Pau de Arara

Pau de Arara

Pau de arara, is a Portuguese term that literally translates to "Parrot's Perch". It refers to several things.

Flat bed Truck

The Pau de arara is a designation given in the Brazilian Northeast to a flat bed truck adapted for passenger transportation. The truck's bed is equipped with narrow wooden benches and a canvas canopy. The term refers to long metal rails extending lengthwise under the canopy where passengers would hang on to when standing.

This form of public transportation is still found in rural areas, but no longer available for interstate travel. In past decades, it was widely used by migrants fleeing periodic drought conditions in their home region. In the states of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, their most frequent destination, "Pau de arara" also became a derogatory slang term referring to them. There are frequent references to the Pau-de-arara in Brazilian literature and popular song, used as a symbol for the plight of the "Nordestino" (Northeastern) migrant.

Torture technique

The Pau-de-Arara is a physical torture technique designed to cause severe joint and muscle pain, as well as headaches, and psychological trauma. The technique consists of a tube, bar, or pole placed over the victim's biceps and behind the knees while tying both the victim's ankles and wrists together. The entire assembly is suspended between two metal platforms forming what looks like a parrot's perch.

This technique is believed to originate from Portuguese slave traders, which used the Pau-de-Arara as a form of punishment for disobedient slaves. It has been more recently used by the agents of the Brazilian military dictatorship against political dissidents in the 1960s and 1970s. The Brazilian military often used this technique as a restraint for a combination of other torture techniques, such as water boarding, nail pulling, branding, electric shocks, and sexual torture.

References

*cite book | last = Box | first = Ben | coauthors = Jane Eggington and Mick Day | title = Brazil Handbook | publisher = Footprint Travel Guides | date = 2003 | isbn = 1903471443
*cite book | last = MacCann | first = Bryan | title = Hello Brazil: Popular Music in the Making of Modern Brazil | publisher = Duke University Press | date = 2004 | isbn = 0822332736


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