The Conspiracy for Independence by the people of Bahia

 

One of the most important movements for the independence of Brazil, while the country was a colony of the Portuguese kingdom was a conspiracy that took place around the end of the XVIII century (1798 - 1799), in Salvador, the capital of the province of Bahia.

Here is a short story about one of the most important events in the life of black people in this country.

Therefore, on August 12 this year in the same public square where the Portuguese colonial regime massacred four black prisoners in 1798, two of the Bahia government officials and black leaders of various walks of the social life of the state, gathered together in honoring the four heroes who fell during that time.

All of us had tears in our eyes.

The event went down history dubbed as "The Conspiracy by the tailors" (because some of the participants were in that profession). It is also called "The Conspiracy by the people of Bahia."

Recently, historians began to refer to the movement as "The Rebellion of the Caori Shells (Aa Revolta dos Búzios)" because the rebels wore a bracelet with a caori shell to identify themselves among the people while in public.

You may not know, but, Brazil was under Portuguese rule from 1500 to 1822, when this country gained its independence.

Did you know that the economic system that used slavery in Brazil lasted for more than three hundred years? Yes, from the fifteenth century (XV century), when the king of Portugal took this land from the hands of native residents (dubbed Indians by the invaders), until the end of the nineteenth century (XIX century) when this country declared itself “independent”.

 Did you know that due to the infamous slave trade five million black African were abducted from their homeland and taken to this country where they were sold as slaves by the Portuguese during that period?

March 29, 1549, was the founding day of Salvador as the capital of Brazil. So, this city was the first capital of Brazil, from 1549 to 1763, followed by Rio de Janeiro, from 1763, because the colonial authorities decided to move the capital from Salvador to that city.

However, this trend increased the level of dissatisfaction, especially among non-slaves in the lower classes of society.

Without a doubt, as Salvador ceased to be the capital of the country, many businesses left the city and became the main reason for the sharp decline in the economy and increased economic hardship for all of them.

One of the results was the decrease of the general population purchasing power, which caused management problems, because, on the one hand, there was a spread lack of some food items, on the other hand, the taxes collected by the Portuguese kingdom became too high for them to sustain. This combination fueled the environment rebellious culture around.

It was in this social situation that “the Conspiracy” suddenly erupted.

So, on August 12, 1798, because of the treachery of one of the rebels, the conspiracy was foiled, and the police forces of the colonial authorities at that time immediately arrested 33 men among the rebels, taking them to court on treason charges.

These prisoners included eleven slaves, six soldiers, five tailors, a carpenter, a small merchant, a teacher, a surgeon, and a broider.

Four blacks among them were sentenced to death.

So, on November 8, 1799, the colonial authorities hanged them in a public place called Piedade (mercy) Square in the center of the city.

The names and activities of each of these heroes are:

1. Soldier Lucas Dantas do Amorim Torres;

2. AprenticeTailor Manuel Faustino dos Santos Lira,

3. Soldier Luís Gonzaga das Virgens

4. Master Tailor João de Deus Nascimento.

Because the abolition of slavery was one among their objectives, it was too different from the so-called a conspiracy that was regarded as the most important struggle for freedom in the history of this country.

 

Akiyesi: Apilẹkọ yìí ti a kọ́ ni èdè Yorùbá latọwọ́ Mawo Adelson de Brito, o jẹ́ didasilẹ ni atunṣe latọwọ́ Ojogbọ́n Engineer Abiodun Jibona

Note: This article was written originally by Mawo Adelson de Brito it was brillantily edited by Professor Engineer Abiodun Jibona

Nota: Este artigo foi escrito em iorubá por Mawo Adelson de Brito e editado pelo professor Abiodun Jibona.

 

Imagem: https://mst.org.br/2019/11/21/pretas-e-pretos-entoemos-o-canto-da-emancipacao/ (acessado em 09/09/2021)