Vandria's visit & 2 Cultural Centers

Visit of Vandria Borari in Mönchengladbach

A visit of Vandria Borari and 2 projects with indigenous people in the Amazon

Vandria Borari in Mönchengladbach

Vandria Borari is a Brazilian activist, ceramic artist and lawyer. In October 2021 we were finally able to welcome her to Mönchengladbach. We were all very excited and immediately took her to our hearts.

Vandria and members of S'BRENT

For 2 days we talked about the Amazon, indigenous art and culture and about 2 projects that we wanted to carry out together with the Borari and Tupinamba - under the umbrella of CITA (Conselho Indigena Tapajos Arapiuns).
Here the slides from Vandria:

Slides from Vandria's lecture - source

Our video message to our Indigenous friends.

During the Brasilia 2021 demonstrations, we sent a video message to our friends, letting them know we stand by their side and have our hearts with them. But also to draw attention to the situation of the indigenous people in the Amazon. A call to the people here.

2 projects with Indigenous people in the Amazon

1st project – ‘Archaeology and Borari Identity’  aims to revive local traditional knowledge and strengthen Borari identity.

The Sister Dorothy Mae Stang Elementary School is located on an excavation site. By preserving this archaeological site of Makukawa, the students can learn about the history of the city, the indigenous people of the lower Tapajós, and the Borari people in particular. Preserving an archaeological site means preserving the memory of a human civilization and a historical legacy. The discoveries of ceramic artefacts in this area show the way the indigenous people lived in society. In 2019, a knowledge fair was held at the school with pottery workshops, an exhibition of artefacts and Tapajonic pottery pieces to reinforce the idea of ​​indigenous identity through archaeology. The students received practical knowledge about the production of the utensils and the graphics drawn on them. - The artefacts found at the archaeological site are drawn by the students and reproduced in clay. The workshops are given by invited ceramic masters. In addition, students gain knowledge of the materials used in the manufacture of ceramics and handicrafts in general, and of preserving the soil and environment from which the raw material comes.
What do they need?

• A permanent place for the ceramic workshops
• A kiln to fire the finished pieces
• A mini-museum to store and display the pieces found on this site and the ones made by teh students

The space dedicated to the workshops and the mini-museum in the school are of great importance for the Borari territory because it strengthens the memory of their ancestors, told in stories and studies through archeology.

2nd project - 'Ecological educational trips with indigenous guides in the Amazon region'

Through such ecological educational tours, people can learn more about the sacred sites and the life of the indigenous people and immerse themselves deeply in the wonderful nature of the rainforest. But in order to be able to plan such a comprehensive, ingenious project, the villages of the Borari and Tupinamba first need community centers as consultation rooms and cultural centers. This is a prerequisite for being able to plan large projects together.

2 cultural centers for the Borari

It soon became clear that building cultural centers for 4 Borari village communities would be a necessary prerequisite for all further projects. Such community centers serve as meeting and counseling places, healing centers and places for the development of indigenous culture.

CONSTRUCTION OF CULTURAL CENTERS - A project of ProAmazonia, that we want to support with S'BRENT.
https://www.proamazonia.de/projekte
Community Centers are to be built in two Borari villages in 2022. Both villages do not yet have a suitable meeting place and will use the centers to discuss and organize their work, actions, etc. and guests should also be able to be received here. Furthermore, they serve as health centers for the indigenous people as well as cultural centers in which the indigenous culture and language is lived and taught.
The building materials are financed by ProAmazonia. The construction is implemented through traditional community work, so-called puxiruns, and thus also contributes to strengthening the Borari community.

We want to support these projects because we want to build a world together in which people can develop in their own protected culture and environment and at the same time live together as citizens of the world in mutual respect and loving care and responsibility for one another.