Crossroads

After our action-packed weekend of adventures in Lençois, today started out a bit more low-key. This morning we had a lecture at the Institute of Collective Health from Professora Monique Azevedo Esperidião; she discussed the history of Brazil’s United Health System (SUS) and the role of social participation and social control in SUS. Based on the lectures we’ve heard so far about SUS, and conversations with several Brazilian people about SUS, the general consensus seems to be that SUS is a great idea in theory but very difficult to implement in an ideal way, i.e. in a way that allows every citizen a voice in the conversation about their healthcare system and allows equal access to healthcare and equal quality healthcare to everyone in the country. Professora Monique said that with the government changes occurring at this moment in Brazil, she worries that the healthcare system will change, and that instead of private insurance being a supplement to the main SUS coverage, SUS coverage may become a supplement to private insurance, which could be seriously detrimental to 70% of the Brazilian population.

After lunch at our home stays, we reconvened at ACBEU for a Portuguese language class with Mauricio, during which we played a game of “dominoes” – matching pictures of foods with the names of the foods in Portuguese. Next, our activity after language class was a lecture from Makota Valdina Pinto, a practitioner of the Afro-Brazilian religion Candomblé. For an hour we learned about Candomblé, the history of the religion (brought over by slaves from several African countries and practiced in Brazil in order to continue the African culture), the common misconceptions (negative connotations commonly associated with voodoo or dark magic), and how different components factor into the religion (including food, music and dance). After some time for questions, Makota Valdina closed the lecture by telling us about Exu the god (orixá) of the crossroads. Each one of us is always at a crossroads, deciding which way to go – forward or backward, toward good or toward evil. Makota Valdina said that to be at a crossroads is to be in a position of power because it is a position of choice. As she said to us, I hope that each of you reading this post will think hard about your next (or current) crossroads and make a choice of family, a choice of life, a choice of new things!

After a nap and some dinner, we took several taxis to Pelourinho, Salvador’s historic district, to see a concert by the Geronimos and to DANCE! The music was an amazing mix of samba, salsa, reggae, etc. It was a great bonding experience for our whole group to be together on the dance floor, and we were definitely glad that we had Antonio’s Afro-Brazilian / Samba dance class last week – we were tearing up that samba rhythm!

-Michelle Sarah Livings

With Makota Valdina Pinto
With Makota Valdina Pinto

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