Sunday 15 October 2006

Rio's Redeemer at 75

Christ the RedeemerRio de Janeiro's massive Christ the Redeemer celebrates its 75th anniversary. And what a photo! Shame the photographer isn't named. But we do know the credits for this statue: designer Carlos Oswald, sculptor Paul Landowski, engineer Heitor da Silva Costa. Sculpted from soap stone, 38 metre-thingies high, this famous statue welcomes tourists with open arms, but has its back turned to the Brazilian Indian. European Christianity has nothing to celebrate and everything to be ashamed of in its treatment of indigenous peoples throughout the world, from the murderous exploits of the early conquistadors, through the African slave trade and the ethnic cleansing of the North American Indian, to the continuing decimation of rainforest tribes. The title link takes you to Survival International, which campaigns on behalf of tribal peoples.

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