Rocinha

Rocinha is a Favela, the largest in Brazil. It is located in Rio de Janeiro’s south zone. The

Favela is built on a steep hillside overlooking Rio.

Location, zooming inRio de Janeiro

Rocinha history

• In the 1800s, the majority of slaves worked in sugar cane fields and coffee plantations in the areas where Rocinha is located today

• Rocinha was once a fishing village, as it is located around a kilometre away from a nearby beach

• In 1916 construction of the Avenida Niemeyer was completed and the road reached what is now the neighbourhood of São Conrado.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dc/Engarrafamento_na_Avenida_Niemeyer_%28Rio_de_Janeiro%29.jpg?uselang=en-gb

Avenida Niemeyer

Rocinha history+• During the 1960s and 1970s there were efforts to remove several sections

of Rocinha and relocate residents to distant neighborhoods, such as Paciência, roughly 45 kilometers west of Rocinha

• The 1980s were pivotal for Rocinha and for Rio de Janeiro in general. It was during the early 1980s that organized crime began its iron grip on most of Rio’s favela communities, including Rocinha

• Drugs, crime and violence had an iron grip on the favela’s way of life.

The opportunities/challenges of living in Rocinha

• Rocinha was once infamous for being controlled by violent drug gangs who brandished assault riffles openly on street corners, before then you could have been a part of a gang so that you could protect yourself as well as be in all the danger. Drugs and violence controlled the streets so most of the community wanted to be a part of it. This is seen as an opportunity and a challenge of living in Brazils largest favela. All violence was pacified in 2011 however.

• Corrupt politicians were a huge challenge of living in Rocinha.

The effect of the 2014 World Cup

• When Brazil faced Germany in the semi-finals of the 2014 World Cup, Germany had thrashed them 7-1. This caused outrage in the cities and favelas with riots, protests and violence. Not to mention it didn’t help the citizens with their views on their government.

• However the positive side of the 2014 WC is that when Brazil were winning, peace and happiness was spread all over the country, favela or city.