Funk Party, Corrida, Natal Sem Fome, Garbage, TvROC

Sunday 21 dez, 

So, I was there at the funk party but there were so few people when I left at 2:20 am! As usual the huge speakers 4 meters tall, and bass that echoes into the homes outside of the favela in rich Sao Conrado. Sucks to be them! So, home I went to ascend the morro. I was told that the party was full or “Lotado”..oh well, but I had to get up early the next day. 

Rocinha Equipe Corrida na Rua 1 

Up at 7:30 to go to Equipe Rocinha Corrida, which is a running team for both kids and adults. When I watched the races which were held in the hill on an uneven paved road, I realize how priveledged I am to have lived in a place that have flat asfaulted roads. And to see these people do not complain..Rocinha needs more activities like this. I hope in a few years, I will be able to help in this way with the jiu jitsu and Dj school. Again I got to meet Claudinho (President of the Residents Association) and saw him wearing the t-shirt I gave him a day earlier. This made me feel proud that the comunity loves the t-shirts. I just wish I had 200.000 to give all the residents. 

Up on the Roof 

So, I am up on the roof or laje right now writing this. And a strange thing happens, I catch a wireless signal from “POP_SaoConrado”...I am a good 1.5 miles up the hill from the rich Sao Conrado area, where I assume the signal is coming from. As I know Rocinha is not a “wireless” community yet. I hope it becomes a wireless community soon as it would be a great help to bring the outside world into the favela. I really like being up on the roof as it is calm and I can see almost everywheres in the favela. With the constant activity that IS Rocinha, it is nice to get away from that. The laje or roof provides that for me. I usually go up there late at night to enjoy the quiet, the view, plus there is a place where I can shower too. I get to think and organize my thought is peace. 

Garbage 

There is one thing that really bothers me about living in Rocinha. There are designated areas in the favela, along the major roads, where you take your garbage. The thing that is bad is you just throw it in an area on the side of the road. The Prefeitura supposedly comes by each day to pick it up and I have seen them, but this is certainly a health problem. Why they cannot get metal cans so at least the rats are not out in the open. And the residents let their dogs crap anywhere and do not clean it up...Speaking of rats, I actually saw one last, probably 6 inches long. But as soon as people got close, it ran away. Life in the favela is so diferent compared to the US. But for the problems that do exist here, there is more good things than bad. Life in simpler and less stress for me. 

Natal Sem Fome no Curva Do S 

So I was invited to this huge party for the comunity called Rocinha “Natal Sem Fome” (Christmas without hunger) at the stage at the Curva do S area in Rocinha. I was a VIP (whatever that means??). I was invited by a guy who is well connected both inside and outside the favela by the name of Cabeca (which means “head”). There were celebrities there from a telenovela “Caminhos das Indias”, Juliana Paes and Marcio Garcia. Other were Rambo da Rocinha, this fatigue wearing guy who lives in a cave in Rocinha. And David Brasil who is famous but I do not really know for what. Wagner Love who is a member of the selecao brasileiro futebol team and others were there. Pai Noel arrived in grand fashion by helicopter. I kept wondering if the traficantes would shoot down the helicopter thinking it was police. As this was the case a few years back in another favela. Gifts were distributed to the residents and all had a great time. 

Monday 22 dez.. 

Interview with TvROC 

Met with TV ROC at the Academicos da Rocinha School. I was very impressed watching the filming of several acts. When we entered I saw two hip hop guys screaming out their rap song and giving it up for Rocinha. There was the Acorda Capoeira school who came on next MC’ed by Rocinha’s own funk singer MC Binho. This guy is way cool. MC Binho used to live in Vidigal but moved to Rocinha becase Vidigal did not give him the singing oportunites that Rocinha has given him. I gave him a “Eu Amo Baile Funk” t-shirt before he went on and he gave me respect which I did not expect by both wearing the shirt and mentioning my name. 

They called me on the mic to speak and asked me about my tattoos and my projects that I want to start in Rocinha. Later they called me up to do some Capoeira but it has been years since I was in a roda, so really I did not do well (i have some back problems) but had a great time. Little did I know that this was all being filmed live so no editing..Hey I can make fun of myself and laugh. And I am at an age where I really do not care what people think. 

Tuesday 23 dez. 

One interesting thing happened last night which I have not seen in the USA, but I am sure in other places it does happen. I was up on the roof enjoying the cool weather and just enjoying the view. I noticed that half the other side of the hill did not have light. I was up there for about 30 minutes. Light soon appeared and a big chear came from across the hill from those happy residents that the lights came back. 

Wednesday 24 dez.. 

Downtown 

I went downtown to exchange some money and got an excellent exchange rate. With me, I need to be very careful to watch where I go especially if my tattoos are visible. If I am seen near another favela of a diferent faction, they could seriously mess with me. So, when I leave the favela, I am careful not to attract attention to myself. Downtown Rio is like many other cities. Noisy, dirty and full of commercial places. Nothing special unless you like the old portugues influence of architechture in the buildings. 

I gave $50r to Paulo for being such a nice person in opening up his home to me. Bought some perfume for his wife (seguranca). Later I met Gray, this guy from Australia who is living here in Rocinha. We ate at the Garota de Via Apia por kilo restarant. Later went to Gray’s house in Cachopa to rest until the party later at Lu’s House in Portao Vermelho..the big house that I would love to have some day..  

Gray at Lu’s 

So with Gray we made the climb up to Lu’s in the Portao Vermelho area of Rocinha which is located high up on the left side of the hill in the mata. Poor Gray was feeling under the weather, so I told him that if he really did not want to go, he did not have to. We took one of the Kombi’s up to the entrance to Lu’s. The entrance is a long dirt road which is very uneven. I felt like I was walking in the jungle with al the trees around me. We even saw Micos, these very small active grey monkeys jumping from the trees. Lu’s house is set apart from the rest and you can see her house if you are down at the bottom of the hill. We arrived at 9 but left around 12:15 after a awesome fireworks display in Rocinha. Gray and I were just way too tired. I was also waiting for Paulo to arrive but we did not see him. He told me the next day that he arrived at 1 in the morning. 

Cat Visits 

Lately I say probably the last 5 days I have been receiving early morning visits from a furry friend name Bee. She is a long haired Calico cat who just pours out love. But she has an interesting way of showing it. She jumps on the bed from a side window next to my bed. She climbs on top of me and licks any skin visible, I guess to get my attention. She will sit on me until I wake up, even if I am sleeping on my side. The only thing I do not really like is she will bite me after licking whatever bodypart is available to her. Her bites hurt a bit. I guess this is her way of getting attention from me. I was later told that she comes to me because she likes me and she thinks I will get up and give her food. The house has three cats and all which I love in their own way. The other cats are Avril Lavigne who they call Lavigne who is an all white fuzzy thing. And the dona de casa is Peach who is friendly but mostly to the mother of the house.