Human history is especially full of dark stories of African slaves. We have heard many stories about slavery throughout history. The existence of slaves, whose personal rights and freedoms are not respected, who serve only their owners and are bought and sold like a commodity, constitutes one of the greatest shames in human history. An example in these shameful pages is Pata Seca.
The life of this figure lost among the dusty pages presents a bitter truth that men are also used as commodities, prompting deep thoughts not only about history but also about the inner strength and endurance of man.
Born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in the early 19th century, Ruque Jose Florencio was a slave of African descent.
Although his exact date of birth is unknown, young Florencio, who was subjected to the slavery system, or Pata Seca as his owners referred to him; Standing 2.18 meters tall and weighing an average of 150 kilos, he had an extraordinarily strong appearance with his athletic body structure and strong legs.
The name Pata Seca, which lies behind his magnificent appearance and was given to him, means “dry foot” in Portuguese, and according to legends, he got this name from his ability to walk in hot lands for hours without feeling pain.
Pata Seca, purchased in the So Carlos region by a wealthy landowner Francisco da Cunha Bueno, was responsible for daily agricultural work as well as the task of riding a horse and conveying the owner’s wishes to the city. Of course, she had many duties as a slave, but her most notable duty was to reproduce.
According to the common belief in Brazil, the children of tall and large men were physically strong like their fathers.
This belief served the need for intensive labor during the times of slavery. The owner’s goal was not only to have Pata Seca perform normal slave duties, but also to take advantage of her genes to breed healthy and strong slaves for him. Thus, the children born from Pata Seca would be able to become big and strong slaves like him.
Pata Seca, who was forced to have sexual intercourse with women every day upon the order of his owner, is known to be the father of exactly 249 children, according to records. Although it is not known how many women Pata Seca, who was better fed and had health checks than other slaves, had sex with, the number of children reveals how brutal sexual slavery was used.
This slavery practice, known as “slave breeding” in English, targeted people of African descent, especially in North and South America.
This surprising practice served only the landowner’s interests while reinforcing slavery. However, the fact that he protected his newborn children from slavery and raised them as ‘normal’ individuals was an important detail that did not go unnoticed.
The life of Pata Seca, who was born in Sao Paulo at the beginning of the 19th century, is an impressive story that sheds light on the dark periods in human history with her resistance and honorable stance to prevent her children from living a slave life like her.
This man, who was bought as a slave at a young age and used in accordance with his owner’s wishes, stands out as a father who tried to keep his children alive in African culture and provided them with education during this tragic period. It is also known that he did his best to protect his children from slavery, gave them training to keep African culture alive, and taught them reading, writing and self-defense. Pata Seca, who instilled her stance against slavery in her children, was honored with her children who took part in the uprisings to abolish slavery, even when she died. Today, we can access this information from his grandchildren.
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