LA DAMA AZUL
by Iara Oliviera Rosa

This story comes from Brazil National Literature Prize winner Iara Oliviera Rosa. Iara lives north of Rio de Janeiro in a small colonial town on the Atlantic coast named Buzios. In a not so distant past, the town was surrounded by banana plantations and once harbored a clandestine port nearby which was known to bring slaves secretly into Brazil to avoid paying the high slave trade taxes demanded by the government at official ports, such as Rio de Janeiro.

Iara's grandfather was brought to Brazil as a slave from Africa. He worked in the plantations around Buzios and apparently died at the age of 114. A woman of incredible knowledge and energy, Iara is a very rich source of Brazilian folklore. Dramatizing the pains and glories of the colorful lives of the locals of Buzios, her descriptions resemble those in Steinbeck's "Cannery Row."

The story has been translated from its original Portuguese to Spanish and English. The paintings on this page were done by the "Dama Azul" in Iara's short story. They were originally clay tiles on colonial roofs, which had been shaped over the thighs of Brazilian African slaves of the last century. "Dama Azul" gathered them as they fell off these old roofs and painted them over with tropical Brazilian motives.

The paintings that accompany the story itself are Iara's. We are sure you will enjoy this story in the translation of your choice!

OneWorld Magazine's "World Gallery" section is dedicated to featuring the work of artists around the world. Periodically, paintings, photographs, drawings, poetry, short stories and other types of international fine art will be on display in this section. Your suggestions concerning material are welcomed by OneWorld. We will seriously consider the work of any international artist that you may recommend.

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