NORTHEAST BRAZIL - Brazil - page 207

Streets and historic buildings by the Penedo waterfront

Penedo 3
Alagoas. * 60,000. @ from
Maceió. n Teatro 7 de Setembro,
Centro Historico, [phone].
_ Bom Jesus dos Navegantes (2nd
Sun in Jan).

Environs
The Rio São Francisco Delta
is easily accessed from the
town of Piaçabuçu, 9 miles
(15 km) east of Penedo.
The delta, situated on the
Sergipe side of the river, is
rich in lagoons and mangrove
forests, and is home to turtles
and migrating seabirds. The
riverbank in Alagoas features
low rolling sand dunes.

long served as the main
transport and irrigation lifeline,
for the people in the small
towns of the arid northeastern
interior to the bigger cities
along the coast. Considered
a symbol of national untiy,
Brazilians revere the São
Francisco, and it is the subject
of many myths and fables.
Nicknamed Velho Chico
(Old Chico), the 1,963-mile
(3,160-km) river meanders
through five states.
Originating in the Serra da
Canastra mountains in Minas
Gerais, it flows north through
Bahia, crosses briefly into
Pernambuco before con-
tinuing east, toward the
Atlantic, marking the border
between Sergipe and Alagoas
in its final run to the sea.

The oldest settlement in
Alagoas, Penedo was founded
in 1565 by Duarte Coelho
Pereira on a strategic bluff
overlooking the Rio São
Francisco, about 19 miles
(30 km) upstream of the
delta. Invading Dutch forces
conquered the town in 1637,
and after eight years, the
Portuguese managed to regain
control. Today, Penedo's
historic center has been
designated a National Historic
Monument. Particularly
noteworthy is the complex
housing the Convento de São
Francisco and Igreja de Santa
Maria dos Anjos , built over a
period of 100 years.
The Igreja Nossa Senhora
da Corrente (Church of Our
Lady of Chains), built in 1765
by the Lemos de Gonzaga
family, was used as a refuge
for runaway slaves, who the
family often provided with
forged certificates of freedom.
It has a fine Rococo-style
main altar.
R Convento de São
Francisco & Igreja de
Santa Maria dos Anjos
Rua 7 de Setembro 218.
# 8am-5pm Mon-Fri, 8-11am Sat.
R Igreja Nossa
Senhora da Corrente
Praça 12 de Abril. # 8am-5pm
Mon-Sun. 8

Rio São
Francisco 4
Sergipe, Alagoas, Pernambuco &
Minas Gerais.

The largest and most
important river in the region,
the Rio São Francisco has

LAMPIÃO & MARIA BONITA
In the 1920s and 30s, bandit leader
Lampião and his wife Maria Bonita
led a band of 40 outlaws, nick-
named cangaceiros ( cangaço
means badlands), on a 15-year
spree of robberies, hold-ups, rapes,
and shoot-outs across the Northeast.
As their raids continued, Lampião
and Maria Bonita became notorious
figures throughout Brazil. The duo
even introduced their own style of
clothing, with the round leather
cangaceiro hat, the front brim
turned upward and decorated with
stars or coins. The police and militia
searched for them endlessly, but
were unable to capture them.
Finally, in 1938, Lampião, Maria
Bonita, and nine cangaceiros were ambushed and killed
by the police in Sergipe. Their story has inspired numerous
songs, plays, and different versions on film and TV.

Lampião and Maria
Bonita clay statues