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We are at the Maré complex, a grouping of favelas in the northern region of Rio de Janeiro. A place of absurdities and powers, where stories sewn together form part of the history of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and the world. Here, it is blatant what society, in a mixture of confusion and shame, tries to hide. To simplify Maré in order to understand what life looks like here is impossible: it is complex and can bring together opposites, challenging reason. The tentacles of a corrupt system of exploitation certainly reach here. Written by Mirna Wabi-Sabi & Hannah Vasconcellos. Photographed Fabio Teixeira. Read it at Abeautifulresistance.org

In early September 2018, a devastating fire engulfed the Museu Nacional in Rio de Janeiro. The 200-year-old structure, Brazil’s oldest scientific and historical building, held an archive of around 20 million artefacts. Among these artefacts were invaluable materials documenting the history and culture of Brazil’s indigenous communities. Journalist Camila Zarur reported that little to nothing was salvaged from the Centro de Documentação de Línguas Indígenas (CELIN), which has documented indigenous languages for the past two centuries. Indigenous rights advocate José Urutau Guajajara believes the fire was the “death of the memory of the originary peoples, negligence to [their] patrimony. The memory of all Latin American languages was [there]. Sonic and written records of peoples who no longer exist,” concluding that we are watching indigenous culture being erased. Brazilian philosopher Djamila Ribeiro says that the fire mirrored the country’s “institutional neglect” and disregard for its history, further stating that the loss of artefacts and research “reflected Brazil’s ignorance of its African and indigenous heritage, and its indifference to an ignoble history of slavery and oppression.” Writer and political theorist Mirna Wabi-Sabi believes the tragedy of the fire began long before the flames. She reports that the country feels ashamed not to have been able to maintain a European notion of history, and that the loss of rare artefacts must be considered with an understanding of the value that is attributed to said artefacts, without forgetting the ethno- and Euro-centric processes inherently tied into Brazilian history. Written by Louise Hisayasu Read it at Los Angeles Archivists Collective (exact date of publication unknown)

“If we're gonna talk about the carelessness with which we deal with valuable artifacts, we must also talk about how we attach value to those artifacts, and the undeniable Ethno/euro-centrism involved in that process.” It’s safe to say the whole country of Brazil was dumbfounded watching the National Museum literally go up in flames, as if it was our turn to be destroyed by the aliens from Independence Day. When it was over, we were all left oscillating in the range of emotions between rage and sorrow, mourning the loss of irreplaceable objects, and 200 years worth of people’s work. We've been careless with our material History and irresponsible in preserving memory for as long as this Museum existed, why are we so upset now? Our indignation seems to come from shame for not living up to an European standard of possessing History. Written by Mirna Wabi-Sabi Read it at Abeautifulresistance.org

How Indigenous Life Dissipates in the Amazon Abeautifulresistance.org Learning To Organize In A Time Of Repression, Climate Crisis, And War Abeautifulresistance.org Noam Chomsky Interview: The Greatest Challenge To State Power Abeautifulresistance.org A History Of Displacement Of Non-White Women In Vila Mimosa Abeautifulresistance.org Mirna Wabi-Sabi at: Gods and Radicals Press Last Born in the Wilderness #232 | Indigenous Peoples Through The Lens Of The Media W/ Christian Braga #230 | Perceptions Of The African Diaspora In Brazil & Abroad w/ Karina Ramos #228 | More Love, Less Capital w/ Mirna Wabi-Sabi, André Miguéis, & Elisa Quadros #223 | Mapping The Roots: A History Of Displacement w/ Mirna Wabi-Sabi