Won over by his Kindness

Chapter 4

Daily life in the Amazons

alvatore soon conquered the hearts of the indios: he smoked the pipe with them, listened to them, sang and worked with them. He shared everything with them. They expressed their affection and friendship by painting his body, a gesture reserved to special people, brothers and friends. Father Renato Trevisan described his experience with Salvatore: “He was with me for two months in Kikretum, among the Kaiapó indios. At the time, we were moving from a rat and bat infested semi-abandoned hut to a bigger one that the indios had built for us. At the beginning we only had a hammock in which to sleep, and Salvatore took it upon himself to organize our new house. He did the heavy part of the work while I helped him in any way I could. The indios watched him while he worked, especially when he paused to smoke a hand-rolled cigarette. They liked him because he smiled at them and shared his cigarettes with them. They were won over by his kindness and often came looking for him. On several occasions he went to and fro between Altamira and Kikretum, traveling 750 miles along an impossible road. He sometimes had to drive the lorry himself when the usual driver refused to undertake what was a desperate task whenever the rain and mud made the journey extremely difficult. He was never deterred and, upon his return, he would appear triumphant having conquered the difficult road”. Salvatore wished to remain working among the indios but, in the end, the journey became too long and tiring. From November 1984 onwards, he was based in the parish in Altamira, and Fathers Trevisan and Saiu stayed with the indios. 

In those days, Altamira had a population of 60,000 people. Many had been sent by the government from the south to populate the Amazon region, in the north of the country; the great Transamazzonica road had been opened for them in the forest and this was the cause of the dispersion of the indios who lived in that area. The climate in the north is harsher than in the south: there were no hospitals, schools or roads; the people became sick and died of malaria and insect bites. Many left, and several of them ended up in Altamira.

I have just been asked to teach some psychology and sociology in our high school. I already have too much to do and I am thinking of slowing down a little. The parish on its own provides full-time work for three people without interruption. I have lost a lot of weight and am receiving treatment for stomach parasites.
Fr. Salvatore Deiana

At that time, the Brazilian bishops wrote, “We were solemnly promised that progress would be made; instead, we see inertia and indecision at social, political and economic levels. This has led to uncertainty and perplexity and some problems have worsened, especially the frightening misery that is rife throughout the entire country and which has produced mass migration towards the towns and the new agricultural areas; the economic policy of the government that hands out some of the poorest salaries in the world; the increasing violence against peasants, the indios and those who have no land”.

Many Brazilian bishops had been leading the protest against this situation for a long time, especially dom Helder Camara, the famous bishop of Olinda and Recife, who has often exposed himself to danger in order to speak up for the poor and the oppressed.

Father Salvatore Deiana was also preparing to take part in the struggle against poverty, injustice and violence. 

 Between Cities and Villages

n October 2, he wrote to his sister and brother-in-law, “It has been a long time since I last wrote but, I must confess, I am tired with all the other writing I have to do: I have to make notes for every kind of meeting and it never seems to end. I have just been asked to teach some psychology and sociology in our high school. I already have too much to do and I am thinking of slowing down a little. The parish on its own provides full-time work for three people without interruption. I have lost a lot of weight and am receiving treatment for stomach parasites. When I feel tense, I smoke too much, the strongest tobacco which is also the cheapest. Yesterday, I met a couple from Sicily who are here in Brazil on their honeymoon, and I showed them around the worst areas of my parish. They were amazed at what they saw. Why don’t the two of you think about coming next year? Recently, I completed my first period among the indios and I will going out there again in 15 days. I must admit that it is difficult to constantly alternate between the city and a primitive environment; the journey is the worst part. I spent another 15 days in a village with Father Renato Trevisan, hunting, fishing, and doing a few odd jobs in order to earn something to eat. I returned by coach, a three day journey to Altamira. The road was awash with mud, and full of enormous holes; the coach got stuck every so often, but everything ended well.”

At the age of 28, Salvatore was in charge of the large parish of Altamira called Vila Brasilia where, as he said to his sister, there was enough work to keep three people busy. His excursion days were over.