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A quilombo (from a Kimbundu word) is a hinterland settlement originally created by runaway slaves in Brazil and sometimes included a minority of marginalised Portuguese and other non-black, non-slave Brazilians. Some of these settlements were quite near Portuguese settlements and quite active both in defending against capitães do mato commissioned to recapture slaves and in facilitating the escape of even more slaves, and thus were actively fought by the Portuguese and, later, by the Brazilian state and slaveowners. Although, quilombos that were further from the Portuguese settlements and the later Brazilian cities were effectively tolerated and still exist, to the point of having their own African- Portuguese creole languages.The most famous of the quilombos was Palmares and was lead by the legendary hero Zumbi, who eventually died defending it.
In American Spanish, the word has taken the meanings of " brothel", "mess" and " boondocks".
See also
palenque - the equivalent settlements in Spanish America
Brazil
Portuguese language
