Festa Dos Confederados

Festa dos Confederados is a festival which takes place at the end of April in Santa Barbara, d'Oeste in the state of São Paulo, Brazil.

In the aftermath of the Civil War, an estimated population between two thousand and four thousand Confederate soldiers immigrated to Brazil,[1] settling in Santa Barbara D’Oeste, São Paulo from 1865 to 1868. Letters have been found between Brazilian consulates and members of the former Confederate States of America following the end of the war expressing interest in Brazil's slave system.

[2] This letter exchange provides evidence as to the reason why the Confederates were leaving and that the diplomats were aware that they were coming with the intent of continuing the practice of slavery.

The Festa dos Confederados is hosted at the Cemitério do Campo or the Cemetery of the Field in Sāo Paulo, Brazil.

[4] Following their burials, Colonel Oliver gave up around one hectare or 2.47 acres of land to the other American immigrants in the area so that they too could bury their dead.

[4] The purpose of Festa dos Confederados is to celebrate the Confederate history and heritage of Santa Barbara d’Oeste.

Festa dos Confederados contains many aspects that correlate closely with stereotypes that have commonly been associated with United States Southern culture.

[5] At the Cemitério do Campo lays one of the biggest Confederate flags, which doubles as a stage for one of the main focuses of the festival: dancing.

[8] People of all ages, most dressed in traditional outfits, participate in a variety of dances to honor Confederate history.

[10] They were brought into the history of the war unintentionally as former Confederates fled to the state of São Paulo and began their new lives.

[13] The Confederate flag is the main symbol of the Civil War that reflects the history of the central conflict and its connection to slavery.

[5] Other concerns have been expressed that the holiday romanticizes the history of the town and minimizes the atrocities of slavery that the Confederados continued to practice in Brazil.

In response, a law was passed by a city councilwoman in the area, Esther Moraes (PL), which prevents public funds from being used for events that display "racist symbols".