Os Coboclos

180 x 120cm, acrylic on canvas, collection of the artist.

This scene portrays a hugely important memory of my time living in Brazil. My partner had a little indigenous blood and had reached a point in his life where he highly identified with this, after a priveledged upbringing, son of a politician, a decadent youth, he was at this point trying to get land rights for some of the “caboclos” (half-caste) that he knew from the area where we lived (Arrial D’Ajuda).

These three were the children of an indian fisherman who had lived and fished for 15 years by the mouth of a river about 3 days horse ride from our town. We camped with him around the time of his 42nd birthday. All of the surrounding farmers of the region turned up with cachaca (rough rum), musical instruments and rice and vegetables, to celebrate with him. This was the only time I tasted true Feijoada (the national dish of Brasil) from a very original recipe, cooked in a cauldron all day over a fire, including the trotters, ears, offal as well as other pork cuts and black carioca beans. (I still cook this about 3 times a year, but in my crockpot instead, not trotters or offal !!)

I was laying in a hammock underneath these kids up in the tree, none of whom had schooling, toys, computers etc. I had an out-of-body experience watching the happiest humans that I have ever met, who owned nothing (except their freedom and joy in life).  I have often been asked if this is  ofa painting aboriginal children. Actually when first drawing people it was the indigenous my own country that mostly appealed to me as an artist, due to this pureness of spirit that they glow with.

The farmers would row down the river each week to collect their fish and lobsters, so one mod-con existed in the indian’s bark hut,  a gas operated fridge. They received vegetables, herbs, rice, cachaca and gas as payment, as cash was of no use to them.

Ths is, to me, my most important painting ever.

Collection of the artist