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SOBRE AS ORIGENS DA FAVELA the origins of the 'favela'

2011; UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO CEARÁ; Volume: 10; Issue: 23 Linguagem: Inglês

10.4215/rm.v10i23.651

1984-2201

Alfredo Pereira de Queiroz Filho,

Urban and sociocultural dynamics

Este trabalho aborda as origens da favela. Investiga o contexto de surgimento das suas edificacoes e do nome que passou a caracterizar esse tipo de assentamento precario no final do seculo XIX, no Rio de Janeiro. As evidencias mostram que o surgimento dos barracos esta relacionado a rapida expansao populacional e ao deficit habitacional da Capital Federal, na epoca. O substantivo favela e considerado originario do toponimo Alto da Favela, elevacao localizada ao sul da vila de Belo Monte, cenario da Guerra de Canudos. Favela e o nome popular de uma planta, comum no sertao baiano, local dos combates. A especie descrita por Euclides da Cunha, em Os Sertoes, deve ser a Cninodoscolus quercifolius. Das interpretacoes para a substituicao do nome do morro carioca, de Providencia para Favela, realizada pelos ex-combatentes, a mais plausivel e a que resgata aspectos estrategicos e topograficos. No morro da Favela, em Canudos, as tropas republicanas sofreram uma emboscada e sua ocupacao foi muito importante para derrotar os seguidores de Antonio Conselheiro. A topografia esta associada a uma metafora entre as privacoes da tropa durante e apos os combates. As dificuldades naturais da batalha, agravadas pelas caracteristicas fisicas do sertao, foram relacionadas a luta pelo recebimento dos soldos atrasados, apos o termino da guerra. Palavras-chaves : Favelas, Assentamentos Precarios, Cninodoscolus Quercifolius, Canudos, Rio de Janeiro. ABSTRACT This paper focuses upon the origins of the Brazilian shantytown (favela). It investigates the context of the appearance of the housing and of the name itself which came to characterize this form of precarious settlement in Rio de Janeiro at the end of the 19th century. Evidence suggests that the appearance of the shacks was related to the population explosion and the lack of housing in what was the Federal Capital at the time. The name ‘favela’ is considered to have its origins in the place name ‘Alto da Favela’, a district on high ground located to the south of the town of Belo Monte, in the North-eastern state of Bahia, which was the site of the ‘War of Canudos’ uprising. ‘Favela’ is also the popular name for a plant, common to the outback of Bahia where the fighting took place. The species described by Euclides da Cunha, in his book ‘Os Sertoes’, is probably the Cninodoscolus quercifolius. Of the many theories concerning the renaming of the hill district ‘Providencia’ as ‘Favela’ by those who had been involved in the uprising, the most plausible is that it recalls strategic and topographic features. On the ‘Favela’ hill in Canudos, the Republican troops were ambushed, and the occupation was extremely important in the defeat of Antonio Conselheiro’s followers. The topography is associated with a metaphor for the deprivation suffered by the troops during and after the fighting. The natural difficulties of the battle, compounded by the physical characteristics of the outback, were related to the struggle the soldiers had in receiving their pay once the war had ended. Key words : Favelas, Precarious Settlements, Cninodoscolus Quercifolius, Canudos, Rio de Janeiro. RESUME Ce travail porte sur les origines de la favela. Il etudie le contexte ou ont surgi ces constructions ainsi que le nom caracterisant ce genre d’agglomeration precaire a la fin du XIX e siecle, a Rio de Janeiro. Tout indique que le surgissement des baraquements est en rapport avec la rapide expansion de la population et la penurie d’habitations dans la capitale federale a l’epoque. On estime que le substantif favela tire son origine du toponyme Mont de la Favela, une eminence situee au sud de la bourgade de Belo Monte, theâtre de la guerre de Canudos. Favela est le nom vulgaire d’un arbuste commun dans le sertao (arriere-pays) de la Bahia ou ont eu lieu ces combats. L’espece decrite par Euclides da Cunha dans « Os sertoes » semble etre le Cninodoscolus quercifolius. Parmi les interpretations donnees a la substitution, operee par les anciens combatants, du nom Providence donne jusque la au morne carioca par celui de Favela, la plus plausible est celle qui fait reference a des aspects strategiques et topographiques. Les troupes de la Republique etant tombees dans une embuscade sur le mont de la Favela, son occupation fut tres importante pour vaincre les partisans d’Antonio Conselheiro. Pour la topographie, un parallele s’est etabli metaphoriquement entre la situation de la troupe durant et apres les combats : d’un cote les difficultes naturelles de la bataille aggravees par les caracteristiques physiques du sertao, de l’autre, la lutte menee pour la reception des arrieres des soldes apres la fin de la guerre. Mots-cles : Favela, Agglomeration Precaire, Cninodoscolus quercifolius, Canudos, Rio de Janeiro. DOI : 10.4215/RM2011.1023.0003