Brazil 1971 part
1
by Jilliana
Ranicar-Breese
I was staying
in a respectable rooming house for young women in
Salvador de Bahia, the most beautiful colourful
city of one million people in 1971. Today in 2024
it has a population of almost four million people.
The lodging was on the Ladeira da Barra, a steep
hill.
I enrolled in a tapestry stitching class as it
was de rigueur in that period.
Genaro the tapestry artist, had studied in Paris
in the 50’s with Jean Lurcat and being
inspired, brought the art of tapestry back to
Salvador.
I was strolling slowly in the heat of the day
when I saw a Rolls Royce, a silver cloud no less,
driving slowly down the ladeira. Used to hitching
in Italy, I put my arm out for the Rolls to stop.
It did. Its owner was about forty and called
Gileno. It turned out he owned a garage and
repaired broken down cars but the Rolls was his
pride and joy in perfect working order.
After that meeting Gileno came for me every day.
He spoke no English so that was perfect for my
conversational Brazilian Portuguese.
Near to my birthday in December he generously
wanted to give me money to buy something I wanted
from the prison where the prisoners sold their
artistic wares. However I had to pay the doctor
his fee for a problem I had. When Gileno asked me
what I’d bought with his money and I told
him I had used it to pay the doctor, he was angry
and for the first time got out of the Rolls to
give me his gift. He was very small and I guess
that was why he needed a big car. His birthday
gift was generous so I was able to go to the
prison shop. I never saw Gileno again!
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