Abstract

Brazil is a conundrum; even as its culture enjoys an ever higher profile in the West, an undeclared, vicious and often ignored drug war is being fought on the streets of its cities' favelas (shanty towns). Culture is Our Weapon: AfroReggae in the Favelas of Rio is a unique and remarkable book. It tells the story of this war through the eyes of both the protagonists and those it affects, revealing terrifying complexities of life on the frontline of one of the most damaging civil conflicts in Latin America. At centre stage of this ground breaking book is the extraordinary work of Grupo Cultural AfroReggae, a Rio-based NGO which seeks to divert favela residents from the path of poverty and violence, through music and an appreciation of black culture. AfroReggae are a force for real social change; they are also a model for what is possible when an oppressed community decides to resist the twin onslaugh of violence and poverty. This book is co-authored by a prize-winning fiction and non-fiction writer.