By Attilio Zolin
The quilombola peoples of Brazil have a great relationship with the nature around their territories and pass on their traditional and ancestral knowledge from generation to generation, which involves a rich and diverse culture. Second data from IBGE and the National Coordination of Quilombos Articulation (CONAQ), it is estimated that there are around 6 thousand quilombola locations in Brazil. Among these communities, only 5% are in officially recognized and demarcated territories. These communities suffer from the consequences of structural racism, invisibility and threats to their territories. Recently, difficulties have multiplied following the impacts caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, with the lack of access to public health services, economic difficulties and, consequently, food insecurity.
It was to support quilombola communities to face the difficulties brought about by the pandemic that the Casa Fund launched in 2021 the Call for Projects to Support Quilombola Communities in Coping with the Impacts Caused by Covid-19, focusing on the North and Northeast regions, where the majority of quilombola communities in Brazil are located. The call had a total value of R$1 million and supported 33 projects of up to R$30 thousand each. Economic sustainability, promoting food sovereignty and security, strengthening community resilience and defending rights in communities were the main themes supported in this call.
Almost a year after the opening of the call, despite not yet being finalized, many projects are already beginning to demonstrate interesting results, as is the case of Quilombo Gruta dos Brejões, an old quilombola community located north of the municipality of Morro do Chapéu, within the Apa Gruta dos Brejões, Caatinga region of the state of Bahia. The region suffers from prolonged droughts, which is why crops do not always produce as expected and many men in the community end up moving to other cities in search of work and some families experience difficulties. In the past, one of the ways to generate income was through the production of rapaduras on the mill, which were then transported over long distances to be sold or exchanged for other items.
For some time now, tourism has become an important source of income for the community. The Gruta dos Brejões, an incredible geological formation in the region, is attracting tourists and is already a viable economic activity, the activity generates income for the guides, the cooks and also with accommodation, providing work for almost everyone in the community. However, during the pandemic, tourism was completely paralyzed in the quilombo, even to protect the community from the virus. According to Anailde Pereira dos Santos, President of the Quilombola Association of Gruta dos Brejões, “the pandemic was a very difficult time, we asked tourists not to come, so it became very complicated and we looked for solutions to help the community, as there was no work no income, there was no way for us to survive, now it’s slowly improving.”
It was with a view to expanding her income generation capabilities that Anailde entered the Costura de Quilombo project in the Casa Fund call for projects. With a focus on benefiting mainly women in the community, the approved project is supporting the creation of a small atelier, where women are developing a clothing line inspired by Afro culture, generating income for their families and helping to promote their cultural identity.
In Pombal, Paraíba, around 800 kilometers from Morro do Chapéu, the Quilombo dos Rufinos community is also taking important steps towards financial sustainability. Just like Quilombo Gruta dos Brejões, the Rufinos are paving the way for a type of tourism that values traditional quilombola culture and also the environment.
The Quilombola dos Rufinos Association was founded in 2013 and aims to provide better living conditions for quilombolas. In total, 135 families are part of the quilombola community, but only 42 live within the territory. In 2020, with the pandemic, the community felt the impacts in different ways, Thiago Rufino tells us that “in addition to the human loss of three people who were members of the community, victims of this sad disease, the socio-economic impact was gigantic. The Os Rufino craft group suffered a significant reduction in the output of its artisanal products, directly impacting the profitability of artisans. Craft fairs, from Paraíba exhibitions to abroad, were suspended due to the pandemic, and it was not possible for artisans to participate in these opportune sales locations, due to closures due to COVID. Therefore, there was a reduction in financial returns for the group, directly impacting their subsistence income.”
In 2021, the Association registered its project Ethnic tourism and appreciation in the lands of the Quilombolas “Os Rufinos” in the Casa Fund call and the initiative was considered. According to Thiago, “the support was very important and it was the first award we received in public notices”. The objective of the project is to alleviate the impacts brought by Covid and also strengthen community tourism as a way of generating work and income.
In addition to the typical dishes, visitors will also be able to discover Casa do Barro and the artisanal pottery made in the community, an art passed down for at least three generations. The tourism project also includes training in afro hairstyles, a tradition that already existed within the community, but was dormant and is now being revived. Hairstyles, in addition to valuing culture, also increase the community's self-esteem.
The result of a project like this does not happen overnight, it is a slow process that needs its own time to happen. But it is an important initiative. Some families that had moved to nearby cities are now beginning to return to their traditional territory with new job prospects. Community tourism and clay pottery will be a good supplement of income for some people, but for others it will be the main source of income. The Association has a partnership with Sebrae and there are already tourism groups scheduled for July and August 2022. There are still challenges such as access to the community itself, which in times of flooding on the Piranhas River becomes isolated from the rest of the municipality, but little by little Things are changing and there is already a project for a new bridge. Thiago tells us that “the idea is that this project is not just something for now, but something for the future, that has long-term results”. We hope that this and other bridges between quilombola communities and a sustainable future are strong and lasting, and that good living becomes routine for future generations.
Alliance between Funds
This initiative was supported within the context of Alliance between Funds – arising from community mobilization for racial, social and environmental justice – proposes a new way of acting in the philanthropy ecosystem in Brazil, collaborative philanthropy for social justice.
Composed of Baobá Fund for Racial Equity, Brazil Fund for Human Rights and Casa Socioambiental Fund, the Alliance between Funds The goal is to promote greater direct resources for indigenous peoples, quilombola communities and other traditional peoples most vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Together, the Funds made an initial contribution of R$ 2.5 million, distributed in different notices, with three priority areas: 1) defense of rights; 2) community resilience and economic sustainability of families; and 3) food sovereignty of the least favored populations in facing the pandemic.
