Slavery, Resistance, and the Campinho Quilombo
Paraty’s colonial and imperial economy depended on the labor of enslaved people. The Campinho Quilombo preserves a living history of resistance, land, and cultural continuity.
- 17th–19th centuries
- Enslaved labor and resistance
What happened
Enslaved Africans and their descendants worked in farming, mills and distilleries, transportation, domestic service, and construction. After Abolition, Black communities continued to struggle for land and autonomy. Campinho da Independência took shape in the late nineteenth century through the descendants of three women—Antonica, Marcelina, and Maria Luiza. On March 21, 1999, it became the first quilombola community in Rio de Janeiro state to receive collective title to its land.
Why it matters
According to ICMBio, the titled territory covers about 288 hectares; the Rede Nhandereko reports that it is home to approximately 170 families. Agroecology, crafts, traditional cuisine, jongo, and community-based tourism keep its heritage active. The quilombo is a contemporary community, not simply a remnant of the past.
Related places
- Campinho da Independência Quilombo
- Church of Our Lady of the Rosary and Saint Benedict
- Historic mills and distilleries
Sources
- ICMBio — Quilombola Culture
- ICMBio — Campinho Quilombo
- IPHAN — Paraty and Ilha Grande, World Heritage
- Rede Nhandereko — Campinho Quilombo Itinerary
Monthly update
September 10, 2026.
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