Danita grew up in the favelas -- the infamous Brazilian urban slums. She was warm, friendly and raucous and had ambitions to be a professional singer. She laughed and swore constantly and when I met her, she immediately showed me her new "navel piercing," which she had done herself by buying a syringe from the local drugstore and piercing herself with the aid of some ice. The syringe, of course, was still poking out of her navel. A few days later I took her to a local piercing and tattooing shop and bought her a proper piece of navel jewelry, for 20 reais [$17.00] -- not that much for an American but a huge expense for her. [She was amazed when I told her that the minimum wage in the United States was ten times that of Brazil and more than the cost of renting a room in an apartment.] Recently she formed her own band -- Krypdanita, of course.