Ashleigh, International Development and Globalization, 4th year
Country of fieldwork: Brazil
Local NGO: Floresta Viva and ASMOBAN
Over my last month in Serra Grande, Bahia, Brazil, I have seen a lot of wonderful things. I spend my working hours in the Atlantic Rainforest, and my weekends at some breathtaking beaches. My time has been split between two organizations: a small community association (ASMOBAN) and a reforestation NGO (Floresta Viva). While I came with expectations about the kind of work I would be doing and hopes about what I might learn, I did not expect the richness of this cultural exchange.
I have found that many people living in Serra Grande push back against neocolonialism by sharing and having a profound understanding of their own Bahian culture. Rather than the simple exchange of work that I’m used to for internships in Ottawa, I was pleasantly surprised to find that this internship offers so much more. My hosts have been excited to teach me to appreciate and understand the many aspects of Bahian culture.
Surprisingly to me, a big component of my internship activities has been cultural exchange. ASMOBAN has organized weekly lessons about Brazilian language, culture, and history. With Floresta Viva, a local sculptor has taught me how to carve wood, and fruits have been picked off the branch and shared with me.
In my downtime, people are eager to continue sharing this culture. I’m lucky enough to be here for São João and the Festa Junina. It’s a big celebration in Bahia, the state where I’m staying, and is a particularly big deal in the rural towns. I’ve been able to see and participate in lots of dances (including forró and the quadrilha), eat lots of food (such as cooked peanuts and cuscus de tapioca), as well as try Quentão, the traditional São João drink.
By learning about the deep history of the culture and by actively participating in traditions, I have been able to understand the harm of neocolonialism in practice. Keeping these Bahian cultures alive does so much more than bring fun music and good food into homes once a year; it fosters a sense of belonging and encourages people to connect with each other. I have found that in practice, sharing this culture is an important form of resistance. Bahians are not assimilating to Western culture – although some aspects may be incorporated, the richness of their own culture prevents this neocolonialism from reigning.
Although I’ve learned a lot about the way these two organizations run, and the work that they do, the richness of this internship is truly in the cultural exchange. Over the coming months, I’m looking forward to immersing myself more in the culture, connecting with my hosts, and absorbing the benefits of connecting with another culture. Serra Grande is a special place, with so much resistance to colonisation, embedded as cultural celebrations.