The AfrOrigens Institute is dedicated to the research, location, study, and conservation of underwater cultural heritage related to the transatlantic trafficking of enslaved people, with an emphasis on valuing the histories and resistance of Afro-descendant communities, especially quilombolas. One of the pillars driving our mission is the strategic partnership with The Slave Wrecks Project (SWP), which has broadened our perspectives and strengthened fieldwork initiatives. This collaboration has been fundamental to the development of the Camargo Project, establishing itself as an essential ally since the beginning of the archaeological research in 2021.
The Camargo Project investigates the remains of the slave brig Camargo, deliberately sunk in 1852 in the Bay of Angra dos Reis, shortly after disembarking more than 500 enslaved Africans brought from Mozambique. Connected to the actions of Captain Nathaniel Gordon, the only ship commander in the United States to be convicted and executed for human trafficking, the project seeks to recover memories and foster deep reflections on the impacts of the Atlantic trade and the African diaspora. By combining archaeology with oral accounts and the active participation of the Quilombo Santa Rita do Bracuí, we transform material remains into instruments of empowerment and historical reparation. Aligned with the values of the SWP, this synergy strengthens our joint actions and expands the reach of research and community engagement.
Thanks to this partnership, our researchers had the opportunity to take part in highly relevant international archaeological expeditions. During the campaigns carried out on Mozambique Island – in July/August 2023, January 2024, and July/August 2024 – the AfrOrigens team joined groups of specialists from different parts of the world to investigate the IDM013 shipwreck. Coordinated by the Center for Archaeology, Research, and Resources of Mozambique Island (CAIRIM) at Eduardo Mondlane University – a member of the SWP network – this exchange enabled the application of cutting-edge methodologies in archaeological documentation and deepened the debate on underwater heritage and the memory of the African diaspora, strengthening our decolonial approach and collaborative ties with the communities involved.
Another milestone of this partnership took place between June 8 and 20, 2024, on Gorée Island in Dakar, Senegal, during the second module of the SWP Academy, a training course in Maritime Archaeology. On that occasion, archaeologist Gilson Rambelli, from the Federal University of Sergipe and the AfrOrigens Institute, joined the faculty of the course, held in collaboration with URICA at Cheikh Anta Diop University. This space was fundamental for the training of new professionals and for the exchange of experiences that enrich both academic research and archaeological field practice.
The synergy between the AfrOrigens Institute, the SWP, and the partners of the Camargo Project reaffirms our commitment to social justice, historical reparation, and the strengthening of quilombola communities. Each expedition, each class, and each collaborative action brings us closer to the purpose of transforming archaeological sites into instruments of living memory and resistance, ensuring that previously marginalized narratives are recognized and valued.
We invite you to follow our journey, a union of efforts, exchange of knowledge, and passion for history that translates into concrete actions to honor the legacy of Black communities and to build a fairer, more conscious, and more inclusive future.
