"Captain" Virgulino Ferreira da Silva, better known as Lampião, was probably the twentieth century's most successful traditional bandit leader. The banditry endemic to the Northeast of Brazil, called Cangaço, had origins in the late 19th century but was particularly prevalent in the 1920s and 1930s.
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Photos 8
Lampião was in the habit of reading newspapers, including O Globo.
Lampião and some of his cangaceiros. Lampião is left of centre, to his left is Maria Bonita. The distinctive leather hats with upturned brims and leather clothes can be seen. The men have Mauser rifles, a great deal of ammunition and several have long peixeira knives thrust though their waist-belts.
Cinematographer Benjamin Abrahão Botto, left, with Maria Bonita and Lampião.
The severed heads of Lampião's band exposed before the State Forensic Institute. On the lowest level, the head of Lampião, immediately above is that of Maria Bonita, to the right of her head that of Luis Pedro
Lampião's band, plus 4 prisoners (taken to extort ransoms), photographed in Limoeiro soon after their attack on the town of Mossoró in 1927 - Lampião (No. 5) is flanked by his brother Ezequiel and his faithful lieutenant Luis Pedro
Dadá and Corisco
Lampião, recent sculptureIn their orbit 1
About this person
"Captain" Virgulino Ferreira da Silva, better known as Lampião, was probably the twentieth century's most successful traditional bandit leader. The banditry endemic to the Northeast of Brazil, called Cangaço, had origins in the late 19th century but was particularly prevalent in the 1920s and 1930s. Lampião led a band of up to 100 cangaceiros, who occasionally took over small towns and who fought a number of successful actions against paramilitary police when heavily outnumbered. Lampião's exploits and reputation turned him into a folk hero, the Brazilian equivalent of Jesse James or Pancho Villa. His image, as well as that of his partner Maria Bonita, can be seen across the entirety of the Northeast of Brazil.
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