Erasures

The voices of the enslaved and the colonized remain largely silenced in institutional archives. They are erased. Such erasures have profound effects on their daily lives. Through their voices, memories, and sentiments, these descendants share their own perspective on their life experiences and their past.

The Valongo Wharf (Cais do Valongo) was an important disembarkment dock for enslaved Africans arriving in Rio de Janeiro in the early nineteenth century. Brazil was the site of importation of the majority of enslaved Africans to the New World. The archeological site was unearthed in 2011 during proprietary work for the 2016 Olympics. Today, it is officially listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.