"Beneath the Infinite Sky" - The Serra Pelada Landscapes in Airton de Souza's Autumn of Strange Flesh

Outono de Carne Estranha

Abstract

Autumn of Strange Flesh," by Airton Souza, transports us to the heart of the world's largest open-pit gold mine: Serra Pelada. In the 1980s, this giant crater in Pará attracted thousands of people seeking gold fortune, transforming the region into a veritable human anthill. Souza's work, set in this chaotic context, follows the lives of Zuza and Manel, two miners seeking not only gold but also refuge from loneliness and an escape from a cruel reality. Their same-sex relationship challenges the taboos of a time marked by violence and intolerance. Beyond the personal drama of the characters, the novel also explores the spiritual dimension of the Serra Pelada tragedy. Zacarias, a priest in crisis, questions his faith in the face of the misery and violence he witnesses, adding a layer of complexity to the narrative and inviting the reader to reflect on the role of religion in a space marked by inequality. By portraying the desolate landscapes of Serra Pelada, the precarious working conditions, and the environmental devastation, Souza's work invites us to deeply reflect on the social and environmental impacts of the relentless pursuit of wealth. The novel, by blending fiction and reality, transforms Serra Pelada into a timeless symbol of human greed and the fragility of nature, expanding our spatial imaginations.