Wonderland X Neverland (English Version)

On Sunday, there were two intriguing ads on the newspaper inviting immigrants to settle down on distant lands. Although, one of them was 46 years older than the other, they were historically considered young nations with some similarities. Both were federal constitutional republics and had huge territories. In Neverland, a concession of 16 acres was given to any immigrant. Besides the right to use the land for the first 5 years before being finally the proprietor of it, the newcomers had paved roads, public light system, rail roads, and everything else to build up small networks to supply the big centers. The train would come once a week to collect the local production and deliver it to the capital of each State. The rail road had been privatized for 10 years already, so there were no delays anymore. The Neverland Bank  also offered very attractive long-term loans.

The Latex Soldiers and Fordland

Garcia grabbed Sunday’s newspaper and read the headlines of an intriguing announcement which was definitely written for him, thought the enthusiastic young man. It was brief and concise but the idea was to join the ranks of a paramilitary group. The group was called “Latex Soldiers” and gathered by the Brazilian Army in order to combat a bunch of guerrilleros sponsored by Americans, interested on creating an independent country called Fordland in Acre State. The United States would finally have its share of the Amazon and also a lifetime supplier of latex for its automobile industry. Brazilian authorities had never encouraged a massive settlement towards Acre State to seal its “ownership”, but now the momentum was calling for it. Garcia wanted to be part of history! He was so excited that he didn’t even notice when the paper was on the floor in pieces. But lucky him he still had the phone number. Same day, he called and found out that a convoy was going to leave at midnight. Then, he started packing his personal items, the Manifest of the Communist Party, a pair of jeans, a red t-shirt of the Party, brushed his boots, and went straight to the bus terminal. There he was, happy in bus number 4. During the 3 days trip, he found out that 90 per cent of the soldiers were from the Northeast, Ceara State, who had previously made up their lives in Acre, but expelled by the guerrilleros. Garcia felt there was something else... All workers like him, aching hands, wrinkle faces, old young men. Fighting for Brazil, or simply looking for a spot to work and a little piece of land to raise up a family? No, it can’t be that “dry”! No idealism?!?! Garcia couldn’t imagine something without passion or idealism, he was a romantic communist! So, he had a mission, and it would be to show all those soldiers that there is something greater in that trip. It can’t be just “that”. Come on, a “Gringoland” is about to be formed! It could be at least a revolution! Garcia was predicting and daydreaming about his revolution: “In days of war when we feel union and share the little, an idealism is necessary to keep the cohesion. And this idealism is the Brazilian Communism!” He had 72 hours to light the fire of “passion”. On the first day, he highlighted the importance and why they would be traveling so far away representing Brazil in order to protect and reinforce Brazilian sovereign power over its territory. The Latex Soldiers and the Army would be expelling the guerrilleros for good. After that, national banks would be giving easy access to mortgage in order to quickly increase the Brazilian occupation of the State. Garcia had to know the exact timing for the explanations and that was mostly when all buses were having a pit stop together at a gas station or any convenience store on the way. Little by little, he was captivating his audience. The soldiers were finally ready for the second day of lecture. Once more he started his speech: “My comrades, we are going to Acre because we have a mission. And this mission is to expel the guerrilleros hired by the gringos! We will do it always stepping forwards because there is no “backwards”. There is only a way to do it: win or die! Then, he could hear in unison: Viva Acre! Garcia stepped down from boxes he had piled and started to speak with a different tone of voice. He explained that, once the territory was finally Brazilian and after the wave of excitement, the government would come with taxes. That would be also necessary to keep a permanent military base to protect them. What a surprise, the soldiers thought at a first glance. They started talking to each other. They were not real soldiers and were not really interested in keeping a military base in the area. More taxes? But if the taxes were going to be for the welfare of the community, so let it be. Protect and serve, that should be the public service, they thought. All of them went back to their buses. After 60 hours of traveling, and before getting to the final destination, Garcia asked the driver for a last stop. He said: Comrades, we are going to Acre in order to expel the guerrilleros and cease the Americans’ Gringoland! We shall win! There is only a way to do it: win or die! Again, a “Viva Acre” could be heard in unison. Now, Garcia knew he had to use a stronger tone of voice considering how dangerous a guerrilleros victory would be for the future of Acre. Next stage, if Fordland existed would be the most cruel in their history and probably in Brazilian, ever. Latex workers would have to work to big factories in order to survive, which means they wouldn’t be able to be self-employed but be employed by capitalists! After this speech, he thought he had finally sparked the flame of passion on those workers. The 10 buses arrived in Acre and all they needed was only 5 days to vanish the enemies from the map. As a reward, Brazilian government granted each soldier a house and a job. One year later, back to his daily routine as a bus driver, Garcia got back home and found in his mailbox a postcard. There was a picture of a large scale production plant and it said: “My dear friend, at the end, the Great company Ford came to the city because Brazilian government conceded to them 20 years exemption of taxes. But hey, I think you were wrong about this incredible company. Before they came, I was just a latex worker, but now I work for FORD and make 100 dollars to work 50 hours a week!

The past continuous of “City of God”

A Brazilian film maker predicting what would be his young son’s intriguing question said: “In 20 years from now, when my son asks me: Dad, what was Rio de Janeiro or other large Brazilian cities like? I’m going to tell him: look, why don’t you read City of God, it’s all there, you know what I mean?”. The novel he mentions is the result of an extended research of the housing project above mentioned. The research took about 8 years over the organization of drug traffic that eventually started up a war in the 1970-80’s in a neighborhood named City of God in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. From researching to writing and publishing the book it took a total of 10 years. Nonetheless, by the year of its publication, 1997, the book's author was so impressed by a film director’s enthusiasm and ideas that he decided to turn his book into a film as well. In one scene, a petulant boy begs for a gun that would seal his membership into a gang. He says: “I smoke, I snort, I’ve killed and robbed”, but then he finally puts a period on the talking: “I am a man”. This new recruit runs to join one of the top ranks of armed children struggling through the City of God. The cruel reality shown on the screens reveals a social currency which is still very current nowadays as well. As a result of the astonishing scenes based on real facts, the film was selected to the Cannes Festival 2002 and the Academy Awards 2004. Twelve years after the first publication of the famous book City of God, the story is still so current that there is no need for a new edition, believe me. A common sense tells us that history can be repeated, and when your son asks you “what was Rio de Janeiro or other large Brazilian cities like many years ago?”, you don't need to tell him about the book nor the film: turn on the tv and watch the local news!