Odera Abajue, Political Science and Public Administration, 3rd year
Country of fieldwork: Brazil
Local NGO: ASMOBAN and Floresta Viva
In my time in Serra Grande, Brazil, I have learned more about the forest and living compatibly with the environment than I could have ever predicted. In such a small community surrounded by so much nature, the connection between the people and the forest has been beautiful not only to observe, but also to take part in. It has been amazing to learn about so many unique plants and their uses, whether for their nutritional or medicinal properties. I have eaten way more fruits straight from the tree in these 3 months than I have in the rest of my life combined. Connecting with the forest in this way has been an experience that I will cherish for the rest of my life.
One of the most interesting ways of connecting with the forest and nature in a local way that I have learned about and experienced here is how people produce local and environmentally conscious products, which my Floresta Viva coordinator has called “the economy of the forest”. The idea about the economy of the forest is that people can use the resources that the forest provides to make a living, and produce products that connect others to the forest. One of the ways that I have experienced this has been through working with a local artist who creates what he calls “bio-jewelry”, jewelry that he fashions out of natural materials that he finds in the forest, like wood, roots, seeds, and bones. In working with these materials, he creates jewelry that represents nature, like whale tails, flowers, fish, seeds, and the moon. In creating these art pieces, he not only can make a living making jewelry in a harmonious way with the environment, but through selling his pieces, he can spread his love of nature with many people. Creating the jewelry takes a lot of hard work, but the results are most definitely worth all of the effort.
One of the interesting connections between people and nature is what my Floresta Viva coordinator calls “the economy of the forest”. The economy of the forest represents the connection between the natural resources that can be used to create products based on respecting the forest and environment. An example of this is a local artist who creates what he calls “bio-jewelry”: jewelry made from natural materials found in the forest, for example wood, roots, seeds, and bones. In working with these materials, he creates jewelry that represents nature, like whale tails, flowers, fish, seeds, and the moon. In creating these art pieces, he not only can make a living making jewelry in a harmonious way with the environment, but through selling his pieces, he can spread his love of nature with many people. Creating the jewelry takes a lot of hard work, but the results are most definitely worth all of the effort.
Another example of the economy of the forest is the local chocolate economy here. Cacao trees grow very well here in Bahia, and many people have created economic opportunities through the use of cacao. There are many local chocolate producers here who make tree-to-bar chocolate, processing the cacao from harvesting the cacao pods from trees to preparing chocolate bars for consumption. The chocolate produced here is very delicious, and it is an extremely unique experience for me to be able to eat chocolate produced so locally, to the point where people know who owns the different chocolate companies.
Supporting the local economy of the forest has been one of the greatest pleasures that I have experienced here. There is something so special about being able to enjoy products that you know have been produced locally and ethically, and that you know help protect and encourage support and love for the forest.