Brazil's official statistics institute reintroduced the term "favela" after four decades.

Article elaborated in collaboration with Julio Pedrassoli

The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), the national entity responsible for the country's official population statistics, has reintroduced the term "favela," which was abandoned in 1970 when the institute began using "exceptional urban agglomerations" and later, in 1991, adopted the term "subnormal agglomerates."

This is a simple change that does not alter the criteria for defining these urban areas in the country, but it is significant because it acknowledges the historical name once again and responds to the demands of the population, researchers, and other sectors of society.

Where did the term "favela" originate?

The term "favela" can be generically understood as the equivalent of the English word "slum," but for Brazil, it holds more significance, with contours and a history rich in meaning. Its origin dates back to the War of Canudos (1896-1897), in which the Brazilian Army confronted thousands of sertanejos who rallied around the charismatic leader Ant?nio Conselheiro in the interior of Bahia. This population, hoping for a miracle to escape climatic adversities and poverty, raised concerns among local landowners.

These landowners pressured the government to take action against the inhabitants of Canudos, claiming that they were arming themselves to attack neighboring cities and restore the monarchy, posing a threat to the newly established Republic in the country.

These events are narrated by Euclides da Cunha in one of the great classics of Brazilian literature, "Os Sert?es." He describes the location where the followers of Conselheiro settled as an "elliptical curve closed to the south by a hill, the Favela." The name of this geographical elevation derived from a local plant, Jatropha phyllacantha, also known as "mandioca-brava" and "favela" (meaning "small bean" or "little bean").

What is the scale of the favela phenomenon in Brazil?

This Brazilian urban phenomenon is extensive and found throughout cities, from north to south. Data from the 2020 demographic census reveals that the country has over 13 thousand favelas, with approximately 5.8 million homes and 17.9 million residents. A collection of walls, slabs, and roofs that stands out globally, originating spontaneously from the Brazilian population, especially those residing in over 5 million homes in the favelas. However, in IBGE statistics, this simple reality was concealed under a complex and sometimes derogatory term: favelas were officially referred to as "subnormal agglomerates."

An important change

The semantics of the term "subnormal" somehow draws a dividing line, placing people and territories of the favelas beneath it. It carries a pejorative connotation and, at times, contributes to the justification of segregating urban policies, tending to separate favelas from the Brazilian urban reality. Hence, the discussion about the name is crucial because the favela is made up of houses but, more importantly, of people.

Internal research by IBGE since 2003 indicated that the term "favela" was the most accepted by the residents of these communities and embraced a significant value of representativity. The change is important because IBGE listened to the people. The new name, "favelas and urban communities," will be adopted starting in 2023, representing a significant conceptual evolution for Brazilian urban thinking.

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