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In the centre of Boa Vista, capital of Roraima, there is a huge statue of a gold miner. It’s the symbol of the city, showing visitors the riches of the state and, at the same time, its problems. Here, the conflicts between gold diggers, indians and cattle farmers have been building up for a long time. The capital is a quiet city, hot, where people must wait for the cool afternoon before venturing outside. Time seems to stand still broken only by the sound of television. Boa Vista is a city that lives mainly from public service organizations, working for the municipal, state and federal authorities. Commercial life centres around the public sectors, as does all the rest. Downtown, on a long tree-lined avenue there are kiosks and sport grounds. In one of the kiosks there is craft work made in latex for sale, which catch ones attention with their rich detail, perfect finish and the advanced technique used to prepare the rubber sap without any lasting smell. A visit to the Crescer Cooperative, an educational project for young people, reveals the source of the work. There, more than 800 youngsters take turns in various workshops after school. Its president, Olaessi de Souza, was a student and now is a craft artist who says there is a huge waiting list. Like the other students, Olaessi had classes with an artist from Guiana – much closer to Roraima than any other Brazilian state in the Southeast, Northeast or Centre-West regions. The youngsters have a great understanding of the local problems and the reality they face and that is translated into works such as the Indian nativity scene – an interesting piece, full of strength and faith. |
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