Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE TRAGIC HISTORY OF CANUDOS
Today just a typical small town in the
sertão
, 400km north of Salvador, Canudos provided the
backdrop for one of the most remarkable and tragic events in Brazilian history. Canudos was
founded in 1893 by messianic religious leader
Antônio Conselheiro
, an itinerant preacher
who gathered thousands of followers (including landless farmers, former slaves and indigenous
people) disenchanted with the central Brazilian government in Rio. Within a few years this
autonomous community numbered 30,000 people.
Dubbed “rebels” by the central government, attempts were made to bring Canudos to heel
in 1896 and 1897, but the first three expeditions were resoundingly defeated; in the worst
shock the young republic had suffered to that point, the third force, led by Paraguayan war
hero
Colonel Moreira César
, was completely annihilated. A fourth expedition was sent late
in 1897, just after Conselheiro had died of fever; this time Canudos fell, almost all of its
defenders massacred and raped, and the 150 survivors sent to prisons or brothels.
The brutality of the final assault was not fully appreciated at the time, though the events
were immortalized by
Euclides da Cunha
in
Os Sertões
(1902), translated into English as
“Rebellion in the Backlands”. Cunha didn't see the fighting himself, only the aftermath, and
essentially regarded the Brazilian interior (and Canudos) as highly primitive. Conselheiro's town
remained a wasteland for many years, and the old church ruins were drowned in the 1970s by
dam construction. Velho Canudos - “new” Canudos - now lies a few kilometres down the road.
On what remains of the old site lies a statue of Antônio Conselheiro and the tiny, single-room
Museu Histórico de Canudos
(ask one of the locals to open it; R$5) containing trinkets
salvaged from the site (pistols, buttons, needles and the like). When the reservoir is low, you
can still spy some of the ruins poking out of the water.
3
with just a few small rooms, all with their own
bathroom. Free wi-fi in public areas and breakfast is
included. It's a
little ha
rd to find in the backstreets at the
heart of town.
R$110
EATING
A Picanha na Praça
Praça Otaviano Alves 153
T
75 3334
1080.
Serves mostly meat (great steaks, roast chicken and
grilled fish), has fast service and an open patio with a handful
of cosy tables. Mains from R$32.
Daily 11.30am-11pm.
Cozinha Aberta
Av Rui Barbosa 42
T
75 3334 1321,
W
cozinhaaberta.com.br.
This “slow food” specialist is the
most popular restaurant in town, with an eclectic menu
including everything from seafood and goulash to Thai
food and cardamom ice cream (most mains R$30-40).
Daily 12.30-11pm.
Lampião
Rua da Baderna 51
T
75 3334 1157.
Pricey
but high-quality food typical of the Brazilian northeast, in
a great location with rustic decor and outdoor seating
(mains from R$40).
Daily noon-11pm.
Parque Nacional da Chapada Diamantina
he
PARQUE NACIONAL DA CHAPADA DIAMANTINA
was established in 1985 after much
local campaigning and covers over 1500 square kilometres in the mountainous regions
to the south and west of Lençóis. Its dramatic, untrammelled landscapes incorporate
swampy valleys, barren peaks and scrubby forest, punctuated by dazzling waterfalls,
rivers, streams and over fifty species of orchid. The park is one of Brazil's major
trekking
destinations, but also offers plenty of opportunities for canoeing and
climbing. Entrance to the park is free, though admission is charged at some of the
attractions (usually R$20-25).
Agencies in Lençóis offer all manner of
tours
and
day-trips
into the park - much the
safest way to approach it - though it is possible to explore independently or with a
private guide. Many visitors undertake a three- or seven-day organized trek (guide
essential; seven days from R$1350), staying in local houses along the way with meals
included. It's advisable to come here in the cooler months between April and October -
though conversely the region's waterfalls are at their most spectacular in rainy (and
high) season, from December to March.
