Advertisement
Published: January 15th 2009
Edit Blog Post
"Black Gold": this is what Ouro Preto stands for. Not petrol, though. The name derives from the first time gold was discovered in 1694 in the area by a slave of a group of explorers: it was covered with oxidated carbon (oxido do carbono in Portuguese, so not sure exactly whether my translation is correct) and thus looked black.
Today, you're in for a bit of history.
Ouro Preto, situated in the State of Minas Gerais, is a city of great historical importance to Brazil. Since gold was discovered there, it became centre of great political, economic, and artistic influence. It also fuelled the Portuguese expansion, as the king imposed a 20% tax on all gold revenue and established extremely strict controls on its exploitation. All deposits were to be declared to the authorities, and all gold was to be registered, melted into bars, and stamped with the royal seal. Failure to do so could lead to prison, exile to African colonies or even death.
Ouro Preto expanded enormously during the 18th century, known in Brazil as the "Siclo de Ouro" (the Golden Century). Churches were built galore and decorated with lavish golden baroque/rococo sculptures. The most famous
sculptor of the period, O Aleijadinho (the little cripple), was the son of a Portuguese arquitect and a black slave. A self-taught sculptor, he suffered from a degenerative disease which made him lose control of his hands and legs, which meant he eventually worked by having his tools tied to his hands. He decorated many churches in and around Ouro Preto with a novel mix of baroque and rococo, and is still today one of Brazil's most celebrated artists.
As the gold deposits drew to an end in the late 18th century, the pressure imposed by the Portuguese taxes became more and more difficult to bear. In the meantime, the diminishing quantities of gold shipped to Portugal let authorities to suspect the locals of trafficking, so they increased regulations, to the great frustration of miners. In 1720, an uprising led by Felipe dos Santos to demand lower taxes was first met with conciliation, and when calm returned to the city, with repression. The Governor sent 1,500 troops into the city, arrested Dos Santos, had his body pulled apart by horses in the main square and left on display for several days.
The increasing economic hardships faced by Brazilians,
which was often blamed on the Portuguese domination, coupled with the spread of liberal ideas from the USA and France led to the first real Brazilian independence movement in Ouro Preto. The Inconfidência Mineira (which I suppose must translate as something like the Mining Distrust) occurred in 1789 and involved mainly writers, rich mine owners and other members of the liberal upper middle classes. The leader was a man nicknamed "Tiradentes", which translates as something like "teeth-extractor" (doubtlessly some great talent of his). Again, this attempt was violently repressed, Tiradentes was given a Dos Santos treatment, and his head was put on display on the main square. Whilst it was not successful, this movement became one of the founding myths of the Brazilian Republic, the Inconfidentes now commonly considered the founding fathers of the country. Tiradentes is now a national hero, and whilst there are no accurate visual descriptions of the man, he is often represented as a sort Jesus-like figure that enhances his image as a martyr. Ouro Preto is thus famous both for its central role during the economic expansion of the 18th century and for being a major political landmark.
In 1931, the mayor declared it
Tiradentes
Or Christ himself? A common representation of Tiradentes illegal to build anything but houses that respected the colonial style that predominated during the Siclo de Ouro. In 1981, Ouro Preto was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Today, the town, with its steep cobbled streets lined up with picturesque façades, has a very easy-going, relaxed feel to it, and attracts many tourists both from Brazil and abroad. Most of the churches, decorated by the likes of Tiradentes, can be visited, but pictures are strictly forbidden, which is why I don't have any of inside churches. Mining, however, still remains the main source of income to the town: whilst no gold remains, precious stones are still extracted from the surrounding mountains and are sold in local jewelleries.
On a more personal note, I am pleased to say that my ankle has almost entirely recovered. My stay in Ouro Preto was extremely enjoyable. The hostel was very nice (and cheap). A carioca (inhabitant of Rio de Janeiro) arquitect, Luis, spent a lot of time teaching me Portuguese, and I think I'm slowly getting the hang of it. Yesterday, a couple of Costa Ricans, and today, a couple of Brazilians, asked me how long I had been studying Portuguese before
I came, and didn't believe that I had only started learning last Thursday. So far so good.
Tomorrow I leave for Salvador on a 22 hour bus ride. Should be fun.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.124s; Tpl: 0.012s; cc: 10; qc: 58; dbt: 0.0555s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb