FAVELA OR COMMUNITY????

Favela is the birth of Samba, favela has a lot of cool people who strive hard for life, favelas (or most of them has the best views in town, favelas are the kids playing and running with their bare feet...Favela has also a romantic side and this new safety area that Rio is taking the chances so well allows more and more visits to a different word.

Favela is the term given to poor communities in some hills of Rio de Janeiro, some of them associate "favela" with "drug dealing" so some part of our society like calling it as COMUNIDADE. In fact, Favelas still have problems...no basic structure in some of them, crime is still a problem is some favelas which are not "pacified" by the police, in some favelas there is not social projects going on.

Poverty ww will find, but we will find lots of happiness and people readty to give you a huge smile!

I prefer using Favela because it gives a lot of identity...favela is also beauty when we see so many girls dancing the Samba in the Quadras, a space they have to perform and rehearsal the big day on the Samba Parade. I prefer using the term Favela when I see the kids playing kites on the roof. The music flows every where in the Favelas, like in some corners in Rocinha which I trully believe that samba explodes there...UNIDOS DA ROCINHA is there with great parties every weekend.

Much more than that, Art in the Favelas are fascinating...I am very into popular art and streets artists are simply perfect...We can find street art in so many markets in town like the Hippe Fair in Ipanema, the markets in Copacabana and once in a while in some cultural events in Santa Tereza, the super bohemian neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro.

Favela or Community...doesn't matter...it is my Rio, part of my roots and part of my soul...I was not born in a Favela but I lived all my life with these places all around, and I have made wonderful friends and once in a while I visit some with my guests or I simply go there to have a good time with my friends...Food are delicious from the PRATO FEITO to the TITIAS.

I definitevely love Dona Marta, Rocinha and Chapeu da Mangueira...

Maybe if you want to experience the real touch of Brazil, I think that visiting a Favela is a very cool thing to do!!!

Rafael Torres Lopes

Tour Guide and Travel Guide