[The brazilwood’s yellow and red flowers; its brown trunk is cut open revealing a red interior.
Old photographs of coconut and palm trees on the front yard of my grandparents’ old summer home in Rio (no longer in our possession). ]
Brazil gets its name from the brazilwood (Paubrasilia echinata) , a flowering tree with a fiery red inner center. When cut open, the trunk appears to flow internally like a thick, dark stream of blood. If you squint, it can also look like a medium rare steak or a fresh scab. It’s a fresh wound in need of healing, or a tender resource ready to be consumed.
brasa is the Portuguese word for ember.
Before this land of fire was invaded by Portugal, it was originally named Pindorama. In the tupi-guarani language, this means Land of the Palm Trees.
There is a heavy irony to the name of this land today as it burns from my phone, overseas, and from space. The names we cary, whether by choice or force, hold a karmic energy.
Happy Latinx Heritage Month.
Time seems to be flattening out more and more. I’m taking my own time to think of how I feel, so here are some jumbled sensory notes on this burning feeling for now. This is a stew of memories and messages that have crossed my mind in the past week. There isn’t much here for clarity or defining today.
[Two Layers. Front: black and white still from “Night of the Living Dead” (1968) : white southern farm house ablaze, our Black protagonist at the front door. Back: New York Times, September 4th, 2020. Image of fires in the Pantanal : our world’s largest tropical wetlands.]
[Three Layers. Top: video still from a fan made music video of Cardi B and Meghan Thee Stallion’s “WAP” using The Sims 4. Middle : Image of Mount Wilson on a clear, dry day from its Wikipedia profile. Back: New York Times, September 10th, 2020. Image of Mount Wilson covered in smoke. ]
[Two Layers. Front left: color pencil drawing of a campfire, blue iMessage bubble of wisdom floats above it like the burning bush. It presents an affirmation : “a hoe never gets cold”. Front right : Youtube video for Google Arts and Culture with an image of a white Mary Magdalene leaning back in ecstasy. Video caption bellow her reads: “FKA twigs reflects on a 17th century feminine tribute to an iconic woman”. Back : Apple desktop background for “Yosemite 4”. ]
🔥 a slow burn :
Maybe you’ve also noticed, but live television has gotten pretty weird since March due to social distancing. Despite all the odd approaches to integrating Zoom and other lo-fi techniques into shows, I really appreciate how some musicians have stepped to the challenge of putting on really dynamic performances with limited resources. Chloe x Halle have been masters of minimalism when putting on beautiful live sets. Between this performance of “Do It” and this VMA performance a few weeks back, their team has been pretty smart at saying more with less through different uses of video technology and high fashion.
🔥 and a fast burn :
This baile funk mix on NTS Radio by Batekoo, an LGBTQI+ music and culture collective based in Salvador, Bahia.
Between 2019 and the beginning of this year, I flaked on a lot of social events, often relying on the reasoning that “there will always be another party to go to”. That argument no longer stands, so I now find myself missing the sweet messiness and energy of physical spaces I took for granted. Whether you miss nightlife or are fighting through a brain fog, this mix might help.
Now, if you actually enjoy virtual dance parties during quarantine (no judgement), here are two events happening this month:
Salud, Sex y Amor - presented by Papi Juice and Planned Parenthood.
Perreo 2 the People - is a multi-media experience w/ the the flavors, sights of La Isla and the sounds of old school reggaetón.
It’s a New Moon. Set some intentions and declutter. If you’re Latinx, I’d love to know what memories, art, and practices you’re either reflecting on or reckoning with this month.