The Favela

Most people’s associate the word “favela” with a slum of drugs, arms, violence and poverty. If you ask people living close by to favelas they may use some of these words to describe the areas. Some people who may have lived within walking distance to a favela their whole lives may have never entered inside to see the reality with their own eyes. People listen to the news stories and watch films focussing on the violence and hardships in these areas left over by the government. It is in people’s nature to be interested in war and violence and so they are able to make judgements solely on these things. It is impossible to really understand the reality of life inside the favelas without ever entering inside to see life with your own eyes.

 Of course there is no getting away from the fact that most favelas in Brazil have been host to wars and violence affecting not only drug dealers but the entire community. Wars arise often with the police who invade and violently try to take control and also between rival dealers. Many lives have been lost and not only those of “traffickers”. These wars are not only the fault of the dealers in the favelas when you look at how the trouble started and see the bigger picture the Brazilian government and police have always hugely benefitted from the drugs trade and so you cannot blame the people of the favelas solely for these troubles .

There is of course another side to life in the favela and to the outside world largely undiscovered. A life of happiness filled with culture, and an enormous sense of community, host to thousands of friendly faces. My experience of favela life is mostly of Vidigal of which this blog represents. They are not facing violent times and everyone sees this as very much in the past. They do not wallow in self-pity or live in slum-like conditions. They are the most happy, ambitious, welcoming, respectful, loving people I have ever experienced. There is no talk of war and sadness only of new times and happy futures. The patchwork of houses and maze of alleyways which make up the favela are full of life and good vibes. A place where your children can play safely alone in the streets and your front door can be left unlocked. The culture is abundant. There is theatre, live music, baile funke parties, samba, forro and pagode beaming from every corner. 

There are not many places in the world where a foreigner can move in and be hugged by the community. In other places in the world a foreigner may be seen as an outsider or a new face to a community may take time to be accepted. The people of Vidigal will always make time for you. It is a place where strangers will often open their doors to you and invite you to spend time with their family. There is an energy here like no other place I have experienced. I have never felt safer.

And so in effect this is the reason for my blog. It is to represent the people of Vidigal, the community and to let them tell their own stories of life in the favela.