Arquivo / 49ª mostra

A mulepack rider and former slave, living in the region of Sorocaba (SP), João de Camargo is much taken with a world in transformation at the end of the nineteenth century - a world in the process of becoming urban, despite conflicting co-existence with rural culture. Immersed in the contradictions of these uncertain times, dealing with exploited labor and social prejudice against blacks such as he, João goes through a period of despair and hallucination. He is saved when he, once more, finds faith that is the result of synchretism between his African roots and Jewish-Christian roots. Now João believes he can see God and his mission on earth, namely, to cure people. At his death in 1942, he had become a legend and his image is found, even today, in shops for religious articles in Brazil. A story inspired by a biography of a true character.