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13th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest People
Gabryella in her river

Souls Valley is a quilombo, a place where fugitive slaves hid in the time of slavery in Brazil. Their descendants live there to this day and know little progress and the place has no electric power . . Everyone own the whole place . The TV has not yet come and culture is transmitted orally and in the little school.The place is about 340 Km away from Brasilia in Cavalcante town. City's access to the valley is done on rocky roads, by mule or in off-road vehicles .“Kalungas(as they are called this ancient community) practice subsistence agriculture with ancestral techniques and the houses are built of adobe (mud) bricks. They are wise and complete in his refuge, habitat. Lose their innocence in the outer world. The visitor's impression is that time has stopped there and that the prevailing peace is the fruit of solidarity among people. Souls Valley is home to this community and the River of Souls is the place of amusement, relief from the heat.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 06.2015
Date Uploaded: 06.2015
Photo Location: Cavalcante , Brazil
Camera: NIKON D3
Copyright: © Sergio Amaral