In the times of the Independence of Brazil: where are the women?
This exhibition seeks to recognize the participation of women in the revolutionary cycle for the Independence of Brazil.
What names come to mind when we think of the Independence of Brazil? Dom João VI, Dom Pedro I, José Bonifácio... Perhaps we are thinking of Leopoldina. But could only this woman have been involved in the process that culminated in Independence?
Bárbara de Alencar, Maria Quitéria, Joanna Angélica and Maria Felipa. These are some of the names known today of women who had an active participation at the time of the revolutionary cycle for the Independence of Brazil.
When walking through the numismatic collection of the Museu de Valores, we noticed the existence of several female figures in medals that celebrate the centenary of Independence.
Medalha do II Congresso Ferroviário Sulamericano em comemoração ao Centenário da Independência Anverso: Alegoria representando áreas produtivas e econômicas: Agricultura, Pecuária, Comércio e Indústria (Mulher em assento de veículo com roda dentada, tendo à mão direita um nível, à mão esquerda, uma luneta, aos pés, uma bobina. À direita, vêem-se homens carregando objetos e uma junta de bois. À esquerda, mulheres conduzindo espécie de cestas, sendo que a da frente porta um facho. Ao fundo, recinto que lembra um parque). Acompanhando a borda superior, a inscrição: CLUB DE ENGENHARIA. Na borda inferior: RIO DE JANEIRO. Assinatura do gravador: A. G. GIRARDET.Museu de Valores do Banco Central do Brasil
How are women represented in these scenes? Are they real characters? Did these women participate in the struggle for Brazilian independence? Did any woman play an active role in this process?
A prominent name is that of Princess Leopoldina. For her role in the process of independence in Brazil, she is known as the “matriarch of Independence”.
Other women, however, played an active role in the so-called “Revolutionary Cycle of the Independence of Brazil”, which lasted from 1817 to 1824.
In 1817, the Pernambuco Revolution takes place, also known as Revolta dos Padres, because many Catholic priests were involved in it. The movement, which began in Pernambuco, spread to other provinces, reaching Crato, Ceará, where the participation of a woman, Bárbara de Alencar, was remarkable, and the Republic was proclaimed for the second time.
How did she get involved in this revolution?
Bárbara de Alencar (1/2). (2010)Museu de Valores do Banco Central do Brasil
Historian Heloísa Starling comments on the participation of women in political events at that time and the participation of Bárbara, specifically:
A participação das mulheres nas lutas pela independência e construção da nação. (2022)Museu de Valores do Banco Central do Brasil
Independence, as we know today, was not limited to the act of Dom Pedro on the banks of the Ipiranga. Independence came at the cost of numerous battles, many of which were concentrated in Bahia. Heloísa Starling explains the importance of Bahia at that time:
A participação das mulheres nas lutas pela independência e construção da nação. (2022)Museu de Valores do Banco Central do Brasil
And it was in Bahia that three women played crucial roles in this struggle against the colonizers. They are Maria Felipa, Joanna Angélica and Maria Quitéria.
Maria Felipa
Maria Felipa de Oliveira was a black community leader who lived on Itaparica Island, Bahia. She took an active role in the battles, having engaged other island women to fight the Portuguese.
Joanna Angélica
The nun Joanna Angélica, in turn, was responsible for the Convento da Lapa, in Salvador. She faced Portuguese soldiers who wanted to invade the female religious cloister in search of ammunition and because they believed that enemies would be hiding there.
Maria Quitéria
Maria Quitéria, on the other hand, disguised herself as a man to integrate the Brazilian troops against the Portuguese in these battles.
On Maria Quitéria, historian Paulo Rezzutti comments: “Even after having her true identity revealed by her father, her commander did not let her go, among other things because she shot much better than many other recruits”.
The confederation of Ecuador closes the revolutionary cycle of Brazilian Independence.
Medalha em homenagem ao Centenário da Confederação do Equador Anverso: Escudo: disco central, em cujo campo estriado e seccionado se vê pequena cruz latina e treze estrelinhas, dispostas, nove em semi-círculo e quatro, duas de cada lado da haste maior da cruz; sobre moldura circular, encontra-se a legenda: LIBERDADE - INDEPENDÊNCIA - UNIÃO - RELIGIÃO; as unidades da frase separadas por feixes de varas enlaçadas simbólicas (insígnia de autoridade); o conjunto repousa sobre um quadrado granulado. Em torno repontam dois ramos (trigo e carvalho) formando grinalda; acima, figura de mão humana, com o dedo indicador ereto, circundada por seis estrelinhas, acima da qual, horizontalmente, se encontra uma faixa com a inscrição CONFEDERAÇÃO. Moldura simples, acompanhada de friso delgado.Museu de Valores do Banco Central do Brasil
Commemorative Medal of the Centenary of the Confederation of Ecuador
In it, Bárbara de Alencar was again involved. Released in 1821, she gets involved in politics again and takes part in the revolt.
Bárbara de Alencar (2/2). (2010)Museu de Valores do Banco Central do Brasil
How many know Bárbara de Alencar, Maria Quitéria, Joanna Angélica and Maria Felipa, to name some of the names known today of participants at the time of the revolutionary cycle for the Independence of Brazil?
There is practically no representation of these real women in the numismatic pieces produced in Brazil. Talking about women is often talking about absence, oblivion, erasure, marginalization. And to talk about women in the days of independence was like that, until recently.
Fortunately, today we know a little more about the women who participated in the struggle at that time. May historians remain on this path of construction of these important narratives.
Referências Bibliográficas
Bárbara de Alencar: uma mulher na Revolução de 1817. Disponível em link.
Conheça a história de mulheres que atuaram na Independência da Bahia. Disponível em link.
História redescobre o papel de mulheres na independência do Brasil. Disponível em link.
O Papel das Mulheres na Independência. Disponível em link.
Créditos
Concepção e montagem da exposição, pesquisa e seleção de conteúdos: Elaine Kimura, Edgar Yang e Carmela Fonseca
Realização: Banco Central do Brasil | Departamento de Promoção da Cidadania Financeira - Depef | Divisão do Museu de Valores
