|
Diamantina’s business used to be diamond mining, well that was during the 18th century! The name of the city still reflects its prosperous past. Mining riches are now memories; Hidden in the heart of the vast state of Minas Gerais (MG), this small colonial town has remained largely untouched by the hustle and bustle of the 20th and 21st centuries.
Nowadays, Diamantina’s claim to fame is its celebrated vesperatas music fests. We traveled 727 kms from Rio de Janeiro to see for ourselves and be part of this unique musical experience. The word vesperatas comes from vespers, or Christian evening prayers. During the winter season, vesperatas have become an entertaining and a profitable weekend business. It attracts plenty of the curious as well as aficionados mostly from the state of Minas Gerais. Outside the state, it is still a well kept secret; vesperatas are not yet a Brazilian household name. We wanted to discover them before bus loads of tourists descend on the town.
The vesperatas are born out of the rich musical tradition of the 18th century when more than 1000 musicians were known to entertain the rich bourgeoisie of the booming mining towns of Minas Gerais. The vesperatas as we know them are serenades with a twist. The musicians play from the balconies and windows of the colonial houses of the Quitanda Street. The maestro stands below surrounded by the town folks and the tourists who are sitting at tables in the centre of the square. The square becomes an open air cabaret.
There are several music bands, but two are noteworthy. The most professional is that of the military police. Being of military tradition it is very disciplined and heavy on brass and percussion. Outstanding is the children’s orchestra which is remarkable in many ways. The children are predominantly chosen from under privileged families and music provides a social elevator/launch pad?. The repertory of both bands is eclectic at best! It ranges from bossa nova, bolero, mambo to easy classics like Ravel Bolero. We were even treated to a rousing version of the 1812 Overture, cannon fires included. It surely roused Tchaikovsky from his grave, and probably Napoleon as well!
We were part of a large group of 400 tourists who poured on the town during an extended week-end to enjoy a special vesperatas programme. This number cannot yet qualify as mass tourism. This is probably one of the biggest tourist swell that the small city has ever experienced, and it managed the surge with great ease.
In 1999 following Ouro Preto and Congonhas, Diamantina was awarded the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage designation. But thanks to its distant location, Diamantina is not yet overrun by hordes of tourists. It can be visited anytime, but during the vesperatas it is like putting the cherry on the cake, the town is such a colonial gem. Formerly named Arraial do Tijuco, the town was founded in the early 18th century, only a couple of years after Ouro Preto. Exactly when diamonds were discovered in the region is still a mystery. The discovery led to a mining boom and the town’s prosperity. Diamond mining went on for some 100 years. It is reported that some 1,666,569 carats were extracted until its decline due to the major South African discoveries.
The architecture of the churches of Diamantina reflects its younger age. They are decorated in the elegant rococo style whereas the churches of the older colonial towns of MG display over-the-top gilded baroque ornaments. Diamantina’s center is graced by some very attractive colonial mansions, and has not been damaged by recent constructions apart from the ugly neo-colonial style cathedral.
Actually it is quite extraordinary that Diamantina‘s colonial architecture survived nearly unscathed into the 21st century knowing that Diamantina’s favorite son was none other that the builder of Brasilia the modernist capital of Brazil. In the late 50s President Juscelino Kubitschek let his architect buddy and partner in grand urban schemes Oscar Niemeyer to build two incongruous modernist buildings in the center of Diamantina. Unfortunately, their grand schemes in Brasilia plunged Brazil into considerable debt with runaway inflation.
Minas Gerais politicians are commonly revered and many have received saintlike devotion. In Diamantina, for his part Juscelino has attained godlike status and popular veneration bordering on idolatry. His elegant bronze statue graces one the squares of the town. Poetry and songs have been written to praise Juscelino’s achievements. With the passing of time, devotion to Juscelino will certainly increase and Diamantina may soon become a shrine to his cult.
Diamantina’s other local talent is no less controversial. Her name was Francisca (known as Xica) da Silva. Her story is the stuff of novels, soap operas and films. She was a mulatto slave born around 1720 who thanks to her wits and sex appeal attracted the attention of the richest and most powerful man in town, the Portuguese diamond boss João Fernandes de Oliveira. He dismissed the strong social opprobrium of the time to free Chica and marry her. It was obviously a very happy and productive marriage as she bore him no less than thirteen children! During all her life she was vilified by the colonial society and portrayed as a gold digger, a domineering spoilt brat prone to tantrums. Some folks even believed she was an African witch who kept the hapless João under her spell.
In the politically correct 21st century, her life story is finally being rewritten. The “Chica-the-boss” personality is being seen in a more positive light. What used to be regarded as a bitchy attitude is now painted as an assertive one. She has become “the” social prejudice survivor and a poster girl for racial and social integration. In spite of thirteen pregnancies she retained the love and devotion of her man and doted on her brood, not a small feat for any black woman in this period. Bravo Chica for your grit.
Diamantina’s forced isolation was eased from the mid 19th century onwards and European explorers lost no time to flock to the town. The Pousada do Garimpo of the time was without any doubt the elegant “Casa da Gloria”. One of its most famous guests and a great hero of mine was Richard Burton the British explorer of East Africa prowess. The jaded traveler was not particularly appreciative of things colonial but he fell under the spell of Diamantina, and in 1867 eloquently bid farewell to the city with these words: “I left with great sorrow such a nice place, the light of my visit to Brazil”. We felt the same.
Travel Tips:
The “Vespertas Especiais” tour was organized by Saint Germain tour operator: www.saintgturismo.com.br. We stayed at the Pousada do Garimpo which has basic rooms but and excellent restaurant and an outstanding cachaça, www.pousadadogarimpo.com.br.
The more central and smaller Pousada Relíquias do Tempo is also worthwhile but has no restaurant. www.pousadareliquiasdotempo.com.br.
Total Airlines flies to/from Diamantina from Belo Horizonte. www.total.com.br.
Beatrice Labonne, April 28, 2008.
|
URL site map
