In the Serra do Mar, between Ubatuba and Taubaté lies the town of Redenção
da Serra.
Going to Redenção coming from Taubaté the first thing you see is a
derelict church with a wall around it and some houses on the edge of a muddy
end of a lake. This is the old church. Redenção used to be a nice little place
in a valley.
It was the first town in the state of São Paulo to free its slaves; on the 10th
of February 1888, even before the “Lei Aurea” came into power on May 13 1888. Also
because of this fact in the first half of the last century the name of the town
was changed from Santa Cruz de Paiolinho to Redenção da Serra. Driving into
town right across the bridge there is a large statue to commemorate the
abolition. The statue was made by José Demetrio, a well known local sculptor in
the Paraiba valley.
In the 70-ties the demand for electrical energy was growing.
The solution to the problem was to build a dam in the Paraibuna river. Then
the dam came…. And the old town of Redenção
was flooded. The church on the high ground still stands but is slowly falling
apart. Now it is protected by a wall against the water. When we were there the
water level was low. But the water can rise until almost the top of the wall.
For the inhabitants there was no option to stay. They either
could go away and start a life in another city or they could move to a new town
on the hill a kilometer to the east.
The new town is build on a steep hill. In the middle is a square with a bandstand. Every Saturday morning you can listen there to typical music from the countryside.
But there are also other cultural happenings. When
we were there The “Prismáticos”, a street circus group from Argentina , were performing for the
children of Redenção.
A bit to the side of the town lies a chapel with great views
to the lake. The chapel is not used, but it has beautiful bright colored murals
painted in the eighties by Mestre Justino (born in Redenção).
It is a pity that
the chapel lies derelict. The paintings have been restored and deserve to have
more admirers. The perfect place to enjoy the view on the end of the day…..
Thank you for your tribute to my father, justino master who painted the mural in the chapel, is always welcome to my nation and my town: the redemption of the mountain
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