From February 24th to 26th, a workshop organized by young people from the Raposa region took place. The workshop included the making of clay pots, as well as classes in singing, musical instruments, indigenous body painting, and games. At least 100 young people from nearby communities participated, mostly from the Macuxi people. The workshop was supported by the Indigenous Council of Roraima – CIR, the Indigenous Youth Nucleus of Roraima, the Regional Coordinator of the Raposa Region: Valério Eurico, the Mahsiyano Wai Wai artisan, the Consolata Missionaries, the Municipal Education Department of Normandia, OMIRR, and GPVTI.
The meeting also served to reminisce about the first two workshops, and to remember the participation of young people who are no longer with us. An important factor that Carla Jarraira, one of the organizers, made clear was the discussion about depression and suicide:
“What are we going to do? How are we going to do it? We always hear people talking about supporting youth, but it's all talk, no action. So we put something into practice that would grab their attention. As a young person, when this project was conceived, I wasn't just thinking about myself or the young people in my region; it was designed for the youth of Roraima, because this work is very important as it involves sociocultural participation. Youth participation has increased, and that's important. We're seeing that the initiative is working; we've made progress in many areas. We provide leisure time, moments where everyone can interact with each other. In addition to everything we're doing, we're discovering talents, also providing them with a source of income, for example, handicrafts and clay pots, looking at the entrepreneurial side of youth,” stated Carla.
Paulo Ricardo, Regional Youth Coordinator for the Raposa region, spoke briefly about the objective of the workshop.
“It is a project that aims to strengthen our youth culturally and spiritually, learning more about our history, ourselves, our customs, paintings, crafts, songs, dances, and regional prayers. We spent a long time without holding the music workshop due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and now we are carrying it out with great joy, determination, and drive, because it is a life project that also seeks to be an alternative for strengthening mental health. In this era of depression, suicide, and anxiety, we are seeking these alternatives, showing the youth that we are a strong and resilient people, that we have a history, and that we must continue from here on out.”
Paulo Ricardo said.
Between workshops and cultural evenings, Josualdo Moraes, a young man from the Macuxi people, from the Guariba Community, Raposa Serra do Sol Indigenous Territory, launched a RAP song, a style chosen by him and a partner.
"I bring this rap as a denunciation, against illegal mining, and telling a little about the struggle that our leaders waged back then," he stated.
Check out an excerpt from the RAP song: Victories and Struggles by Josualdo Macuxi.
