Brazilian, Black in Brazil

Introduction / History

Quilombola (Black) are, in general, communities that came from those who resisted the brutality of the slave regime and rebelled against those who believed they were their property.

Group of blacks in Brazil, is given by several ethnolinguistic groups, quilombola (Black) communities each group with its peculiarities are a mixture of culture, the correct would be to identify each one by territory. Black people are located throughout Brazil, mainly in the northwest, southeast and Midwest regions where the main communities in Brazil are located.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Subsistence agriculture, cassava flour production, handicrafts and extractivism are the economic bases in Black communities. Strong community ties, with the use of songs, dances, religious festivals and ancestral knowledge, often integrated with the environment.

Although the overwhelming majority are in rural areas, there are also Blacks in urban and peri-urban areas. In some regions of the country, Black communities, even those already certified, are known and self-defined in other ways.

What Are Their Beliefs?

They are mostly syncretists who mix their central culture of African-based religion with their current religion with worship of their African ancestry and nature. Many are Catholic who mix animistic elements with Christianity.

What Are Their Needs?

Land is the pillar of culture, sustainability and identity, guaranteed by the 1988 Constitution, but with slow regularization processes and 98% of territories are under threat.

They face legal uncertainty about land, racism, scarcity of infrastructure (health/education) and conflicts with agribusiness.

Prayer Points

Pray that they will turn to God for all their needs, according to his riches and glories.
Pray that soon Black Christians will be used by God to take Christ to those without a gospel witness.
Pray for efforts to disciple those who want to know and follow Jesus Christ.

Text Source:   Joshua Project