We often walk around with beautiful murals on underpass walls and paintings on the side of building, but aside from it being a colorful display we rarely know who painted it and why.
On this sunny day in Bahia, we headed to explore the graffiti art of the infamous Eder Muniz. The atmosphere was filled with laughter and busy talk from my classmate and the air smelled of acaraje and adventure. As we exited the van and were greeted by Eder, before us stood the Favelas and to the right an enormous mural painted with the brightest of colors in Bahia. At this moment, our shoulders relaxed and with the fist breath of awe, all of our eyes widened. In a community so poor, there was still beauty and esteem.
Eder explain his art and that this was one of the many pieces he has done in his community. He told us that this was his way of giving back and it was important to do so. When you think about Brazil, it is interesting to note that in Favelas the people are very much bonded like family. They all know each other and if someone is in need of help their neighbor is there to lend a hand. The idea of community in the Favelas is a part of life, it is not only about the individual.
As we made our way down the winding path Eder arrived at his home, it was beautiful with warm color tones of sand and cream. Plants lined the floors inside and the walls outside. The back porch overlooked multiple hills of Favelas and just when the view couldn’t get better, there in the midst of it all, were two mural Edar painted as if it were saying hello. 
Eder spoke with us about the origins of graffiti and the culture it holds. Graffiti even goes back to prehistoric times when cave men and women would draw pictures on the cave walls. He showed us how tag artist also have historical influences in their work and the tag alphabet look very much like a Viking and Egyptian mix. We then headed down the street to see several murals painted by local artist including himself and he explain how the art represented different parts of Brazil, such as the birds, the natives, and the colors. It is interesting to see how Graffiti in Brazil is connected to beauty, art, and community, while at the same time redefining how we envision the word graffiti itself.
With this in mind, I challenge you to embrace the stories we show in the States as well. The next time you pass a mural take a moment to stop and absorb the story it tells. Feel the colors and be present as the mural displays its story to you eyes.
