VIVA BRAZIL

BEING CRITICAL of everyone and everything that surrounds me, more often than not, creates intense feelings of frustration, almost resignation, desires to throw the towel. I imagine many
people with similar virtue/defect go through the same motions/sensations just like the salty waves of your favorite ocean or sea.

But as I get older, paying attention, opened eyes, is all one needs to keep some faith, hope. It really exists beyond silly bibles or the other two important cults preaching for the after life, to live happily
down there. Egyptian pyramids come to mind. Destroying the EARTH as quickly as possible would be the premise. That way we all die. According to your actions or whatever rules one
is to follow heaven or hell is what expect you.

That is why I see no Jehovas, Adventists my favorite to pick on doing volunteer work in Puerto Rico to clean streets, beaches, public areas, or planting
the trees, plants, ground covers, bushes of my collection as Horticultural Guerrilla recommends.
When one lives for the after life, the life that goes on is meaningless, the environment is meaningless. That is why one should imagine for just a moment, an acid trip if you prefer...
How your country, any where would be doing if instead wasting time in church daily, trying to
convince your neighbor that Mennonites or Amish are cooler than Presbyterians/Episcopalians.
IMAGINE THAT.

After this unusual? introduction, BRAZIL has some kind of competition to unite, create conscience of the existence and presence of its ABORIGINALS. Seen on a documentary from
Spain, (rtv.es/docu.tv) as usual, thirty five ethnic groups get together to celebrate their life, to compete with a
meaningful purpose. The idea is twenty years old. Thanks for this intelligent Brazilian who
thought of it.

Since Brazil is HUGE, some aboriginals have to travel for four days, by boat, road, plane to reach
the site for the competition moved annually for this celebration. Bow and arrow, blowpipes and rope pulling are the competition modalities. The first two, part of their survival skills of daily life.

The reason to organize this event, is to allow these peoples to connect, to be aware of each others
life achievements, skills. Otherwise, as expressed by this admirable organizer, their existence will not be recorded or remembered. Rarely, have I seen anything more stimulating regarding what I have chosen to do. Protect, improve as an individual my surroundings.

These people live in a wet, hot, dangerous environment, pure nature. Almost naked, barefooted.
With a simple, non arrogant sense of self, manifested in expressions as: We are real Indians, we
have our language, we are stronger than the white man because we eat yucca, maize and drink honey.

Some were show boating, not their skills at competing, but as part of their war/dance/spiritual
rituals, manifestations of their self, their ways singing and dancing. This group the happier, most
expressive, smiling constantly, showing their merry ways later became worried when word came to them about some spirits being angry at their village. All was turned around and decided to return to their far away village. Later we see their children playing, the reason of their concern.

SO WHAT? May some reader wonder. I tell you what. When have you seen an effort, similar to those of saving gorillas, whales, dolphins, turtles, bears, seals, forests, rivers dedicated to help (keeping the distance), the aboriginals of the WORLD? Will never be close? That is why.

In the same documentary a plantation the size of Puerto Rico is shown, with soy...The useful,
beautiful forest destroyed to plant such a vulgar plant, that could be planted anywhere else,
in poor soils lasting three years at the most.

But is time to go. Check this out. The end of the documentary takes place at a time when these
people are swimming at the beach, for the first time of their life. Their impressions were around
the water moving constantly, getting tired as a consequence on one hand, on the other the lack
of trees or a shore to keep a sense of orientation.

Not far from this place, a monument to the arrival of the Portuguese to BRAZIL is shown. There are blocks of granite or marble where the aboriginals seat, chatting, changing impressions and a humongous CROSS.

What do you think of all this?.. asks the interviewer to the aboriginals. One responds without any visible excitement on his face, his voice: The CROSS symbolizes to us, all the destruction, robbery of our land, evil ways of the white men, who took everything we had.

BONUS FOR REPEAT READERS

Any story about BRAZIL will not
be complete without mentioning the beauty
of their women of all colors that I would
like to embrace and all...
Caipirinhas, raddizio, Jobim, Ben, Caymi,
Fafa de Belen, Toquinho, Eumir Deodato, Sergio Mendes,
Mercia, Clara Nunes, Joao Gilberto, Chico Buarque, Muito Elizeh,
Nana Vasconcelos, Egberto Gismonti and many others
whose music I still have in LP format.
If the people of Lanzarote do not send me an honorary citizen
passport, I will certainly request it to the people of
Brazil for their music, geography and else.