The Culture Point Mbya Arandu Porã is located in the Ribeirão Silveira Indigenous Land since 2008. Coordinated by Carlos Papá and Cristine Takuá, it develops cultural strengthening activities with the community, especially young people. Their essential objective is to protect ancestral memory, taking care of traditional knowledge through encouraging spiritual healing practices, singing, dancing, storytelling, and workshops on painting, audiovisual production, photography and traditional Guarani architecture. Studies on medicinal plants are also held, concerning cultivation and management of a seedling nursery and walks in the forest to recognize fruit-bearing and medicinal native species.

At the Culture Point there are exchanges between villages and peoples, for mutual strengthening and to interchange experiences, as well as conversation circles with the elders, study on the rights of indigenous peoples regarding indigenous school education, indigenous health, territory and the search for the good life (or buen vivir).

Mbya Arandu developed some of its activities with the support of Maracá Institute, in partnership with Goethe Institute, and thus structured the physical spaces for the workshops. It is currently developing activities in partnership with Selvagem, a cycle of studies on life, such as the production of videos on Guarani culture and thinking, lectures, cycles and exchanges between indigenous schools.

Nhe'ery workshop at rec.tyty - Indigenous Arts Festival, 2021.
Photos: Carlos Papá.

Carlos Papá Mirim Poty belongs to the Guarani Mbya people. He lives in the village of Rio Silveira and is the guardian of the sacred Guarani words. Over the last few years, Papá has been blowing messages to the world about the importance of valuing and respecting the Nhë'ery, the Atlantic Forest. Through Ayvu Porã, the good and beautiful words, he transmits the philosophy and ancestral memory left by his grandparents. He has been working with audiovisuals for over 20 years, cultivating the memory and history of his people through cultural workshops with young people. He also acts as a spiritual leader in his community, as he is connoisseur of the plants that heal and guide our walk. He is a representative of the Guarani Yvy Rupa Commission and is also the founder and counsellor of the Maracá Institute. There have been countless projects and events in which he has participated and to which he has been invited in recent years, such as: Jogos Mundiais dos Povos Indígenas, in Tocantins, 2015; the cycle of debates Mekukradjá - Círculo de Saberes, at Itaú Cultural; various screenings, exhibitions and film festivals, such as Aldeia SP - Bienal de Cinema Indígena, Festival Tela Indígena, held in Porto Alegre, and Festival de Culturas Indígenas at Memorial da América Latina, in São Paulo. He was the curator of rec.tyty - Festival de Artes Indígenas. He took part as an artist in the Moquém-Surari exhibition at the São Paulo Museum of Modern Art (MAM-SP) during the 34th São Paulo Biennial, and is a collaborator with Selvagem - Cycle of studies on life.

Cristine Takuá CRISTINE TAKUÁ is a Brazilian writer, artisan, decolonial theorist, activist and a teacher from the Maxakali people. She has a degree in Philosophy from Unesp was a teacher for twelve years at the Txeru Ba’e Kuai’Indigenous Public School. Currently, she coordinates the Escolas Vivas [Living Schools] and is a member of Selvagem. 

Cristine is a representative of NEI (Nucleus of Indigenous Education) within the State Education Department of São Paulo and a founding member of FAPISP (Forum for the Articulation of Indigenous Teachers of the State of São Paulo). She is the director of the Maracá Institute, which is currently responsible for the administration of the Museum of Indigenous Cultures, in São Paulo. She lives in the Ribeirão Silveira Indigenous Land, located in the municipalities of Bertioga and São Sebastião, in the Brazilian state of São Paulo.