News
Project supports crafts as a source of income for Indians - 04.26.05
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Crafts are a strong source of income for almost all of the 280 Pataxó Indian families who live in the Barra Velha village in Porto Seguro. This activity helps to sustain the nearly 2,500 residents of the locale, according to the head of the National Indian Foundation (FUNAI) post, Marcos Braz Alves. "Handicrafts are being made in every house, art that is taught to the children by the elders," confirmed the president of the local indigenous association, Cosme Braz dos Santos, known as Txuí Pataxó.
In a partnership between Veracel and Sebrae, the Barra Velha indigenous population built a native Atlantic Forest species seedlings nursery. Tree seedlings such as a jequitibá, pau-brasil and jacaranda are being grown there, to be used in the future for seeds and fibers for the Indians’ artisan works. "The seedling nursery will help recover the native forest and benefit the production of the handicrafts," said Txuí.
"For now, we have to search wider and wider to find the seeds and fibers needed for our necklaces and bracelets, because they don’t exist in the quantities we need," said crafts artist Rita Alves, whose Indian name is Orikana Pataxó and who lives in the village with her 10 children and three grandchildren. The Barra Velha village chief, Arural Pataxó, noted that his people practically do not hunt or grow crops, dedicating themselves more to handicrafts and fishing. "Veracel’s support has come at a good time because our people are having difficulty in finding resources for survival," he said.