By Ozangela Cunha de Lima
A strong female role model in my community is my grandmother Noemia da Silva Rodrigues. A warrior woman, a farmer who worked hard to support her fourteen children. She was a wife, mother and a great leader, Noemia was the matriarch of our community. My grandmother Noemia was an example for the residents because she was a woman of principles, of faith, who was always concerned about others. Every day of her life she tried, in the best way, to teach us what was right and wrong. She was always concerned for the community and for all the residents who live there, and always tried to help those in need.
Noemia da Silva Rodrigues died on November 29, 2020. Even though she was sick, she still only worried about others. She talked all the time with her husband, they were a couple who lived more than a decade together and never lacked respect for each other. The community regarded her as a matriarch, since any event in the community was consulted first with her and her husband, as they were wise masters.
Noemia da Silva Rodrigues died on November 29, 2020. Even though she was sick, she still only worried about others. She talked all the time with her husband, they were a couple who lived more than a decade together and never lacked respect for each other. The community regarded her as a matriarch, since any event in the community was consulted first with her and her husband, as they were wise masters.
Noemia, this warrior woman, worker, woman of faith and very religious, inspires me to never give up fighting for my goals, and makes me a human being of faith, always striving to treat others equally, and accept that everyone in society has their own role to develop. And she inspires me to always seek God, because only He is able to heal and save the world. I close this tribute to my grandmother with an excerpt from the song she most liked to sing in the Catholic Church.
“The question of peace is my strength, I cross mountains, but I will learn,
The world doesn’t satisfy me, what I want is peace, what I want is to live”
–
Ozangela Cunha de Lima, known as Cacá, is a resident of São Raimundo village in the Middle Juruá Extractive Reserve. She is 26 years old and is a reading mentor for Associação Vagalume.
