, he was able to get a big discount on his plane ticket, which will take him to Rome on July 17th.  He will stay with Sandro and his wife Yvonne, and will try to enroll in a technical school, to keep him busy during an extended stay.  Although we will miss his smiles and his many services around the ICBIE, we wish him a lot of luck for his new adventures.

Tonight’s evening news on the Italian National Television’s Third Channel showed a very positive story about a Roman gypsy camp, and, given the tensions in Italy’s political discourse about law and order (which have led to random incendiary attacks and severe police repression of the Roma communities), that would be, in itself, a welcome novelty.  But even more extraordinarily, the service opened with the image shown above, which was painted by Julio last month, when he visited the same camp for an entire day, during their feast of Saint George!

Here is the photo Julio took of his own work, freshly painted:

The next sequence showed young girls dancing in front of the mural:

The story recounted how this Roma community had opened its doors to their Roman neighbors, offering a banquet and showing their traditional dances, with positive images of gypsy culture.

Bravo, Julio!!!

Even though most of the tourists who explore Salvador never come to Ribeira, except, perhaps, to jump off a tour bus and eat a quick ice cream at the famous Sorveteria, everyone who visits the ICBIE falls in love with its beautiful neighborhood.  The ICBIE program of hosting socially responsible tourists has given many foreigners an opportunity to discover the Ribeira community and absorb its unique atmosphere.

Therefore, we are happy to see that a new website, Ribeira na Rota (”Ribeira on Course for Alternative Tourism”), is promoting the neighborhood.  Four local girls, Bruna Rocha, Érica Alves, Lene Santos and Verena Paranhos, journalism students at the Federal University of Bahia, are responsible for this wonderful initiative, which aims to attract attention to the delights of Ribeira, with pages dedicated to the history, the architecture, the churches, the beaches, the sport activities (especially the four famous rowing clubs), and the restaurants and bars.  There is even a page dedicated to the ICBIE!

Prosegue a Roma anche quest’anno il progetto ‘Salvator Grafita’. Nell’Istituto di scuola media ‘Marco Poplo’ di Vernicino l’artista graffiteiro Julio Costa ha dato il suo contributo partecipando alla chiusura dell’anno scolastico dipingendo un murales. Il dipinto del murales, pensato come fase ultima di un laboratorio dal titolo ‘Dal graffito al graffitismo’ svolto dalla prof.ssa Donatella Pinocci (foto di gruppo) nell’arco dell’anno scolastico, ha coinvolto tutti gli allievi impegnati nell’elaborazione di tavole, disegni, quadri presentati nella mostra ‘Scuola museo’

Julio, coadiuvato dagli studenti entusiasti armati di bomboletta ha dipinto una bellissima allegoria dell’incontro tra l’arte e la musica (foto del murales) e gli allievi per ringraziarlo gli hanno poi dedicato un concerto improvvisato di percussioni (foto).

Monica Bernardi

Again this year, the ‘Salvador Grafita’ project continues its work in Rome. At the Marco Poplo middle school in Vernicino, graffiti artist Julio Costa helped the kids to celebrate the end of year by painting a large mural. The work, conceived as the last phase of a year-long course called “from graffiti to graffiti-art,” led by Prof. Donatella Pinocci (standing next to Julio in the photo), which engaged the whole class in the production of paintings and drawings that are displayed in and exhibition called “The School Museum”.

Julio, assisted by the enthusiastic students armed with spray cans, created a splendid allegorical painting, depicting the encounter between art and music. The students, to thank him, performed an improvised percussion concert in his honor.

Monica Bernardi

Monica also sent us two great photos of the ICBIE churrasco:

Last night the ICBIE held its big annual Roman bash, gathering its friends together to salute Pietro and Marlene with a sumptuous Brazilian churrasco. It was a beautiful evening and a big crowd turned out, completely filling “La Villetta” in Garbatella, which proved to be an ideal venue, with its big garden, a bar, a large barbecue and an exposition hall. At the entrance, Marlene had a table full of beautiful handicrafts made by Mestre Pedro’s kids, and it’s great to know that while our Roman friends enjoy their acquisitions, some badly needed hard cash will help the people of the Alagados and Uruguai. Under a magnificent Roman pine tree, Julio did a live painting, and ended up painting a couple of motorcycle helmets for our friends.  Inside the hall, Monica Bernardi’s beautiful photo exhibit competed with showings of the latest ICBIE documentaries, offering parallel views of life in the peripheries of Rome and Salvador. But the main attraction was the food and drink: Loona’s caipirinhas and the churrasco sold out completely, and by the end of the evening, the beer and wine was down to the last drops. It was wonderful to see all the old friends, who, year after year, make the ICBIE gatherings so special.

Visita all’Accademia di Mestre Pedro Pe´ de Ferro
Ass. Filhos do Sol Nascente

(English translation below)

Nel problemático quartiere Uruguay della Città Bassa di Salvador sorge un’isola felice. Vi si insegna rispetto per il prossimo, onestà e disciplina sportiva ed artistica. Ormai consolidati amici dell’ICBIE Mestre Pedro, i suoi figli e tutti i membri dell’Associazione Filhos do Sol Nascente continuano a stupirci per la loro integrità morale, la loro dedizione al bene della comunità, la loro fede nell’educazione di piccoli ed adulti.

Cortesemente scortati da uno dei tanti nipoti di Mestre Pedro, domenica mattina siamo giunti presso la loro Academia dove si stava svolgendo un batezado di capoeira per i piu piccoli. Tanti tanti e tanti bambini riuniti per ricevere la loro corda gialla, primo scalino nella classifica dei praticanti di Capoeira. C’era veramente tanta gente in festa, tanti maestri giunti anche dalle altre scuole per partecipare all’evento e condividere la gioia e la vitalità di questa affascinante disciplina a meta strada tra arte marziale e danza. L’atmosfera era coinvolgente e il ritmo di birimbao, pandero e tutti gli altri strumenti musicali travolgente, anche io e Giovanna (novelle apprendiste del professor Raio – figlio di Mestre Pedro) ci siamo cimentate nel gioco della capoeira, sottolineando in questo modo ancora una volta l’inferiorità atletica di noi europei!!!! Per non parlare di quando siamo state invitate a partecipare alla roda de samba a conclusione della mattinata….come poter competere con ¨as bundas brasileiras¨???? (ndr. I sederi brasiliani).

A parte le nostre performance è stato davvero emozionante partecipare ad un simile evento, sentirsi le ben venute e ben accolte, parlare con Mestre Pedro di cio che cercano di fare con i pochi mezzi a loro disposizione e con un lavoro del tutto volontario per la comunità del quartiere. Nell’edificio (devo dire bisognoso di una forte e decisiva ristrutturazione) oltre a corsi di capoeira si svolgono corsi di arti marziali, laboratori di artigianato per la realizzazione di oggetti in cocco, per la realizzazione di strumenti musicali, corso di taglio e cucito, danza e musica di vario genere, ecc. Inoltre l’Associazione offre un servizio di dopo scuola, tutto con l’obiettivo di togliere i bambini ed i giovani dalla strada, creare gruppo ed unione per combattere il fenomeno dell’emarginazione sociale tanto diffusa in quartieri come questo. La gioia di Mestre Pedro è visibile e tangibile quando ci dice che la ricompensa maggiore per il suo lavoro è quella di avere la consapevolezza di poter evitare che questi bambini - che ora frequentano l’academia - spaccino ed usino droga, girino armati compiendo crimini di vario genere, perdano la loro infanzia ed adolescenza in una vita fatta di violenza e sorprusi. E domenica lo abbiamo capito bene la ricompensa che puo dare il volto felice e sorridente dei bambini e dei ragazzi che frequentano l’academia. Anche noi se pur straniere e solo di passaggio ci siamo sentite per qualche ora parte di una comunità e di un gruppo, cosi come si sentono i ragazzi dell’Associazione. Credo che proprio il sentirsi parte di un gruppo sia il risultato piu importante che Mestre Pedro potesse raggiungere per bambini ed adolescenti del posto….sentirsi uniti da un’idea comune allontana sicuramente dalla solitudine e dall’emarginazione.

Per chi vuole saperne di piu sul lavoro dell’associazione, oltre ai vari articoli apparsi anche sul nostro blog, questo è uno dei link piu aggiornati: http://www.cammpi.org.br/.

Intanto io auguro all’Associazione di continuare con il suo egregio lavoro e soprattutto di trovare sempre nuovo appoggio e sostegno per portare avanti i suoi progetti.

Marcella

A Visit to the Academy of Mestre Pedro Pe´ de Ferro
Ass. Filhos do Sol Nascente

There is a bright spot in the midst of the problematic Uruguai district of Salvador’s cidade baixa. A place where they teach respect for one’s neighbor and honesty, as well as artistic and athletic discipline. Mestre Pedro, his children, and all the members of the Filhos do Sol Nascente Association, who are, by now, long-standing friends of the ICBIE, continue to amaze us with their moral integrity, their dedication to the community’s well-being, and their faith in education, for both kids and adults.

On Sunday morning, courteously chauffeured by one of Mestre Pedro’s many grandchildren, we arrived at their Academy in the middle of a batezado de capoeira for the youngest kids. A horde of children were assembled because they were receiving their yellow cords, representing the first level of Capoeira art. There was a really big crowd in a festive mood, with many masters from other schools, to better celebrate the event and augment the joy and the vitality of this fascinating discipline, halfway between a martial art and a dance. With the inclusive atmosphere and the rhythm of the berimbao, the pandero and all the other amazing musical instruments, even Giovanna and I (greenhorn students of professor Raio - Mestro Pedro’s son) were drawn into the capoeira performance, as if to underline yet again the athletic inferiority of us Europeans!!! Not to mention when we were invited to join the roda de samba at the end of the morning…how are we supposed to compete with ¨as bundas brasileiras¨???? (the Brazilian booties).

Besides our performance, it was really thrilling to be a part of such an event, feeling so warmly welcomed and able to speak with Mestro Pedro regarding everything he is trying to do, with so little support, and with only a volunteer workforce, to help the local community. In his building (which, I have to say, needs a major and decisive restructuring), they hold courses of capoeira and martial arts, they operate workshops where handicrafts are made from coconut shells, they make musical instruments, and teach sewing, dance and various music lessons. Furthermore, the Association offers after-school activities, entirely aimed at keeping children off the streets, to create a unified group in order to combat the rampant sense of abandoment and solitude that plagues their impoverished neighborhood. We could almost see and touch Mestre Pedro’s joy, when he told us that the biggest reward for his work is knowing that he is helping these kids to avoid using or selling drugs, carrying guns and committing crimes of all types: activities that rob them of their childhoods, in a life of violence and abuse. And on Sunday we really understood the satisfaction that can come from the happy and smiling faces of the academy’s youngsters. Even as strangers who make a temporary visit, for a few hours we felt like we were part of a community, just like the Association’s kids feel. I think Mestro Pedro’s most important achievement lies in just that: making kids understand that they are part of a group, united by a common ideal that banishes solitude and the frightening sense of abandonment.

If you would like to learn more about the association’s work, other than the various articles here on our blog, here is one of the most up-to-date links: http://www.cammpi.org.br/.

With that, I wish the Association well, that it may continue its distinguished work and above all, may always succeed in finding renewed support for its noble projects.

Marcella

After their busy sojourn in Italy, for Pietro, Marlene and Julio the time to return home is rapidly approaching, but there’s time to organize one more big bash before they go.  This Sunday evening at 8PM, there will be a good-bye churrasco at the Villetta (Via Passino, 24, in Garbatella), for all the Roman supporters of the ICBIE.  Besides the Brazilian-style barbecue, Julio will do yet one more live painting, Bahian handicrafts will be displayed, the two new documentaries on D’Artagnan and Ribeira das Artes will be shown, and Monica Bernardi will present her beautiful photo exhibit, made together with the young Andrea Ceci.

To raise funds for the ICBIE, portions of churrasco will be sold at €10, and we will accept donations for the two pressing ICBIE projects:  the “Pianoforte for the favela” and the construction of the cinema/theater. Spread the word and don’t miss it!

The inauguration of the Ribeira das Artes festival was a milestone event for the ICBIE, so the arrival of new half-hour long documentary video was a delightful surprise, and viewing it set off waves of nostalgia.  With great shots of the artworks, concert performances and interviews with the protagonists (we can all practice our Portuguese), the video is interspersed with panoramas of the Ribeira waterfront and its street life, with the odd snippet from this year’s carnival in downtown Salvador.

This precious document of the February 24th events was directed by our friend Stefano Barbi Cinti, a fellow Italian ex-patriot who is the president of the Accademia di Cultura Italiana “Italia Amica” in Salvador.  It was produced by Itam Video and Luzia Moraes.

The musicians are Aldo Brizzi and Reis, Jota Velloso and “os Cavaleiros de Jorge,” Luciano Bahia, Luciano Calasans, Polliano Coelho, Carlinhos cor des Águas, Mazzo Guimarães, Roberval Santos, Fred Mendez and Stella Maris.

Artworks are by José Paranaguá, Leonel Matos, Menelaw Sete, Julio Costa, Bigod Silva and “os Artistas de Rua” from the Salvador grafita project.

Due to its length, the video had to be chopped into four pieces.  Here are the links:

Part One:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YY4WN8W4hQE

Part Two: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKQU0vhYnu8

Part Three: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJbF8FmPi3c 

Part Four:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPEg-2O8i64 

(English translation below)

Doppia festa all’Icbie la notte del 30/05/08: churrasco, chitarra, allegria e tante chiacchiere, in tante lingue diverse e mischiate grottescamente tra loro, per augurare buon viaggio a Marlene (che ora é giá in Italia) e per festeggiare il compleanno di Marcella (sulla cui etá taciamo per delicatezza…).

Che dire dell’atmosfera che si respira in queste occasioni? Niente, se non che la geografia non esiste,la lingua é un particolare di pochissima rilevanza, e la diversitá arricchisce tutti. Il tempo é trascorso, con un ritmo tutto suo, scandito dal suono della chitarra di Juraçi, e dal ritmo del “Timbale” di Mary,…sul quale tutti,…chi meglio e chi peggio, ci siamo improvvisati percussionisti e ci siamo sentiti un pó artisti e fautori della bellezza di certe serate. Una bella serata, serena, e ricca, come tante altre qui, per la quale vorrei fare alcuni ringraziamenti e note

Grazie, prima di tutto a Jairo, per aver cucinato il Churrasco…altrimenti, a pancia vuota, non si divertiva nessuno.

Grazie, come sempre a MAMMA LOU, per la sua famosa cucina.

Grazie a juraçi per la chitarra, e a Marlene per la grazia e il trasporto con cui cantava e ci lasciava ipnotizzati.

Grazie ai ragazzi e le ragazze del corso di Italiano, per aver scritto bellissimi messaggi in Italiano sul biglietto di marcella (sapientemente ideato e realizzato da Amalia con materiale di riciclo).

Grazie a Jodson per capirinha che era molto buona (Marlene….não é??????)

Grazie a tutti per la festa, i sorrisi, e le risate, che tanto valgono.

E adesso veniamo alla festeggiata:

Grazie al Marcella, per l’impegno che tutti sappiamo, e complimenti per:

il suo fantastico ragazzo…che ha colorato la nostra tavola inviandole dei fiori dall’italia. (e lo dovevamo dire…perché Marcella la festa l’ha fatta, in realtá solo per mostrare i fiori; e lo dovevamo dire perché…..se gli uomini italiani sono Cavalieri e romantici…a me…quando sono in giro per il mondo….piace vantarmi di questo)

Complimenti per l’affetto che tutti le hanno dimostrato (perché, evidentemente sa come guadagnarselo)

E complimenti per aver, insieme a Cinzia, dato una sapiente dimostrazione della Pizzica Salentina …travolgendo il tavolo….su cui io ero seduta….con conseguente lancio e quasi caduta della sottoscritta .

Complimenti infine, per avere ,nella lettura del biglietto…letto Bogus, al posto di BIGODE……peccato che la firma di Bigode (vi assicuro ben leggibile) era sotto un disegno da lui stesso realizzato,che…chiaramente....riproduceva un ROSPO!!! CHI NON CONOSCE IL FAMOSO “SAPO” DI BOGUS…..DISEGNATO SUI MURI DI TUTTA LA CITTÁ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

……..venite….perché qui si sta bene…….

Giovanna

A double-barreled party at the ICBIE on the night of 30 May ‘08: barbecue, guitar, jolliness and a lot of chatter, in many different and grotesquely mixed up languages, to send Marlene off on her trip (she’s already in Italy, by now) and to celebrate Marcella’s birthday (and we’ll diplomatically leave the number unsaid…).

How can you describe the vibe of such an occasion? You can’t do it, except to say that geography is annihilated, language is a superfluous detail, and the differences only enrich the mix. Time passed at a pace that was laid out by the sound of Juraçi’s guitar and the rhythm of Mary’s Timbale, upon which we all…some better and some worse, tried our hands as makeshift percussionists, and therefore were able to feel a bit like artists, forging the beauty of an evening like that. A lovely evening, tranquil and full, like many others here, for which I’d like to say a few thankyou’s and comments:

First of all, thanks to Jairo, for cooking the barbecue… otherwise, with empty stomachs, no one would have had any fun.

Thanks again, as always, to MAMA LOU, for her famous cooking.

Thanks to Juraçi, for the guitar, and to Marlene, for the classy and emotional singing that hypnotized us all.

Thanks for the boys and girls of the Italian class, for their beautiful messages in Italian, written on Marcella’s card (tastefully designed by Amalia, with recycled materials).

Thanks to Jodson for mixing up the great capirinhas (Marlene….não é??????)

Thanks to everyone for the party, the precious smiles and laughs.

And now we can turn to the birthday girl:

Thanks to Marcella, for her universally recognized dedication, and compliments to:

her great boyfriend…who added a splash of color to our table by sending a bunch of flowers from Italy. (Because we have to confess that, in fact, Marcella put on the party only in order to show off the flowers; and we have to say it because…if Italian men are romantic cavaliers…as far as I’m concerned…when I’m traveling around the world… I like to brag about it)

Compliments for the warmth that everyone showed her (because she clearly knows how to earn it)

And compliments (together with Cinzia) for giving such a genuine demonstration of the Pizzica Salentina dance, knocking the table I was sitting on and launching me into space.

And finally, compliments for having read (from the card) the name Bogus instead of Bigode. Too bad that Bigode’s signature (I promise you it’s perfectly readable) was right under his original sketch of his trademark FROG! AS IF BOGUS IS FAMOUS FOR HIS FROG….PAINTED ON WALLS ALL OVER THE CITY!!!!!

… come and join us… because we’re happy here….

Giovanna

Thanks to a pinch of good fortune, the whole ICBIE team, which usually communicates across continents, managed to get together face to face for a real brainstorming session in Campagnano. Celeste and Veronique arrived on Friday from Barcelona and Marlene came in from Salvador last night, joining Pietro, Roy and Julio. Our Barcelona girls, after their long stay in Ribeira, have spent several months working on a comprehensive restructuring plan for our Institute, and they unveiled an impressive powerpoint presentation and an impeccably detailed excel spreadsheet that clarifies our whole business operation. The benefits of this are twofold: we can finally study our financial resources and appropriations, optimizing their efficiency in order to plan the future, and at the same time, have a transparent picture of our entire operation, which is a necessary prerequisite for attracting serious donors from the corporate world.

We were also able to watch some impressive new videos: the beautiful D’Artagnan documentary that was broadcast by Italian National Television (RAI) several weeks ago and a terrific documentary of the first Ribeira das Artes festival that the ICBIE held last February.

Celeste, Marlene, Roy, Pietro and Veronique

Marlene, Celeste, Pietro, Roy and Julio

And, as always, Pietro got busy in the kitchen, cooking up a perfect spaghetti alla carbonara for lunch!