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To begin with, my family of Portuguese origin has lived in a rural territory for many years. My great-grandfather was the first to venture into Brazilian lands and brought with him other relatives. Here he worked in agriculture, but soon he started working in other trades. He wrote part of his story in rhymed verses, thus leaving an account of his life to the future. He was illiterate and married an illiterate Portuguese woman. He learned to write on his own, and it is said that he did it using a match box.
When I came across the Viseu Rural 2.0 project, I was drawn to know unknown parts of my story. Immense roots that are lost in a geographic distance. I was listening to the interview of Maria Angelina Pontes when I learned about the Ementa das Almas ritual.
The Ementa das Almas is in itself a Portuguese tradition linked to the Catholic religion, which is based on songs to the dead. It is a periodic ritual that occurs from night to dawn and awakens the town, bringing to mind those who died. It is said that it was done in groups of four men, but later women also started to participate in it.
"Every thing has a touch," says Maria Angelina. I can imagine this ritual as a recollection, a sound that enters and leaves the homes, as well as landscapes seen from a train. Our ancestors are present despite not being here, thus revealing us parts of who we are. To sing for the dead is to remind us of the life we have. It is to evoke the memory of what we once were. It is to bring closer the awakening of a new life.
Sound artist, musician, improviser and composer from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She works with currently transitions between musical and artistic universes by developing performances, videos, field recordings, installations. She was an artist in residence at Lo Spazio Poschiavo (Switzerland) and Casa Comum (Brazil). She is part of a collective called Meteoro. Meteoro was interacting with Tunga’s installation called “Delivered in Voices” at Festival Novas Frequências, 2015.
Biography:
Bella has two solo albums “Cantar sobre os Ossos” and “Facies” released by Seminal Records label as digital format and tape and has tracks taking part of some compilations, like Hy Brazil vol.10 and Feminoise Latinoamerica. She has collaborated with many artists, like Maya Dikstein, André Anastacio, Isabel Nogueira. She also works as sound educator and her productions are in contact with other expressions like theater, film, visual arts, dance.
- Genre
- Electroacoustic Music