Archaeological Treasures Ignite Indigenous March in Rio de Janeiro

Some members of Rio de Janeiro's indigenous community organized a small march in the city's port area on Friday. According to indigenous leaders, the march was aimed at reminding politicians and residents of the historical importance of the site. Rio's port side is going through a makeover period and recent construction has unearthed historical artifacts. In the last few months, both slave and indigenous cemeteries have been discovered underground and the findings reportedly date back to the 16th and 17th centuries when the slave trade in the country was at its peak. Leaders from the indigenous and Afro-Brazilian communities want society to realize the historical relevance of present and future archaeological findings. The march was preceded by a gathering at an indigenous and Afro-Brazilian cultural center where visitors could see the various artifacts found underneath the ground of the local area. Indigenous hymns were sung before the start of the march and songs were played throughout. The whole affair didn't last long, but it was enough to reflect on the many African slaves who perished on Brazilian soil. At one point Brazil had the world's biggest urban population of slaves. Slavery was abolished in the country in 1888.