Dandara dos Palmares was a quilombola who lived in the Quilombo dos Palmares, being one of the warrior leaders of the Palmarists. Historians know little about her life, and one of the highlights in this regard is that she was married to Zumbi dos Palmares, the last leader of the quilombo, with whom she had three children.
Dandara led Palmarist soldiers in the fight against maroons against the Portuguese and she also helped with the maintenance of the quilombo, working in the harvest and hunting. She was captured by the Portuguese, and, in order not to be slavezada, committed suicide in 1694.
Read too:Harriet Tubman — the activist who escaped slavery in the US and dedicated her life to fighting it
Topics of this article
- 1 - Summary about Dandara dos Palmares
- 2 - Who was Dandara dos Palmares?
- 3 - What do we know about the life of Dandara dos Palmares?
- 4 - Death of Dandara dos Palmares
Summary about Dandara dos Palmares
Dandara was a quilombola who lived in Quilombo dos Palmares.
She was a warrior woman, leading Palmarist troops in the fight against the Portuguese.
Historians know very little about the life of this historical figure.
It is believed that she was born in Brazil and grew up in Palmares since childhood.
She was married to Zumbi dos Palmares, with whom she had three children.
Who was Dandara dos Palmares?
Dandara dos Palmares is a figure in Brazilian history that is very little known and with very few sources about her. She lived in Quilombo dos Palmares, the largest quilombo in history of Brazil, and became known for being a warrior woman who if engaged in the struggle against the Portuguese who planned to destroy the quilombo.
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She was the wife of Zumbi dos Palmares and would have been a major influence on the way he managed the quilombo. Together they had three children, named Motumbo, Harmodio and Aristogiton, but nothing else is known about the couple's personal life. On April 24, 2019, Dandara dos Palmares was included in the Book of Heroes and Heroines of the Homeland for her role in Palmares. Its inclusion took place through Law No. 13,816.
Read too: Forms of resistance to slavery in Brazil
What do we know about the life of Dandara dos Palmares?
The knowledge we have about the life of Dandara dos Palmares is quite limited because virtually there is no record about you. Uncertainties about her biography begin with her birth, since it is not known when she would have been born and also if she was born in the Brazil or in Africa.
You current studies believe that she would have been born in Brazil, being the daughter of an enslaved African, who joined Quilombo dos Palmares as a child. The little information available about Dandara's life indicates that she became an extremely important personality in the life of the quilombo.
She he was a capoeirista; he worked in the production of food for the palm farmers; and he also went out on hunts, which took place frequently. She was also an important warrior, even leading troops in the fight against the Portuguese. Politically, he would have been an important figure.
Dandara would have rejected the agreement sewn by Ganga Zumba, leader of the quilombo until 1678, not agreeing with his terms. It is also believed that she had a strong influence on Zumbi also rejecting them. In the same year, Ganga Zumba was assassinated, Zumbi became leader of the quilombo, and the agreement was not implemented.
Death of Dandara dos Palmares
Dandara's death was related to the destruction of Quilombo dos Palmares. During Zumbi's leadership, Portuguese attacks became frequent, and in the battles that happened, Dandara would have demonstrated his skill with weapons and his capacity as a strategist military. Supposedly, she was captured by the Portuguese, and, not to be held captive, suicgone on February 6, 1694.
By Daniel Neves Silva
History teacher
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
SILVA, Daniel Neves. "Dandara dos Palmares"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/historia/dandara-dos-palmares.htm. Accessed May 12, 2023.
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