In reality show, contestant insinuates that Amazonian Ruivinha de Marte is not ‘civilized’

Ívina Garcia – Cenarium Magazine

MANAUS – During the formation of the ‘roça’ on the night of Tuesday, 25, the participant of the reality show ‘A fazenda’ or in english, ‘The Farm’ from Record TV, Vini Büttel discussed with the Amazonian participant Anny Bergatin, known as “Ruivinha of Mars”, saying that “here, in civilization, we stay silent when the other is talking”. The phrase was interpreted as xenophobic in social networks.

Vini and Ruivinha already had other disagreements within the reality show, involving comments from the participant about the body of manauara. Ruivinha declared a vote for the participant to be eliminated from the program, rebutted by Vini, who commented on the vote and called her a “plant”.

“It is the vote of the person who speaks nothing, does nothing, acts nothing, opines nothing. What am I going to say?”, said the participant. Ruivinha retorts saying “It’s just like you”, then Vini speaks the phrase that viralized: “You spoke, I was silent, I know you say you had no education and you do not know how many minutes an hour, but here, in civilization, we are silent when the other is talking”.

See video:

History

Narratives about the inhabitants of the North and Northeast are not new within Brazil, the social and geographic ignorance about the regions is the main reason that leads to jokes and xenophobic expressions.

Aline Ribeiro, a Master’s degree in Society and Culture in the Amazon, believes that stereotypes about the Amazon region have long been validated because of ignorance about the region. “This idea may be valid, but it is not enough to understand the constancy with which Amazonas is easily confused with ‘Amazon’, for example, or the reproduction of a notion of lack of civility, of culture”, she evaluates.

She understands that the narratives around the Amazon are based on stereotypes produced by colonizing thought, even at the present time. “In the commercials of the region itself, we always see a giant nature that diminishes the populations that live here”, says Aline.

“The Amazon is still represented by a huge demographic void”, for the specialist, this collaborates with the depersonalization of the region, being summarized to the forest, which ends up collaborating to the notion that there is no civility.

For the sociologist, the cultural expressions, accent and gastronomy of the Amazon are always placed in a lower level and very little related to a national identity. “These and other elements contribute to the fact that the speech of this reality contestant is full of xenophobic meanings, because it is part of the national thought to think of the Amazon as an emptiness or of people with little or no civilization”, she says.

Xenophobia

A friend of Ruivinha de Marte, Yona Branches stated that she was uncomfortable while watching Vini’s lines. “A white guy, with blue eyes, comes out with a completely xenophobic line in a national network saying that Manaus is not a civilization, it’s very disrespectful”, she says.

“We are very uncomfortable with this kind of comment and it just shows that he is the one who was not educated, who doesn’t look up a geography book to research about our city”, says Yona.

This is not the first accusation of xenophobia against the participant. In September, Vini had an argument with another contestant, the Iranian Shayan Haghbin. After insulting the contestant with swear words, Vini called the Iranian “Paraguayan Prince of Persia”. The host of the reality show, Adriane Galisteu, warned the participant.

Shayan demanded respect and said that Vini’s words were xenophobic and did not attack only him, but the entire Iranian and Paraguayan culture. The Iranian was kicked out of the program after getting involved in a fight, but in interviews outside the house he said he will sue Vini for xenophobia.

Xenophobia, i.e. prejudice against people from another state, city or country, is a crime under Law No. 9459 of May 13, 1997, which states: “Crimes resulting from discrimination or prejudice based on race, color, ethnicity, religion or national origin will be punished”, and is punishable by imprisonment of two to five years and a fine.

Repercussion

In social networks, manauaras watching the reality show reacted to Vini’s speeches and after the confirmation of the participant in the “roça”, mutirões were mounted to ensure his elimination. “Manaus is an amazing land and will show for this *** and shut his mouth”, wrote a spectator.

Another defender of Redivinha also commented: “Let’s show you how it’s done here in our civilization”, see: