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Marco Pierini
Marco Pierini, Rum Historian
WILLS , PROVISIONS AND STILLS
I came to the hypothesis of the Dutch / Brazilian origins of rum by thinking over what Richard Ligon wrote. Then I read extensively about the West Indies, sugar and rum and I also went on a study trip in Barbados looking for evidence. I have found many clues which corroborate my hypothesis, but not the final proof, what in crime stories they call the “smoking gun”. As I have already written, in order to find it it would be necessary to look at inventories, wills, purchasing deeds, account books, etc... of sugarcane plantations in Brazil under Dutch rule. But this is historical research for experts, beyond my possibilities.
Well, maybe I have found the first undisputed evidence.
Soon after the publication of the last article on my quest, I read “Liquid Fire. Alcohol, Identity and Social Hierarchy in Colonial Brazil ” by Prof. Joao Azevedo Fernandez. An interesting essay, well documented and well written, full of extremely useful information. I will quote just two excerpts:
“Although sugarcane had been established in Brazi l in the early 1530s …, it is unlikely that the production of aguardiente began in this era, because sources do not mention stills or any distilled beverages throughout the sixteenth century. The first concrete reference to the existence of stills comes from a 1611 Sao Paulo inventory and Will.”
“In 1636, the governor-general of Brazil, Pedro da Silva, released a provision prohibiting sugarcane aguardiente. This is a very interesting document because, among other reasons, it shows that the production of aguardiente was already commonplace, because ‘many stills’ existed…
”I was flabbergasted. At long last undisputed historical sources, facts, evidence, smoking guns.
The essay was mentioned to me by Prof. Frederick H. Smith, the author of “Caribbean Rum” which I reviewed a few months ago. I looked it up on the Internet. I found that Prof. Azevedo Fernandez is a well-known Brazilian historian and anthropologist, he studied at the University of Pernambuco and he teaches at the University of Paraiba. I couldn’t believe it! Full of expectations, I sent him an invitation on Facebook, he accepted it immediately. I found out more about him, his research projects, his intellectual curiosity. Delighted, I asked him to give me his email address so that we could share information properly. He sent it to me immediately. Right then I was in Miami for the Rum Festival, I intended to write to him as soon as I got back home.
A few days later, on connecting to Facebook I found a lot of messages concerning him. I don’t speak Portuguese, but it is a neo-Latin language, so with some effort I manage to read it, more or less. At first I thought it was a joke in bad taste, then, unfortunately, I had to resign myself: Joao Azevedo Fernandez had died. In his early 50s, he had been struck down by a heart attack, early in the morning, at home. He is survived by his wife and, I believe, two children.
Two months have passed. Only now am I able to write about it. In front of the grief of his family and the people who knew him, my own feelings are of course of no importance. But I have a feeling of emptiness inside, a regret for a meeting that hasn’t happened and will never happen.
-This article was written by Mr. Marco Pierini, The Rum Historian for "Got Rum?" magazine-