Fazenda Mandacarú - Pau d'Óleo - Montes Claros Minas Gerais Brazil
Capoeira, music and percussion workshops with Mestre Marreta, Mestre Russo and Mestre Requeijão Building an ecological mud house on Fazenda Mandacarú. Workshops and activities around nature, food and water (Éta-nós project). Swimming, hiking, horse riding, fishing, having fun!
Farmer João drives his truck filled with boxes of tomatoes to the market in the city. He is happy to be able to sell his harvest, he and his family worked so hard! Three days ago a box of tomatoes was worth 28 reais (around 12,50 euros) a box. Today the merchand tells he will pay only 3,50 reais (1,50 euros). João takes his tomatoes back to his farm and throws them away. Then he burns all the tomatoe plants. João does not exist, but this is a real story of a farmer in the North of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The harsh reality of the small farmers, who depend on the waves of the food market. The results: poor farmers, wasted food and misery. In the Éta-nós project we try to help those farmers in a practical, simple way. Marreta is building a Sweet house - Casa de Doce - to be able to turn perishable fruits into tenable jams and sweets. In the Flour house - Casa de Farinha - the farmer community of the Pau d'Óleo district can toast and grind their manioc to make a product that they can keep for a long time and sell for a good price. In the meantime our goal is to create awareness for the preservation of water and nature and cherish collaboration in the community. Support Éta-nós: their world is our world
Ecological farm
Our Fazenda Mandacarú is an ecological farm, with respect for the original vegetation. Since 2003 step by step the farm has started working on a small scale with cattle, horses, poultry and other live stock and fruit plantations. Of course, all food and materials are 100% non-toxic and natural.
Guests at the Fazenda are more than welcome to take a look at the farming activities. You might even be invited to help out for a day at the land, which will often be rewarded with an unforgettable barbecue, Brazilian style...
Project Impurrão - 'Push in the back'
In 2007 and 2008, together with the municipality of Montes Claros several special courses were organized with financial support of Kindermissionswerk Die Sternsinger from Germany (www.sternsinger.org)
Apart from the regular capoeira classes, children learned to make music instruments, decorative objects with recycled material, clothes, they learned the silk screen technique. There was also a regular percussion class. The women of the neighbourhood were invited to join the hair dressers course. Unfortunately the elections of a new city council in November 2008 put everything on hold, hopefully the Prefeitura of Montes Claros wants to continue working with us on this very nice project. Watch the short video impression ”A day at Escola de Capoeira".
Guests at the Fazenda are more than welcome to take a look at the farming activities. You might even be invited to help out for a day at the land, which will often be rewarded with an unforgettable barbecue, Brazilian style...