Brazilian congress has reeestablished, in this month of August 2003, the rights of all mariners involved in the "Rebellion of the Whip", that occurred in 1910. The decree gives back the rank to the mariners, allowing them to receive the values they would have the right to, if they remained on duty. After 93 years, the mariners' memory is rescued, especially the rebellion leader's, helmsman João Cândido Felisberto, the "Black Admiral".

We need to go back to 1910 to understand João Cândido's and the rebellion's history - one of the few popular rebellions that reached their goals in Brazil. On that year, amid a great political instability, military man Hermes da Fonseca is elected president.

On the night of november 22, 1910, some of the main warships of the Brazilian Navy are anchored in front of the city, in Guanabara Bay. Their crew rebels and take the Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Bahia and Deodoro ships.

Minas Gerais, one of the most modern ships bought by Brazilian Navy at the time of the Rebellion

Three officers and the commander of the Minas Gerais are dead. The new president receives the news: the ships's cannons aim at Rio's capital city and to the Government palace itself. The other officers are surprised: the mariners manouver the ships by themselves, and they do it well. Leading the movement is João Cândido, besides other mariners such as Francisco Dias Martins, Gregório and Avelino.

The last whipping

Officers are surprised: the mariners manouver the ships by themselves

The main reasons for the Rebellion are simple: the mariners are discontented with the low wages, the low quality food and, mainly, with the humiliating body punishments. Officialy, body punishment was abolished in Brazilian Navy since the beginning of the century, together with the end of slavery. In practice, however, it still exists.

Besides a mariner, João Cândido reads the message from the rebels: end of body punishments.

On the Minas Gerais, for example, on the day of rebellion, mariner Marcelino Menezes is whipped like a slave by officers, in front of the whole crew. He faints, but the punishment goes on. The movement then lights up. The mariners take the ships, red flags appear and cannons aim at the city. They send a message threatening the government: they want the end of body punishments, amnesty for their action and better working conditions.

The Navy wants to punish the mutiny heavily, but the goverment yields. The threaten to the city and to Hermes da Fonseca's power is real. Laws that end the punishment and give amnesty to the rebellious are approved.

The harassment begins

Magazines notices the end of rebellion.

The mariners, celebrating, give the ships back. The use of the whip as disciplinar punishment in Brazilian War Navy finally disappears.

However, the government betrays the amnesty and the mariners begin to be harassed. News about a new rebellion appear, this time in the Cobras Island quarters. Troops besiege the place. The island is bombed and João Cândido and many companions are arrested.

Now the government wants to exterminate those who took part in the rebellion. 97 mariners are sent to Amazônia, in the basement of the ship Satélite. The list of names given to the commander has red crosses marking some of them. Those are the ones destined to be executed and then, thrown to the sea.

João Cândido is arrested.

João Cândido and some more companions are not on board that ship. They go to the Cobras Island prison. Three years later, only 16 from the 18 prisoners are alive. Then João Cândido is set free. Very ill, half mad, he is put in a mental hospital.

Close to the sea

As the years go by, he recovers. No ship wants him aboard, however: he is considered an ex-prisoner, an agitator, black, poor and perhaps mad. João Cândido will be close to the sea until his death, in 1969, at 89, as a simple fish seller.

Those who made the Rebellion of the Whip were dead, arrested, demoralized and destroyed. Their leader ended with no rank, no pension and semi-ignored by official History. João Cândido's history, however, remained in people's minds. The samba "O Mestre-Sala dos Mares", by João Bosco and Aldir Blanc, composed in the eighties, immortalized him. As the song goes, "we never forget him". The message and the example of the "Black Admiral" and his companions resist.

Veja mais Brazilkids