The Knife

The knife that the rebels continually talk about in “Song for Almeyda” symbolizes their ongoing struggle for survival. When Anninho is speaking lovingly of his wife, the other members of the quilombo tell him they need knives to cut the bread, not love songs. In a society that devalues their lives and attempts to eradicate their sovereignty, love, and other tender emotions are considered frivolous.

Honey

In “Song for Almeyda”, the author utilizes honey as a symbol for freedom. Afranio tells Anninho that he does not believe in the hierarchies of freedom because like honey, all freedom is sweet. The author utilizes this moment to inspect the universality of freedom and assert that liberty is inherent to the individual. When both the Portuguese and the Palmaristas rank the validity of freedom, they undermine the intrinsic autonomy of the individual.

Ioio

Ioio serves as a symbol...