In Pictures

In Pictures: COVID-19 hits Brazil’s quilombos hard

Founded by runaway slaves, these poor communities are reeling under the coronavirus pandemic.

Rosane Da Franca, left, sews protective face masks at her home at the Maria Joaquina "Quilombo" in Cabo Frio, on the outskirts of Rio de Janiero, Brazil, Sunday, July 12, 2020. Rosane takes part in a — Rosane Da Franca sews protective face masks at her home at the Maria Joaquina quilombo in Cabo Frio, on the outskirts of Rio de Janiero. Rosane is part of a project to make masks and donate them to the residents of the quilombos amid the new coronavirus pandemic. [Silvia Izquierdo/AP Photo]

In a small room filled with donated bananas, lettuce, toilet paper and more, Rejane Oliveira quickly prepares boxes for more than 100 families who are trying to weather the coronavirus outbreak.

Her community, Maria Joaquina in coastal Rio de Janeiro state, is one of Brazil’s quilombos, settlements founded by runaway slaves in centuries past and still largely inhabited by their descendants. Often disconnected from urban life, even within city limits, quilombos have relatively high poverty rates.

Quilombolas tend to avoid going into the city, but in spite of their relative isolation, they have begun to succumb to the coronavirus all the same.

Brazil abolished slavery in 1888, after which the Quilombola campaigned for more than a century to gain recognition of their right to the lands they occupied. Lands where their descendants live and try to keep their ancestors’ traditions alive.

Among the traditions that Oliveira credits with keeping the community healthy are the variety of traditional teas made from the leaves of fruit trees, garlic or a herb called boldo.

“Everyone uses the herbs, even the kids,” she said. “If we hadn’t preserved the little bit of herbs we had, we would have died.”

In July, Maria Joaquina’s residents traditionally commemorate the formal recognition of their quilombo, but the pandemic has forced people to quarantine in their homes. A dance show and football tournament planned for this month were also cancelled.

To facilitate government aid, Brazil’s national statistics agency in April released its estimate of how many quilombos exist nationwide – almost 6,000 – as well as their locations.

The number of people living in them remains uncertain. The agency planned to count them for the first time in the 2020 census, but the pandemic forced its postponement until next year.

While the population of the quilombos remains untallied, the National Coordination of Articulation of Black Rural Quilombola Communities (CONAQ) is tracking the pandemic’s impact on them in conjunction with the Socio-environmental Institute, an environmental and Indigenous advocacy group. Their data shows 3,465 infections and 136 deaths.

More than 30 people in Maria Joaquina have been infected, Oliveira among them.

“We’ve been abandoned, forgotten, with no health assistance,” said Oliveira, 45, who is Rio’s representative to CONAQ.

At the nearby Rasa quilombo, community members have received not only private donations but also help from the government.

“A health team came, tested everyone; we had assistance,” said Reginalda Oliveira, who is Rejane’s cousin and lives in Rasa.

Reginalda, 41, said the health response was fine, but what truly affected her about the pandemic was the death of her mother of COVID-19.

“A part of me went with her,” she said.

Residents of the Maria Joaquina "Quilombo" wait for the distribution of donated food, kits of cleaning products and protective face masks, amid the new coronavirus pandemic, in Cabo Frio, in the outsk — Residents of the Maria Joaquina quilombo wait for the distribution of kits of donated food, cleaning products and protective face masks. Brazil's quilombos are settlements established by runaway slaves and still inhabited by their descendants. [Silvia Izquierdo/AP Photo]

A woman stands against a wall during the distribution of donated food, kits of cleaning products, and protective face masks amid the new coronavirus pandemic, at the Maria Joaquina "Quilombo" in Cabo — Often disconnected from urban life, even when within city limits, quilombos tend to be poorer than other neighbourhoods. [Silvia Izquierdo/AP Photo]

Children play as the adults collect donated food, cleaning supplies, and protective face masks amid the new coronavirus pandemic at the Maria Joaquina Quilombo in Cabo Frio on the outskirts of Rio de — The number of people who live in quilombos remains uncertain. Authorities planned to count them for the first time in the 2020 census, but the pandemic forced its delay until next year. [Silvia Izquierdo/AP Photo]

Fisherman Miguel Conceicao de Oliveira, 71, right, who recovered from COVID-19, talks with a friend at the Rasa “Quilombo” in Buzios, Brazil, Sunday, July 12, 2020. Miguel’s 78-year-old sister, Cariva — Fisherman Miguel Conceicao de Oliveira, right, 71, who recovered from COVID-19, talks with a friend at the Rasa quilombo in Buzios. Miguel's 78-year-old sister, Carivaldina Oliveira da Costa, also known as Aunt Uia, died from the disease. Both Miguel and Aunt Uia are the grandchildren of a former slave and who led runaway slaves. [Silvia Izquierdo/AP Photo]

Eduardo Oliveira Costa leaves the Sant''Anna cemetery, where his mother Carivaldina Oliveira da Costa, also known as Aunt Uia, who died from COVID-19 related complications, was buried, in Buzios, Brazi — Brazil was the last country in the Western Hemisphere to abolish slavery, in 1888. [Silvia Izquierdo/AP Photo]

Eva Maria de Jesus, affectionately known as "Avo Eva" or Grandmother Eva, 110, looks from her home''s window in the Rasa "Quilombo," comprised of people descended from runaway slaves, in Buzios, Brazil — Eva Maria de Jesus, affectionately known as Avo Eva (Grandmother Eva), 110, looks from her home's window in the Rasa quilombo. Despite being alert and active and still able to remember the songs and dances she learned from her parents who were once slaves, she still has not been told about her 78-year-old daughter Carivaldina Oliveira da Costa's death from COVID-19. [Silvia Izquierdo/AP Photo]

A boy leans on an empty kiosk as donated food, kits of cleaning products and protective face masks are distributed amid the new coronavirus pandemic, at the Maria Joaquina "Quilombo" in Cabo Frio, on — A boy leans on an empty kiosk at Maria Joaquina quilombo in Cabo Frio, on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. More than 100 families in the community are trying to weather the coronavirus outbreak. [Silvia Izquierdo/AP Photo]

Sara Pompeu da Silva, left, and Ludmika Pompeu pose for a photo amid the new coronavirus pandemic at the Maria Joaquina "Quilombo" in Cabo Frio, on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Jul — Sara Pompeu da Silva, left, and Ludmika Pompeu live in Maria Joaquina quilomb. While the population of Brazil's quilombos remains untallied, CONAQ is tracking the pandemic's impact on them in conjunction with the Socio-environmental Institute. Their data show 3,465 infections and 136 deaths. [Silvia Izquierdo/AP Photo]