Once Upon a Hill in Maine

On July 16 on Paris Hill, internationally acclaimed storyteller Antonio Rocha will present the story of Pedro Tovookan Parris, an East African who was enslaved and taken to Brazil on a ship from Maine - and ended up finding his way to Paris Hill to live after being granted his freedom.

Earlier this year Rocha performed another of his works, "The Malaga Ship Story," in South Portland. Rocha sang, narrated and mimed his way through that story, which has a similar theme on the transatlantic slave trade to the Americas. The ship was built in Brunswick, Maine, and went to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1845.

Rocha has a deep personal connection to the history. He was raised in Rio de Janeiro in a biracial household.

He now lives in Maine.

"I came across Pedro’s story while researching the Malaga ship story," Rocha said. "It is in a PhD dissertation by Maine scholar Kate McMahon. Her research and support is key in my work."

Last fall Rocha came to Paris Hill and was able to find Pedro's grave. He has been working since to prepare a performance based on Pedro's story, to be performed for the first time at the First Baptist Church of Paris.

Rocha describes "Once Upon a Hill in Maine: The Pedro Tovookan Parris Story," as "a story of resilience, courage and freedom. Pedro Tovookan Parris was born in East Africa, and found his way to Maine after being enslaved as a child and transported to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil as a servant on a ship from Maine captained by Cyrus Libby of Scarborough. What followed after he was granted his freedom by American Consul George William Gordon in Rio is nothing short of a fantastical saga."

Like the Malaga performance, Rocha will sing, narrate, and mime the poetically-toned historical tale, at times adding his own perspective as an immigrant from Brazil with African roots himself.

Rocha also noted the ties that bring him and Pedro together on Paris Hill.

"Pedro is buried only a few miles from The Celebration Barn, where I went to study under Tony Montanaro in 1988," he said. "Little did I know about this then. Pedro also had a brother called Antonio. I feel in my heart I came to Maine to tell his story."

The Baptist Church is located on Paris Hill at 500 Paris Hill Road. The July 16 performance begins at 7 p.m. and is open to the public at no charge (donations are accepted). 

It is being presented in cooperation with the Paris Cape Historical Society and the Paris Hill Historic Preservation Foundation.