Acotirene Aqualtune Lucrecia Dandara

In the Palmares quilombo, Acotirene and Aqualtune were female leaders. Acotirene’s Mocambo was located about twenty leagues from the village of Porto Calvo. Thirty leagues from Porto Calvo Aqualtune’s Fence was to be found: that was the “name of the king’s mother,” who lived “in a fortified mocambo.” Besides fightinging side by side with men, a number of women carried out logistical tasks, transporting food, gunpowder and armaments, in addition to caring for the wounded and carrying them to safe places. If history has long omitted the names of these women, it cannot fail to recognize their actions and roles within Palmares’ communities.