King Tchongolola Ekuikui VI, the royal head of the Bailundo Kingdom in Angola, visited the historical Quilombo do Camorim community, occupied by the descendants of runaway enslaved Africans, on Wednesday, the 8th of November. This visit was part of the King’s ongoing three-week tour of Brazil.
Quilombo do Camorim is famed as one of the oldest of such settlements in the region, tracing its humble beginnings back to the raw forested expanses of 1614. Today, it comprises a small community of approximately 100 inhabitants, who persistently strive to uphold their traditional customs, religious practices, and the cultivation of medicinal flora. The area also encompasses a touted archaeological site.
Community members of Quilombo do Camorim treated the visiting monarch with a warm display of jubilant singing and dancing. Hailing from Angola, a country many of the residents can trace their lineage back to, King Ekuikui VI is a poignant symbol of their deep-rooted heritage.
“This visit by the King not only serves as a reminder of our illustrious and admirable past, but also reinforces our identity. We are not slaves. We are descendants of those who were enslaved; descendants of kings and queens, and this regal blood courses through our veins,” stated Marilene Lopes de Jesus, a local biologist and nurse.
Echoing similar sentiments, student Erik da Silva Santos added, “His presence instils hope for our people’s unity. We have suffered disunion for so long. Having the King here, reaffirming that we are one family, descendants of royalty, that we too are kings and queens, bolsters our resolve for our continual struggle.”
Although Bailundo may not possess sovereign status, its king, Ekuikui VI, still basks in the light of political significance. Alongside representing the Ovimbundu, the largest ethnic group in Angola, King Ekuikui VI is frequently sought out for counsel by Angolan authorities, attesting to his considerable influence.
In the preceding days of his tour, the King visited the UNESCO world heritage site, Valongo Wharf in Rio. This historical landmark bears the dubious distinction of being the landing point for approximately 900,000 enslaved Africans after their arduous transatlantic journey, making it “the most important physical trace of the arrival of African slaves on the American continent.”
Historical records indicate that of the 10.5 million African individuals forcibly captured, over a third disembarked in Brazil. Some scholars suggest that this figure may indeed have been higher, possibly up to five million.
Brazil, noteworthy for being the final Western Hemisphere nation to abolish slavery in 1888, was slow to accord recognition to communities of former enslaved individuals. Not until a century later, was their right to occupy their inhabited lands officially recognised in a new constitution.
According to the most recent census, Brazil is home to nearly 1,700 quilombos across its municipalities, housing roughly 1.3 million people, within a population of 203 million. These unique communities stand as resilient chapters of a painful history, whilst encapsulating a rich cultural tapestry intrinsically woven into Brazil’s national identity.
