The Tia Eva Quilombola Community in Campo Grande (MS) has been declared Brazil's first listed quilombo as historical heritage. Founded in 1905 by matriarch Eva Maria de Jesus, the community symbolizes black resistance in Mato Grosso do Sul. The recognition was officialized by Iphan on March 10.
Quilombo Tia Eva, the popular name for the Remanente de Quilombo Eva Maria de Jesus Community, located in Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, has been declared Brazil's first listed quilombo. This community, one of the oldest quilombola references in the country, was founded by matriarch Eva Maria de Jesus, who arrived in the lands of present-day Campo Grande in 1905. The site represents an important symbol of black resistance in the state.
Iphan President Leandro Grass noted that the 1988 Constitution already defined quilombos as cultural patrimonies, but the procedure lacked regulation. “In 2023, we began elaborating a norm, a portaria that could establish the step-by-step for quilombola communities to indicate and define what they wanted to be recognized as cultural heritage within their territories and spaces,” Grass explained.
According to the Iphan president, this listing declaration inaugurates a cycle of recognitions for historical quilombola reminiscences, marking progress in historical reparation. “It inaugurates a cycle that will come ahead of recognitions, listings, of historical quilombola reminiscences. It will be the first quilombo inscribed in the new book of listings that we created, which is the book of these reminiscences, these elements, which has a lot to do with historical reparation,” he added.
In addition to the listing, the new Book of Tomb of Documents and Sites Holding Reminiscences of Ancient Quilombos was inaugurated. The recognition was officialized on Tuesday (March 10), during a meeting of Iphan's Advisory Council at Palácio Gustavo Capanema in downtown Rio de Janeiro.
