Catuçaba

The village of Catuçaba, 180 kilometres from São Paolo with a population of 800, sets the scene for its inhabitants’ actions and memories. Here, life moves slowly, far from the frenzy of the big cities, and people have performed immutable movements for generations. The simplicity of their existence is interrupted by religious festivals, full of song, music and dance. Ancient and rustic conviviality prevails. In their memory, each event quickly becomes a legend. Immersed in time that stands still and marked by seductively subtle images, Catuçaba is a baroque fairy tale inhabited by ordinary people, reminiscent of the magical realism novels of Gabriel García Márquez or Jorge Amado. “During the time we were there, we got the feeling that their stories do not in fact need to be told. This need arises when they become past, historical, cultural heritage. But in Catuçaba, the tales are experienced; perhaps this is the main difference. The small rural village seems to extend its legends and allegories to its daily life and brings mythology to each of its small gestures.” (BJ) Luciano Barisone