Indigenous and Calon: from the coast to the backlands

This year, Shine a Light is supporting a series of initiatives to promote dialogue and encounter among groups that would otherwise be segregated by the real and imaginary walls that divide our world. One of the most interesting is an exchange between Potiguara and Calon (sometimes called gypsy) women in the state of Paraiba. Îasypytã Potiguara, who proposed it, describes the exchange this way:

“The idea of ​​developing a cultural exchange between indigenous women and Roma women arose during a brief period I spent in a Roma community. During my stay, I was able to learn a little about their realities and notice similarities with my indigenous culture, such as the use of medicinal plants, humanized childbirth, and the production of handicrafts.

However, I also noticed that, although some knowledge is similar between the two peoples, the situation of the Roma people in Paraíba is more neglected. Even though they are very receptive and try to develop activities in their ranches, ethnic prejudice on the part of some residents of the city where they live prevents their cultural riches from being known and valued. A municipality that houses the largest Roma community in Latin America is the same municipality that values ​​dinosaur footprints more, creatures that are already extinct.

I was driven by indignation at the devaluation of what is alive, and by witnessing the desire of Gypsy women to find work, but whose resumes are always discarded when employers read their addresses and realize their origins, that I had the idea of ​​bringing Indigenous women to the Gypsy community to promote a day of Ancestral Experiences, geared towards female entrepreneurship. This exchange, which will be publicized and broadcast on social media, aims to draw the attention (in a cultural and peaceful way) of the authorities to the Gypsy community of Sousa - PB.

We held a day of sharing knowledge and expertise in herbal remedies and handicrafts. Indigenous women who already make a living from handicrafts and forest medicines will teach Gypsy women strategies for the production and marketing of their products. It will be the coast watering the Sertão. Women from the Atlantic Forest meeting the Caatinga. Our ultimate goal is to empower Roma women towards female entrepreneurship and build pathways that draw attention to the reality of the Roma people, aiming to break down stereotypes that affect these communities.”