2024-07-25 10:00:00
Goat, activist, fan of Candomblé, supporter of Vasco da Gama and Beija-Flor samba school. But as she herself says, “quilombola is my greatest identity”. This is Selma dos Santos Dealdina Mbaye. A 42-year-old black quilombola woman, who loves to mention and, despite being very impatient – a trait she herself is not shy of highlighting -, is waiting for the day she will be present and define herself beyond resume, which is very filled.
“My biggest identity is quilombola”, says Selma Dealdina, political coordinator at Conaq, more quilombola organization in the country |Ester Cezar/ISA
Born and raised in the territory of Sapê do Norte, in quilombo Angelim 3, located in the municipality of São Mateus, in Conceição da Barra (ES), Dealdina is currently the political coordinator of the National Coordination of the Black Communities of Rural Culombola (Conaq) , vice president of the Council from Fundo Casa, consultant to Amnesty International, composed of Via Campesina, the Black Alliance for Rights and also the collective that organizes the March of Black Women for 2025.
Basically, Selma Dealdina has a passion for the public interest. Born in a family of five brothers, she was always involved in initiatives that led her to the path of leadership. The struggle was present in his daily routine, not only because he was involved in protecting the rights of his family, his women and the black population, but for the simple fact that he is human.
“I always knew I was a black girl, not because I’m dark, but because society, school, a very racist environment always tells you where you belong. And, in a way, people have always had a place for our bodies as black women.”
Despite social labeling, Selma’s black identity greatly contributed to her process. “My mother always told us where we belonged as black people. She tried to bring us as close to our culture as possible and always told us we were black, she never said otherwise. So, when I was created in a house like that, it gave me strength to face the challenges.”
Writings
Organizer of several publications, such as the book Quilombola Women – Territories of Black Women and the bookcase Women of Quilombola – Writings between Memory and the HeartSelma knows the power of writing in the lives of black women.
“Conceição Evaristo tells us that our writing is a time of growth, and that it is very difficult for us, black women, to sit down and write about ourselves.”
“But I believe that writing is also a liberating space. I think not only about true stories, but also what we want it to be. Let us have this moment of madness, of utopia, of illusion for a second, so that we can disarm this body of militancy, this rest, so that we can do something different that is not there is only war, war and war. “.
Women of Quilombola – Writings between Memory and the Heart/Ester Cezar/ISA
The book Quilombola Women – Territories of Black Women, organized by Selma, at the invitation of the philosopher and writer Djamila Ribeiro, with the labels Feminismos Plurais and Sueli Carneiro. The publication is a collective work, made with 18 women from 12 states and brings together testimonies from quilombola women on various topics, such as the protection of the territory, domestic violence, legal pluralism, traditional knowledge and an academic path.
“The book comes with this approach to telling our story, which is invisible, which is sometimes irrelevant, which is not good, I do not like it. But the way of life of those women is in the gym, at school, on the farm, in their workplaces”.
Self care
The booklet Women of Quilombola – Writings between Memory and the Heart it is a publication organized after a dynamic with quilombola women, where they had to speak well of themselves. Dealdina says they were each given a sheet of paper and by the end of the day they had to complete the activity. “The day came to an end and everyone handed in a blank sheet. Because we know our qualities, but when we put them on paper, we are arrogant, we think we are. So we are afraid to talk about ourselves.”
So, she and Maryellen Crisostomo – a journalist and member of Conaq –, with whom she did the activity, decided to change the direction and asked the women to write a love letter to themselves, “to see if it was easier, but also. It was difficult.”
“We take care of everything and everyone all the time, and then we ask who takes care of us? Those who care must also be cared for. One must also love the one who loves. He who desires must also be desired. We are also denied love itself, it is as if our bodies do not deserve the right to this love. We are very violent towards ourselves, we are very disrespectful towards ourselves, we practice a lot of violence against ourselves. And in a process where we have to disarm ourselves, try not to do violence, it’s also complicated for us.”
“We take care of everything and everyone all the time, and then we ask who takes care of us?” |Ester Cezar / ISAR Right to vulnerability
Selma Dealdina’s steps were, and are, forged with many references from black women [confira alguns nomes ao final do perfil], which she could spend hours and hours quoting. But for those who have traveled the world, home is still the main starting point.
“My mother is the biggest reference for me”, says the leader.
Dona Rosa dos Santos Dealdina was a minister of the Eucharist, reciter of litanies and faith healer. She died in 2020, shortly before the book “Quilombola Women – territories of black females” was released.
“For me, personally, it was a very difficult time to finish the book, because we found out that my mother had terminal cancer. I had to give the presentation and I couldn’t write it. I stopped right in front of my mother’s name, because I was talking to her about the book, but I didn’t know if she would be alive or not when we released it. And then I didn’t know if I should put ‘remember’ in front of her name.”
This was a very difficult moment for Selma. In addition to the death of her mother, she had to deal with the stereotypes that were imposed on the lives of black women. The emotion expressed during the interview showed how difficult it still is to think about the moment when he had to deal with the most significant loss in his life.
“Because they always demand from us that we are strong, that we are warriors, that we are always ready to fight. We are not taught to show weakness. When it shows weakness, vulnerability, crying is a sign that we ourselves are diminishing and in this way we do not pass some important stages in our lives.”
Military
A political organizer and member of the Conaq women’s assembly, Selma discovered the movement through the influence of her sister, Domingas Dealdina, who was the first coordinator of Conaq in the state of Espírito Santo.
“Conaq is my second skin. It is more than a political organization. It is the flag that guides us, because all our public policies are due to this movement, from the vaccine I took in 2021, to the confirmation of my destination in 2006, the school curriculum guidelines, everything is due I have for this movement. “
“I am very proud to be part of this movement […] a very important dynamic to take care of and help not only to value the quilombola identity, but also the territories, because our biggest fight is to rescue the quilombola territories.”
Conaq is a 28-year-old movement that works in 24 states, in every biome in Brazil. In addition, it is expanding internationally to strengthen rural Afro communities and land identity, with countries such as Honduras, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Argentina, Chile and Bolivia.
“I am very proud to be part of this movement. To be involved in politics, to contribute to its growth. I always say that Conaq is like bread, it grows gradually. That’s why I think we have a very integrated agenda, a very important dynamic to take care of and to help improve not only the quilombola identity, but also the territories, because it’s our biggest fight nor rescue the territories of the quilombola”.
Outside the CV
Throughout her career, Selma Dealdina won several titles and occupied various spaces. Today, when she introduces herself, she gives an extensive account of her CV, projects and activities she is involved in, and in four or five words some characteristics outside that universe.
But the daughter of Dona Rosa and Senhor Manoel carries beauty, humor, sensitivity and warmth. Sister Domingas, Matilde, Célia, Rogério and José Fernando never take someone’s sentence without giving due credit. Mr. Feliciano’s granddaughter is a big fan of police series. Aunt Isabella, Kayla, Luiz Henrique and Akeen always refer to other black women who came before her and who are also her contemporaries. Osmani’s wife is transparent with her feelings and can know almost exactly what she is thinking. Selma Dealdina is not happy for a bit anymore.
“I am very proud to be part of this movement”, says Selma Dealdina, coordinator of Conaq|Antônio Cruz/Agência Brasil
“We never walk through the door and come back the same, we come back different, more powerful, demanding more. Then we join the boring team, right? That you know too much, that it is too much. Because we were satisfied with one piece and found out that we could have more. And we go after this bigger piece and it starts to bother us. If we’re bothering you then we’re doing it right”.
“And I’m finding out for myself. Some things I stay the same, I have no patience, I am completely impatient, zero patience. We also learn how to deal with many things and I wish I had the right not to want to deal with them, not to want to do them, to say ‘no’. But I’m really enjoying this stage I live in now. I am discovering that I know who I am. I’m building myself little by little, every day a little brick.”
Greetings to all the black women mentioned by Selma Dealdina:
Rosa dos Santos Dealdina, Célia Dealdina, Domingas Dealdina, Matilde Dealdina, Dona Nilma Bentes, Lélia Gonzalez, Beatriz Nascimento, Djamila Ribeiro, Sueli Carneiro, Givânia Maria da Silva, Vercilene Dias, Mãe Sebastiana, Misselen, Mariellegaã, Bernade Franco, Mariellegaã Vitória , Dona Procópia, Rosinha, Dona Teodora, Esther, Carolina Maria de Jesus, Mãe Tiana, Núbia, Jane, Ivone, Adda Caetano, Bárbara Bombom, Sandra Pereira Braga, Isabel Cristina, Jurema Werneck, Lúcia Xavier, Bianca Santana, Regina Adami, Wânia Santanna, Vanda Menezes, Suelane Carneiro, Carla Akotirene, Joice Berth, Ângela Davis, bells, Chimamanda Ngozi, Vilma Reis, Valdecir Nascimento, Dona Zélia Amador, Darlah Farias, Flávia Oliveira, Lucely de Cedros, Maryleós Crimea, Lucely de Cedros, Concesto, Maryelles.
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