ऐतिहासिक महत्व का शहर जो आज FLIP की मेजबानी के लिए विश्व साहित्यिक प्रतीक बन गया है, समकालीन महान लेखकों को आकर्षित करता है और औपनिवेशिक और यात्री वृत्तांतों की स्मृति को जीवित रखता है।

Paraty: The Bookshelf City Where Official and Pirate Literature Sail Together

Paraty is a literary anomaly. Surrounded by mountains and sea, with stone streets that defy the passage of time, the city has, over five centuries, built an organic relationship with the word — first oral, of fishermen and caiçaras; then written, touristy, and finally, festivalized. Today, Paraty is the stage for one of the largest literary events in Latin America, the Paraty International Literary Festival (Flip). But, contradictorily, it is also the territory where independent literature most resists, organizes itself, and invents new forms of existence.

This article navigates these two faces: the tradition that emerged from Flip and the vibrant contemporary scene of pirate publishers, literary gatherings, and authors who publish without asking permission. Here, literature is not just in the paid stalls of Travessa — it is in the alleys, in the boats anchored in Perequê-Açu, and in the voices that recite poetry as an act of survival.

1. Roots and Tradition: When Flip Taught Paraty to Write

For centuries, Paraty was a city of told stories, not written ones. The oral tradition of fishermen, quilombolas, and caiçaras kept the region's memory alive, but books — that concrete object — were rare. The turning point came in 2003, with the creation of Flip. The assessment is from the municipality's then Secretary of Culture, Cristina Maseda: "Flip is a landmark in Paraty's history and in the city's cultural dynamics, as, besides promoting reading and equipping the city and schools with more libraries, it fostered local literary production."

Before Flip, according to Cristina, the city's tradition "went from orality to the concrete object, which is the book. Authors emerged, an independent publisher emerged, which publishes books by Paraty authors. This would have been unthinkable before Flip."

Off Flip Publishing House and the First Local Author

One of the most significant fruits of this process was the Selo Off Flip, created by Ovídio Poli Júnior. The idea was born in 2006, independently of Flip's official organization, as a literary award associated with the festival. In 2008, it was possible to launch the first anthology with the winning short stories and poems. "We started as a label, it wasn't intended to become a publishing house, it was to publish the winning texts of the Off Flip award," says Ovídio. "We published the first anthology and decided to publish a book by a local author, Flávio de Araújo. Thus, the label was born, and in 2009, we started publishing other authors."

Flávio de Araújo, from a fishing family from Praia do Sono, had been writing even before the first edition of Flip, but he worked as a delivery driver and felt excluded from the festival happening "in my backyard." "I started writing for a local newspaper, without hope of publishing a book. The biggest literary festival in Latin America happening in my backyard and me not participating was very frustrating," he confessed.

After launching "Zangareio" — Off Flip's first book — Flávio had the opportunity to participate in literary events in other states and countries. For him, the publication was more than a personal achievement: it was an act of preserving Paraty's oral tradition. "We are in a tourist city, influenced by various movements, and tourism leaves a legacy that is sometimes good, sometimes bad. The city was losing its orality, and I think I contributed in some way to preserving, reinforcing these roots."

This is Paraty's paradoxical tradition: a globalized festival that, ironically, taught the city to value its own local voice.

2. The Contemporary Scene: Flip, FLIPEI, and Pirate Resistance

If Flip opened the doors to literature in Paraty, it was the reaction to it that created the city's most vibrant and authentic scene. Flip's main antagonist — and complement — is FLIPEI – Festa Literária Pirata das Editoras Independentes (Pirate Literary Festival of Independent Publishers).

Created by Autonomia Literária and Rizoma Livros, FLIPEI emerged as a convergence point for intense debates, slams, shows, and daring launches, happening simultaneously with Flip and challenging its commercial logic.

Why "Pirate"?

The name is not gratuitous. Inspired by Peter Lamborn Wilson's book "Pirate Utopias", organizers Caue Seigner Ameni and Rafael Limongeli explain: pirates were the first experiences of occupying the means of production at the emergence of capitalism. "Pirating is synonymous with occupying the means and resisting monopolies. Pirates cultivated secret islands where celebration and freedom were the rule. We also act against the monopolies of old mega-bookstores or online platforms that want to colonize Mars while destroying our planet."

FLIPEI has already held activities on a pirate ship, in a book bus, and in a "pirate village" on Praia do Pontal, always with free admission and a program that includes names like Silvia Federici, KL Jay, Rita Von Hunty, Don L, Ailton Krenak, Conceição Evaristo, and Djamila Ribeiro.

In 2019, FLIPEI staged one of the most emblematic episodes of political resistance in Paraty's recent history. When journalist Glenn Greenwald was invited to a panel, the city's right-wing threatened him with death and set up a "toll" at the city's entrance to prevent his entry. "The left-wing of Paraty, along with the FLIPEI audience, self-organized to defend our collective territory," say the organizers. "On the right side of the Perequê-Açu River, the right-wing played the national anthem on distorted speakers. On the left side, more than 5,000 people gathered, built barricades on the access bridge, and we arranged a secret network to get our guest to our boat via a caiçara speedboat."

Casa Gueto: The Meeting of Independent Publishers

Besides FLIPEI, another fundamental space for the independent literary scene in Paraty is Casa Gueto. Located at Rua Benedito Telmo Coupê, 277, in the Historic Center, Casa Gueto is one of Flip's partner houses and integrates the parallel programming, bringing together independent publishers from all over the country.

The name is a tribute to writer and publisher Rodrigo Novaes de Almeida, co-editor of Revista Gueto, who passed away in 2022. The subtitle — "The center of the world is everywhere / The world is what is seen from where one is" — recalls geographer Milton Santos and affirms the House's commitment to plurality and accessibility.

In 2022, Casa Gueto hosted 13 independent publishers: Aboio, Bambual, Editacuja, Feminas, Kotter, MoMa, Mondru, Patuá, Primata, Quase Oito, Reformatório, Rizoma, and Urutau. In 2023, the space hosted 25 publishers, consolidating itself as one of the main meeting points for marginal and independent literature during Flip.

The Independent Authors Who Drive Paraty

Paraty's contemporary scene is not limited to spaces — it is made by people. Below are some of the independent authors who have been present at Flip and FLIPEI in recent years.

Victor P. Viana: The Journalist of Poetic Grotesque

Victor P. Viana is a journalist, writer, and researcher. Born in Itaboraí, raised in Cachoeiras de Macacu, and living in Armação dos Búzios since 2005. At FLIP 2025, he launched "O homem que vomitava sapos" (The Man Who Vomited Frogs), published by Sophia Editora.

The work is a collection of texts that move between the real and the fantastic, with a strong influence from the daily life of the interior of Rio de Janeiro. It includes short stories, chronicles, and articles, many of them previously published in the satirical newspaper "O Perú Molhado" (The Wet Turkey), which circulated for decades in Búzios. The author states that not all texts are fictional: "There are real accounts — interviews and reports I wrote as a journalist — but in a literary style that I developed over time."

The work explores the power of the everyday gaze and its distortions. In the short story "O saco de bosta" (The Bag of Shit), scatological humor transforms into social criticism. The title story is based on the metaphor of "swallowing frogs" to present a character who, after years of silence, begins to expel his anguishes in public in a surprising way. Many of the settings are inspired by cities in the Região dos Lagos. "This region is my sertão," says Victor.

Victor is also the author of "A criança debaixo do guarda-chuva" (The Child Under the Umbrella) (2021), a poetic narrative with non-sexist writing aimed at young readers.

Rodrigo Cabral: Publisher, Poet of the Refinery

Rodrigo Cabral is a journalist, publisher, and writer, founder of Sophia Editora. In November 2023, he won third place at the Lisbon Poetry Festival. At FLIP 2024, he debuted at the festival with his first poetry book, "refinaria" (refinery) (Sophia Editora, 120 pages).

The book consists of poems that dialogue with the transformations of the landscape of the Região dos Lagos and the author's affective memory. "I heard what these scenarios said about my memories, always blurred and fragmented," says Rodrigo. The century-old fig tree from the author's childhood becomes an inspiration as one of the few elements that remain amidst what is transforming.

The poems move between themes such as the author's relationship with his father, the local landscape (especially the Araruama Lagoon), and the internal dynamics of memory. "The book also deals with writing itself, the text constantly revised, redone, and reread, in a continuous process of seeking meaning," reveals the writer. The work also references the geological formation of the pre-salt layer and draws parallels with the history of sugarcane in Campos dos Goytacazes, the author's hometown.

In addition to the launch, Rodrigo Cabral participated in the panel discussion "Territory and literary creation: where writing begins" at Casa Gueto, alongside Itamar Camilo (Garoupa), Luigi Ricciardi (Madreperola), Marta Cortezão (TAUP), Adriana Antunes (Libertinagem), Leandro Miranda (SOPHIA), and Kim Wicks (Laboriosa).

Paulo Emílio Azevedo: The Macaense Who Writes the Body

Paulo Emílio Azevedo is a professor, Master in Social Policies, PhD candidate in Social Sciences, choreographer, and writer. He received the "Rumos Educação, Cultura e Arte" award in 2008 from the Itaú Cultural Institute, being the only educator from the entire state of Rio to receive it.

At the 16th edition of Flip (2018), he launched his 13th book, "Depois do Silêncio: uma obra-prima de amor ou ódio" (After the Silence: a masterpiece of love or hate), with graphic design by Jorge Pereira (Philos), illustration by Filipe Itagiba, and preface by Isloany Machado. The work was launched at Casa Philos, in Paraty.

In the preface, Isloany Machado writes: "Paulo's metaphorical writing touches our bodies, hurts our skin, which is the deepest. And I confess that I don't trust any literature that doesn't touch the body."

According to the author, the book "stages a body and a character that are modified through different strategies of contact. More than that, it tensions a circulation of 'fumes' and 'drafts' of how these dialogues and forces could and can be reflected in the field of Education and Art."

During Flip, Paulo Azevedo also participated in the debate panel "The city as a work of art", alongside poets Max Medeiros and Slow DaBF, who promoted the 4th edition of the Tagarela project — known as "the biggest slam in the world."

Renato Fulgoni: The Children's Author Who Conquered Flip

Renato Fulgoni is a writer and publisher of Aldeia Editora (based in São Pedro da Aldeia, with a strong presence in Casimiro de Abreu and the region). At FLIP 2024, he was one of the attractions of the "Entre Poemas e Canções" (Between Poems and Songs) literary gathering of the Academia de Letras e Artes de Cabo Frio (ALACAF), held at Casa do Conhecimento.

Renato presented his newest children's book, "O Vira-lata Caramelo" (The Caramel Mutt), a work that promises to enchant readers of all ages with lessons about love and loyalty. He also recited his own poems during the gathering.

For Fulgoni, being present at Flip was a milestone in his career. He compared the experience of participating in the literary festival to that of an athlete at the Olympics, highlighting the magnitude and prestige of the event. "I am very happy for the opportunity to be here with the academics from ALACAF and to share this remarkable moment," he declared.

In addition to Renato Fulgoni, other ALACAF academics were present at Flip 2024: president Jaqueline Brum (with her experience in literary production), Isac Machado, Flavio Machado, and Luciane Quintanilha (with her poetic sensitivity).

The Independent Publishers Who Keep the Wheel Turning

In addition to the authors, Paraty's literary scene is driven by publishers who bet on marginal literature and the circulation of voices outside the mainstream. Notable among them are:

• Rodrigo Cabral (Sophia Editora): Besides being a poet, he is the publisher who has brought authors from the Região dos Lagos to Flip. At FLIP 2023, Sophia Editora launched "Rauai – o patrão do Polígono da Maconha" (Rauai – the boss of the Marijuana Polygon) by Katyuscia Brito, and "Terra, céu e mar – poemas e linhas" (Earth, Sky, and Sea – poems and lines) by Ivo Barreto, at Casa Gueto. Sophia's catalog also includes works of historical scope, such as "Revolta do cachimbo – a luta pela terra no quilombo da Caveira" (The Pipe Revolt – the struggle for land in the Caveira quilombo) and "O primeiro indígena universitário do Brasil – Dr. José Peixoto Ypiranga dos Guaranys" (The first indigenous university student in Brazil – Dr. José Peixoto Ypiranga dos Guaranys).

• Ovídio Poli Júnior (Off Flip): The creator of the label that published Flávio de Araújo and opened doors for local literary production remains active, ensuring that the Off Flip tradition continues as a window for the city's authors.

• Autonomia Literária and Rizoma Livros: The publishers who founded FLIPEI and keep political and social debate alive through literature.

The Friction with Official Flip: When the Periphery Complains

Not everything is rosy in the relationship between the independents and the official Flip. In 2024, a public dispute exposed the tensions. Independent publishers who bought spaces to sell their books were surprised to discover that their stalls would be in a location further away than agreed upon — it required crossing the bridge leaving the historic center, turning right, passing the Areal Stage, and still crossing an area with merchants.

"We discovered the change when we arrived. It was a shock," said João Varella, from Lote 42. "We sold 20% less than in 2022, when we occupied the space that is now the Areal. However, this year, we invested more in decoration, so the result is 40% worse."

The first to raise the alarm was publisher Chris Fuscaldo, from Garota FM Books: "The map sent this week only shows the area for publishers, but it doesn't show that this area is the very end of Flip, and that after us, not even Flipei is there anymore. I don't think it's fair at all to charge us for this location."

Flip responded in a statement: "Dialogue with multiple actors has always been fundamental in the construction of Flip. For over 20 years, Flip has produced architectures of intermediate temporality." The conflict, however, exposes the ambiguous relationship between the festival and the independent scene: while Flip needs the independents to oxygenate its programming, it treats them as supporting actors in its own territory.

3. Themes and Works: What is Written in Paraty

The contemporary literary production associated with Paraty — whether by local authors or independent publishers using the city as a showcase — reveals a rich and diverse thematic spectrum. Far from a single theme, what is seen is a dialogue between the local and the universal, between memory and political urgency.

The Memory of the Territory and the Transforming Landscape

One of the central axes of current production is the relationship between writing and place. Authors like Rodrigo Cabral and Victor P. Viana use the landscape of the Região dos Lagos and the North Fluminense as their raw material.

In "refinaria" (Rodrigo Cabral), the poems dialogue with the Araruama Lagoon (the world's largest hypersaline lagoon), the century-old fig tree of childhood, and the pre-salt layer. The book is a meditation on what remains and what transforms in the territory — and in the author's own memory.

Victor P. Viana, in turn, states that the Região dos Lagos "is my sertão." In "O homem que vomitava sapos", the settings of Cabo Frio and Búzios are recreated under a grotesque and surrealist lens, deforming reality to extract a deeper truth from it.

The Body, Pain, and Performance

Paulo Emílio Azevedo brings to Paraty's scene a literature that is, above all, corporeal. "Depois do Silêncio" is described by its preface writer as a work that "touches the body, hurts the skin." The author, who is also a choreographer, moves between dance and writing, and his work reflects this hybridity. The book stages "a body and a character" that are modified, exploring the "totalitarian violences" and the "creative energies" that emerge from them.

This theme directly dialogues with the scene of slams and performative poetry that FLIPEI helped consolidate in Paraty. Tagarela, Paulo Azevedo's project, is described as "the biggest slam in the world" and occupies Flip's streets with poetry recited aloud.

Scatological Humor as Social Criticism

One of the most original strands of recent production is the use of grotesque and scatological humor as a tool for social criticism. Victor P. Viana, in the short story "O saco de bosta", transforms the scatological into an analysis of social relations. The book's title — "O homem que vomitava sapos" — starts from the popular metaphor of "swallowing frogs" (staying silent in the face of injustice) and subverts it: the character, after years of silence, begins to expel his anguishes in public in a literally grotesque way.

Children's Literature with Social Consciousness

Renato Fulgoni, with "O Vira-lata Caramelo", represents engaged children's literature. The "caramel mutt" — Brazil's unofficial symbol — is the protagonist of a narrative about love and loyalty, but also about belonging and acceptance. The choice of the symbol animal of Brazilian culture as the protagonist is, in itself, a political statement about valuing what is local and popular.

Historical and Resistance Literature

Sophia Editora's catalog includes works of historical scope that rescue erased or silenced memories: "Revolta do cachimbo – a luta pela terra no quilombo da Caveira" and "O primeiro indígena universitário do Brasil – Dr. José Peixoto Ypiranga dos Guaranys" are examples of how independent literature is also a tool for historical reparation.

4. Conclusion: A Bookshelf City with Two Ends

Paraty is, today, a bookshelf city. On one side, the official Flip — with its Travessa bookstore paying hundreds of thousands of reais for the right to sell books in the historic center, with its corporate sponsorships and its curation of renowned names. On the other, FLIPEI, Casa Gueto, and the legion of independent publishers and authors who occupy the margins — geographical and symbolic — of the festival.

This duality is not a weakness. It is Paraty's strength. Because it is precisely in the friction between the official and the pirate, between the commercial and the marginal, that literature reinvents itself. Flávio de Araújo, the delivery driver who became a writer published by Off Flip, summarized this potential: "We are in a tourist city, influenced by various movements, and tourism leaves a legacy that is sometimes good, sometimes bad. The city was losing its orality, and I think I contributed in some way to preserving, reinforcing these roots."

Literature in Paraty is not just in the books displayed in the paid stalls. It is in the verses recited on the pirate boat anchored in Perequê-Açu, in the publishers who refuse to pay R$ 3,000 for a stall on the periphery of the event, in the bodies that dance while poetizing, and in the frogs that are finally vomited after years of silence.

Let the next 20 years of Flip come. And let the pirates come too.

Sources consulted:
Folha dos Lagos, Conecta SC, Revista Fórum, Editacuja, Portal Viu, visiteparaty.tur.br, Foco Regional, Aldeia Editora, Vida Moderna, Folha de S.Paulo.