The community of Mumbuca is situated near Mateiros in the state of Tocantins. The community is formed of 165 dwellers, mostly descendants of slaves who left Bahia (a Brazilian state) in 1909 in search of a better life.

Main activities

• Artesanal products
• Agriculture
• Tourism

About the community

Within the community, an association of craftswomen and men have formed, who work together to produce and commercialise craft goods made from capim dourado (a type of plant which grows locally).
The tradition of making craft goods from capim dourado has been passed from generation to generation. Guilhermina Ribeiro da Silva, dona Miuda, explained to us how her mother had learnt the techniques from native Indians. Apart from capim dourado, the craftswomen use palha de buriti (another local plant) to sew the products.
This economic alternative is helping the local population, one of the poorest in the entire region. However, it needs to be administered with care in order to preserve the local habitat. The commerce of crafts is the economic activity which generates the most income, but sustainable agriculture is also practiced within the community, and tourism also generates some income.