INTRODUCTORY COURSE ON FIRE PREVENTION AT TI MAXAKALI

August 7-9, 2023 - Água Boa

August 10-12, 2023 - Pradinho

The introductory fire prevention course in the Maxakali Indigenous Territory was an initiative developed during the ethnomapping and territorial and environmental management workshops held in May 2023. The Tikmũ'ũn reported how the degradation of their Territory due to the expansion of colonial grass planted by farmers and the State itself, especially during the military dictatorship, in an attempt to transform traditional land use practices, cultivation, and land preparation, became a natural fuel during periods of drought. The frequent fires in the Maxakali Indigenous Territory increasingly degrade and compact the soil, posing challenges for reforestation and the implementation of agroforestry farms.

This introductory course was planned by several partners engaged in the environmental recovery of their territory by the Tikmũ'ũn: FUNAI, IEF, IBAMA, Indigenous Schools, UFMG, UFSB and coordinated by the Hãmhi Project and covered topics such as:

1. Fire use practices among the Tikmũ'ũn peoples;
2. Water and soil conservation;
3. Management and use of fire;
4. Presentation of projects and programs to combat fires on indigenous lands;
5. Practical firebreak construction activities;
6. Fire fighting and prevention actions: production of teaching materials and signs.

The participation of men, women, children and shamans in the fire-fighting sign workshop taught by educator and designer Paula Gobetti resulted in a beautiful production of signs, donated to the Project by BH TRANS and transformed by Tikmũ'ũn artists.

Team: HÃMHI – IEF – FUNAI - IBAMA – UFMG – UFSB - Indigenous State Schools