Women from three quilombola associations in Tocantins –
the Community Association of Artisans and Small Producers of Mateiros (ACAPPM), the Association of Artisans and Extractivists of the Village of Mumbuca and the Quilombo do Prata Association came together for the first time to create a series of sculptures made with golden grass and buriti palm.
"Jalapoeira Apurada" is the name of the new collection that features objects suspended by metal feet that reach up to six feet in height. The pieces carry memories and tell stories of ancestral knowledge passed down from generation to generation, referring to values such as collectivity, a sense of belonging and ancestry.
With the support of
WWF-Brazil, Instituto A Gente Transforma (IAGT) and
Central do Cerrado , the three associations engaged in a challenging creative process over the course of almost two years. "It was a wonderful project, very challenging at first because we were afraid we wouldn't be able to do it," recalls
Railane Ribeiro da Silva , president of the Mumbuca association. "The models that
Marcelo Rosenbaum suggested had never been made from golden grass, so we were afraid to take the risk." Once they put their fears aside, they understood what they were capable of and did it very well. "This project also provided a lot of unity among the three associations, a lot of strength and a lot of determination from all of us," she adds.
The idea was to use the same materials and techniques that the artisans already used on a daily basis, but on a larger scale to bring new products and find new markets. "During the immersion we did for this project, we understood that it was an exercise in listening, in bringing the protagonism of quilombola women and exalting this knowledge of manual work, which is an ancestral art. We sought to build an identity that was based on memories of golden grass and to motivate them to speak in this place as experts in this broad universe of art and resistance in the fight for their territory. The name itself,
Jalapoeira Apurada , created by them, refers to the claim for authorship of golden grass crafts and the pride of belonging to Jalapão. What we want to bring here is the strength of this union of women who work for the conservation of the Cerrado", emphasizes
Marcelo Rosenbaum, president of the A Gente Transforma Institute. "It has already been proven that traditional peoples and communities are the greatest protectors of natural environments ," explains
Ana Carolina Bauer, conservation analyst at WWF Brazil. "We want to draw attention to this
biome and show that valuing communities and traditional knowledge is essential for the conservation and maintenance of the
Cerrado . In addition to this collection, the project also includes guidance on correct fire management, training on pricing and support in the physical and administrative structuring of associations and their stores," concludes Bauer.
Luzia Passos Ribeiro, 35, president of the Quilombo do Prata Association , says that in her community, 90 families make a living from family farming and extractivism. "Few people here earn a salary, fishing pays very little, so the capim represented a different kind of work in terms of income," she says. Even without official title issued by the government, the Quilombo do Prata is currently under pressure from agribusiness, which is advancing in the region mainly with the monoculture of soybeans. "That's also why we need to keep this culture alive, to preserve our region, our home. Can you imagine Jalapão without the capim dourado? It doesn't exist," says Luzia.
Maria Aparecida Ribeiro de Sousa, president of Central do Cerrado and also an artisan from the Prata quilombo, celebrates the achievement. The Central, which has been supporting the three associations for 18 years, knows the importance of this collection.
"Capim dourado is not new, but now it arrives with a new look and brings new perspectives," she says. "Our expectation is that it will broaden the horizons of the associations, that it will increase the market for them. This is what helps to keep a culture alive. After all, the main guardians of the Cerrado are these women."
Service:
Launch: "Jalapoeira Apurada" Collection Where: Empório Design, December 7, 2023, 7:00 pm Orla 14, Parque Avenue QI 03 Lot 09 Graciosa, Palmas – Tocantins
