Brief History of Cangaço
This history was already heard to tell, was read and reread, became film, became art, music, painting, literature and even “cordel” (pamphlet literature). Now, Bezerra Neto, rewrites and paints it. He places it in a new frame, new dresses, of new colors and new brightness. It is in his art that Lampião turns into a wall picture, poster; that Maria Bonita becomes prettier, at the side of her "captain", the "king of cangaço." Corisco - the Blond Devil - and Dadá, form as the couple of "kings" of the hinterland. The writer and plastic artist went to search in the recondite of the hinterland the inspiration to rewrite and to paint the history of cangaço, whose main protagonist - Lampião - turned myth and his fame as hero or outlaw is difficult to be extinguished of the memory of the people. He continues a figure that was raised by the courage to face the large state of the "colonels", the owners of the heads. All were made cowards before a threat of Lampião. He charged for their lives and those paid to continue living. They turned coiteiros (hiders) and in certain form accomplices of the atrocities that it was being committed on behalf of cangaço in these hinterlands away, in an area of 700 thousand squared kilometers, comprehending seven states: Bahia, Sergipe, Alagoas, Pernambuco, Paraíba, Rio Grande do Norte and Ceará. The picture remember the footprints and the places where passed the gang of cangaceiros led by Lampião. The cangaceiros had walked during 20 uninterrupted years by the hinterlands bringing terror to the populations. Dimension: 130cm of height by 100cm of width.
Captain Virgulino Ferreira
He was still a youngster when he entered cangaço and, once, when facing a police troop, his rifle did not stop to spit bullets, sneezing them with incessant vehemence. Seeing him handling his gun with so great ability in the middle of the dark night, a soldier let escape: "it is not a person there and his rifle seems like as a gas lamp (Lampião), for the light that it makes" - It was from there that Virgulino gained the nickname of "Lampião." He was also known "captain" Virgulino. His fame ran in great gallop by the entire world. The picture measures 55cm of height by 50cm of width.
Lampião subvertd the order of the things.
Lampião subverted the order of the things. Large states, ( read as: "colonels", big farmers) that trough centuries ordered and counter-ordered in the hinterlands, turned “paus mandados” (ordered by) of Lampião. Suddenly, they became under the will of the one that really impinged respect and fear: Virgulino Ferreira da Silva, nicknamed "Lampião", whose word was law. He commanded a small legion of 50 cangaceiros, facing police forces whose contingents supplanted the number of 4.000 soldiers in all the territories by where he passed. Picture: 65cm of height by 50cm of width.
His posture inside cangaço was of a general... perhaps a Napoleon Bonaparte in the Brazilian fashion or, better saying, sertaneja. - Because of his hat of raised borders in the front and behind an up to the top? - No. For the vast knowledge that he had on military tactics, that still today are studied by scientific intelligence of the entire world. The pertinent strategy with he defied the police troops and the tenacity to get out well of all the combats throughout twenty long years (1919 to 1938), attributed him spectacular, incredible exploits, of strategists with bigger ability. - We can say now that his position was the same of a marshal in war time... For many, he was a bloodthirsty assassin who frightened the hinterland populations leading one gang of outlaws, committing rapes, killing and skinning with impetuses of severe cruelty. For others, a hero who defended the oppressed ones of the saga of the agricultural large states exerted by colonels of commission and rich farmers. The picture measures 70cm of height by 50cm of width.
To mislead the police, Lampião and his men, walked over rocks and beaten soil. When they had that to step on the flooded areas of the river side, or on limp and sandy soil, they wear especially prepared sandals, with the heels at the front. Thus, who was to follow the footprints "flied", going in the opposing direction. They leave roaring with laughter and booing the troops, they called them unprepared facing the astuteness of Virgulino Ferreira, the frightful Lampião, a lean and elegant in his way, athletic man; wide shoulders, narrow hips and dry bottoms, slightly pushed onward. He weighed 62 kilos, 1,71cm. of height, lower than his brother Livino (1,73cm.) and higher than the other, Antonio (1,70cm.), oldest of all; clear brown skin, smooth and voluminous hair, dark chestnuts eyes. His posture impressed, austere and very characteristic of his picturesque personality. Some of the "guys" were dressed equally, with khaki uniform. The screen measures 1 meter of height by 60cm of width.
Corisco, "blond Devil"
Corisco "the Blond Devil" tried to imitate Lampião in everything, from the sui generis way of dressing to the way of carrying his weapons, wide leather straps for water bottles, bags, etc., (which did not seem to bother his leader, perhaps because he was only his second-in-command): leather belts with typical adornments, especially made to hold the water bottles at each side of the body, one for sugar and the other for sugar cane brandy (cachaça) or water; two leather bandoleers, coming from the shoulders and crossing the chest, going to each side of the waist, studded with 121 cartridges; Mauser rifle, model 1908, the strap decorated with coins and eyelets of white silver; leather bag for water; canvas shoes with thin decorated straps (the ones belonging to Lampião were equipped with reinforcement to correct his way of walking); deer-skin gloves, like the ones used by cattle tenders; rings, two or three on each finger; more leather bags, two or four, one pair bigger than the other. These, together with their straps, were decorated with stylized hems and colorful flowers. Finally, a yellow metal whistle held on a silver chain (the ones belonging to Lampião were made of solid gold) and a 38 gauge Mauser pistol. Corisco used to wear pants like riding breeches, leather leg protectors decorated with eyelets and tied by small buckles, while Lampião only used them on special occasions to protect himself against thorns and snake bites.
The hinterlands, were the outlaws walked, is ablaze, intermittently a ball of fire and heat. It goes, so to say, with the depraved nature of the second biggest outlaw – after Lampião – who slaughtered, skinned and killed for nothing. Coriscowas respected just like Lampião and commanded his own gang, which was an extension of Lampião’s gang. After the death of Lampião in 1938, for two more years Corisco and his gang continued to spread fear wherever they went, directing their fury towards the vengeance of his chief’s and Maria Bonita’s death, the young outlaw woman who fell dead during the ambush prepared by the police troops. Corisco’s wife, Dadá, was also brave and fearless, facing the soldiers with bullets and with the point of her dagger
The woman joined the outlaws in 1930, Maria Déia, the Maria Bonita (Pretty Maria), became Lampião’s greatest friend. Maria Bonita grew up on her father’s small farm in the region of Jeremoabo, Bahia. She was the daughter of José Felipe de Oliveira and Maria Joaquina Déia. She had 11 brothers.At 18 she married José de Neném, a young man of good habits, trader and shoemaker. Maria and Neném did not get along well with each other and fought a lot. The farm was at the border between the states of Bahia and Sergipe, and Lampião passed there often. Her parents considered Lampião a great man. It was Maria’s mother who told Lampião that her daughter had great admiration for him. One day, in 1931, Maria came to the farm when Lampião was there and the bandit fell in love with her at first sight. When the gang went way, Lampião took Maria Bonita with him, with her mother’s blessing and good wishes. Lampião was almost 33 and Maria just over 20. Physically, she was a typical woman of the arid hinterlands: Small, dark eyes and hair and light brown skin. She was called " Dona Maria" by the gang when they addressed her directly. In 1932 Maria Bonita gave birth to a girl named Maria Expedita, who her parents took to a reliable coiteiro (one who gives refuge to bandits) in Sergipe. Picture: (Female Warrior), 95cm wide by 60cm high.
NOTE: This blog is under construction.
Please forgive any mistake.
posted by BEZERRA NETO, MACEIÓ, ALAGOAS, BRAZIL at 6:01 PM
0 comments
links to this post
