Quilombola Communities Ethnocultural Rescue Program

The Quilombola Basic Environmental Plan (PBA-Q) included 14 programs validated by Fundação Cultural Palmares. They were to be carried out in three quilombola communities affected by the Carmelita potassium mine in Sergipe. Among them was the Program for Ethnocultural Rescue and Valuing the Identity and Cultural Practices of Quilombola Communities, carried out by Synergia.

The applied methodology involved cultural rescue actions such as:

• Technical support for the elaboration of a booklet telling about the arts, folklore and culture of each community;
• Donation of an audiovisual equipment kits for the production of documentary about local culture, prepared by the communities, aiming at its valorization and perpetuation;
• Promotion of experiences such as parties and creation of spoken maps;
• Support for diverse cultural events, all widely registered and shared in the community.

The residents’ routines were recorded for months, in a process of rescue and appreciation of quilombola culture. The set of materials was organized in print and audiovisual edition, called Fios da Memória, which had a great impact on the community and consolidated itself as a reference of quilombola culture in Sergipe.

In order to carry out the Program, an immersion in the culture and daily life of the community was necessary. Paula Raquel Bezerra Rafael, project coordinator at Synergia, points out that “PBA has brought this qualitative leap in self-recognition as a quilombo, as a quilombola, and in its appreciation as a black population with cultures and customs of African origin. Communities have participated intensively in all actions that are established in the community.”

Applied resources