Canudos from Armahda by Armahda

The Canudos War (1896-1897) - Republican Government of Prudente José de Morais e Barros

The massacre of the Canudos War was the result of unfortunate political and religious intolerance.

On November 19, 1896, followers of Antonio Vicente Mendes Maciel, the "Conselheiro" [The Counselor], were on their way to Juazeiro on the Uauá road for a trade and peace mission. Many chanted the Kyries and carried the banner of the Divine Holy Spirit. They had the mission of seeking a load of wood, already paid for but not delivered, to cover the temple of the village of Canudos. The law judge Arlindo Leoni, an old enemy of "Conselheiro", took advantage of the issue of buying wood to retaliate, convincing the trader in charge of selling the wood to refrain from delivering the order, thus justifying the pilgrimage of the followers. Taking advantage of the tense situation that had developed, Leoni sent telegrams to the Governor of Bahia, Luis Viana, informing him and requesting that action be taken against a possible invasion of followers of "Conselheiro," a partisan of the monarchy and an insurgent against Vatican "ad conditorem canonum". The pilgrims were attacked by the troops of the republic, who murdered more than one hundred followers who tried to defend themselves as best they could with primitive weapons manufactured by themselves such as sickles, stingers, daggers and old blunderbusses that failed to fire when they were needed the most. This was the origin of the first expedition against Canudos. This was not the only republican expedition against Canudos which, along with others, painted the History of Brazil with blood.

This attack on individual freedom had its roots in the persecution of the Roman Catholic Church against the religious leader Antonio Conselheiro. He created a village of Puritans, who worked hard for their way of life within a new concept of tribal cooperatives. In addition to being a leader, Conselheiro was a builder of dams, walls, cemeteries and churches, using what the dry lands [caatingas] could provide, with their discouraging soil and burning climate.

Brazilian history, amplified. That's Armahda. This São Paulo-based heavy metal band exclusively dedicates its powerful sound to recounting the sagas of Brazil's past. Get ready for epic metal that's as educational as it is head-banging, bringing the nation's heritage to life like never before.