Brazilian former slave community fights for land
January 2014 Last updated at 21:29 ET
Brazilian former slave community fights for land
By Julia Carneiro
BBC Brasil, Rio dos Macacos
In the small community of Rio dos Macacos, in the north-eastern Brazilian state of Bahia, a tall, leafy jack tree stands as a living reminder of history.
Residents say it grew around a pole where slaves used to be tied and beaten. A rusty chain still hangs from its thick trunk, a chilling witness to the past.
"According to our elders, this is where our ancestors were chained and whipped. It's where our old men suffered," says Rosimeire dos Santos Silva, one of the community's leaders.
Rio dos Macacos, home to 67 families, is one of Brazil's quilombos - communities started by former slaves before forced labour was prohibited in Brazil in 1888.
More:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-25622027
