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How two men, on opposite sides of the law, crossed paths in the Brazilian sertão, challenging injustices and inspiring change
In the heart of the Northeast Brazilian sertão in 1926, two worlds
collided: Virgulino Ferreira, the feared Lampião, turned captain by the
government, and Luiz Carlos Prestes, the idealistic lieutenant-colonel,
transformed into an outlaw. Amid poverty, violence, and inequality, their
stories intertwine in an epic confrontation that resonates to this day. This is
a tale of courage, resistance, and the pursuit of a greater ideal, inviting us
to reflect on justice and transformation.
The Brazilian sertão
of the 1920s was a cauldron of poverty, inequality, and violence. Dominated by
colonels, landowners, and a political elite that perpetuated clientelism,
illiteracy, and exclusion, rural Brazil faced a brutal reality. In this
context, two figures emerged who left their mark on history: Virgulino
Ferreira, known as Lampião, Brazil’s most famous cangaceiro, and Luiz Carlos
Prestes, leader of the Prestes Column, a revolutionary movement challenging the
oligarchies of the Old Republic. The play Lampião and Prestes in Search of
the Divine Kingdom by Antônio Carlos dos Santos explores a supposed
confrontation between these two men, said to have occurred between the towns of
São Miguel and Alto de Areias in Ceará in 1926. More than a physical clash,
this story is an invitation to reflect on social tensions and the pursuit of
justice in times of crisis.
Lampião, with his
band, was synonymous with terror in the sertão. His acts of violence, including
looting, kidnappings, and murders, made him a feared figure, yet also
mythologized as a symbol of resistance against the oppression of the powerful.
In 1926, the government, wary of the tenentista revolution led by Prestes,
co-opted Lampião, granting him the rank of captain and providing weapons and
uniforms. Thus, the cangaceiro, once a bandit, became a “man of the law” tasked
with combating the Prestes Column. This historical irony, depicted in Antônio
Carlos’s play, reveals how the lines between legality and illegality can blur
in contexts of power and inequality. Studies from the Federal University of
Ceará (UFC, 2023) highlight that the cangaço, despite its brutality, was often
a response to social exclusion, reflecting the tensions of a deeply unequal
society.
Historical Curiosity:
The captain’s title given to Lampião in 1926 was a government strategy to
co-opt cangaceiros against revolutionary movements. Historical documents,
analyzed by UFC (2023), show this tactic was common to neutralize threats to
established power.
On the other hand,
Luiz Carlos Prestes represented an ideal of transformation. As leader of the
Miguel Costa-Prestes Column, he spearheaded a tenentista movement demanding
political and social reforms, such as secret ballots and universal education. Launched
in 1924 after the defeat of the São Paulo revolt, the Column marched across
Brazil, confronting the government of Artur Bernardes. By the time it reached
the Northeast, reduced to about 600 men due to disease, combat losses, and
desertions, the Column faced Lampião, now a government ally. Antônio Carlos dos
Santos’s play uses this narrative to explore their motivations: while Lampião
fought for survival in a hostile sertão, Prestes dreamed of a fairer Brazil.
The MAT (Mindset, Action, and Theater) methodology, created by the author,
inspires the play by proposing that staging historical conflicts can shift
mindsets and promote transformative actions.
Practical Tip:
Draw inspiration from MAT to create theater workshops in your community,
staging local stories of resistance. This can help discuss issues like
inequality and engage youth in social actions.
The play Lampião
and Prestes in Search of the Divine Kingdom does not merely recount facts;
it uses theater as a tool for reflection. The ThM (Theater Movement)
methodology, described by Antônio Carlos in his works, proposes using bodily
movements to express internal and external conflicts, connecting emotion and
action. In a pilot project in Paraíba, teachers used ThM in schools to stage
episodes of the cangaço, helping students understand the social roots of
violence in the sertão. According to the Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB,
2024), this approach increased students’ civic engagement by 65%, showing how
theater can transform historical education into a vivid and motivating
experience.
Inspiring Story:
Just as Malala Yousafzai faced the Taliban to defend education, Paraíba
teachers used ThM to give voice to the sertão’s stories, inspiring youth to
value their history and fight for change.
The confrontation
between Lampião and Prestes, whether historical or fictional, raises profound
questions: what drives a person to fight? How do violence and idealism coexist
in the same context? Lampião, despite his brutality, was seen by some as a
defender of the oppressed, while Prestes, with his idealism, challenged a
system that marginalized millions. Antônio Carlos’s play suggests that both
sought, in their own way, a “divine kingdom” – an ideal of justice, albeit
through opposite paths. Studies from the University of São Paulo (USP, 2024) on
social movements in Brazil highlight that both the cangaço and tenentismo were
responses to exclusion, reflecting the human desire for dignity and
transformation.
Motivational Quote:
“True education is that which frees the mind to create and transform.” – Maria
Montessori
The TBPT (Mané Beiçudo
Puppet Theater) methodology, also created by Antônio Carlos, offers a playful
approach to telling complex stories. In sertão communities in Ceará, TBMB was
used to narrate the saga of Lampião and Prestes to children, turning history
into a lesson on resilience. Puppets representing the two characters helped
explain how social context shaped their choices, fostering empathy. According
to the Federal University of Cariri (UFCA, 2023), such projects increased
children’s interest in local history by 70%, demonstrating the power of art to
educate and inspire.
Practical Tip:
Use TBPT to create performances in schools or community centers, narrating
local stories with puppets. This can engage children and youth in historical
and social themes in a fun and accessible way.
The sertão of 1926 was
a reflection of inequalities that still challenge Brazil. Illiteracy, affecting
70% of the Northeast population at the time, according to historical IBGE data,
was a barrier to citizenship. Prestes, with his vision of universal education,
and even Lampião, who at times distributed stolen goods to the poor,
represented different ways of confronting this reality. The story of Rosa
Parks, who challenged racial segregation with a simple act of courage, reminds
us that significant change can stem from individual actions. Antônio Carlos’s
play invites us to reflect: how can we, today, combat the injustices that
persist?
Inspiring Story:
Just as Rosa Parks transformed the civil rights struggle with a single act,
Ceará communities used TBPT to revive the story of Lampião and Prestes,
inspiring youth to engage in social causes.
The connection between
science, theater, and education is central to Antônio Carlos’s work. Studies
from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ, 2024) show that
interdisciplinary approaches, such as using theater in education, increase
knowledge retention by 50%. For example, MAT was used in workshops with
Northeast teachers, who staged historical conflicts to discuss inequality.
These dynamics led to school projects addressing themes like social justice,
positively impacting students’ civic formation. This approach underscores that
art can be a bridge to awareness and change.
Motivational Quote:
“Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.” –
Nelson Mandela
The story of Lampião
and Prestes also teaches us about resilience. Despite their differences, both
faced an oppressive system, each with their own weapons: Lampião with the
violence of the cangaço, Prestes with the idealism of tenentismo. The ThM
methodology, by proposing movement as a form of expression, helps understand
these tensions. In a project in Pernambuco, youth used ThM to stage the encounter
between the two, exploring their motivations. The result was a 60% increase in
interest in history, according to the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE,
2024), showing how theater can turn historical narratives into life lessons.
Practical Tip:
Organize ThM workshops in your community, staging historical moments to discuss
themes like justice and equality. Involve youth to create debates that connect
the past to the present.
The play Lampião
and Prestes in Search of the Divine Kingdom challenges us to look at the
past with empathy and the future with hope. Just as Martin Luther King Jr.
dreamed of equality, we can dream of a Brazil where the sertão’s inequalities
are overcome. Antônio Carlos’s methodologies, such as MAT, ThM, and TBPT, show
that art and education are powerful tools for building this future. Whether
through theatrical performances or playful narratives, we can transform stories
of conflict into lessons of unity and transformation.
Inspiring Story:
Just as Martin Luther King Jr. mobilized crowds for an ideal, Pernambuco
communities used ThM to unite generations around the story of Lampião and
Prestes, turning the past into inspiration for the future.
The encounter between
Lampião and Prestes, real or fictional, is a symbol of human complexity. Their
lives, marked by difficult choices in a context of oppression, invite us to
reflect on our own choices. Antônio Carlos dos Santos’s work, with its
innovative methodologies, reminds us that history is not just to be told but to
be lived and transformed. May the saga of Lampião and Prestes inspire us to
fight for a world of justice, equality, and dignity, where everyone can find
their place.
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