How we started
The Multiethnic Network is a project of the Multiethnic Village, a territory in Chapada dos Veadeiros dedicated to strengthening the cultures and political struggles of indigenous and quilombola peoples.
Launched in 2007, the Multiethnic Village has become a meeting point for different indigenous peoples and has entered the annual calendar of representatives of various indigenous peoples.
Currently, we have seven traditional indigenous houses built in the Village, by representatives of the Kayapó/Mebengôkré (PA), Krahô (TO), Fulni-ô (PE), Guarani Mbyá (SC), Xavante (MT), Alto Xingu (MT), Yanomami (AM) and Kalunga peoples, from the largest remaining quilombola territory in Brazil (GO).
In 2019, Xapono, a traditional Yanomami house, was the seventh indigenous house built in the center of the village, becoming a place for exchanges and meetings between all ethnic groups. It was designed by Davi Kopenawa, an important leader, especially for our space.
Every year, during the first week of the second half of July, they meet to present their knowledge, ways of doing things, and customs and practices in various ways (songs, dance, gastronomy, body painting, art); share the struggles for their original rights and to maintain their traditional cultures and territories; and debate with indigenous and non-indigenous people the issues regarding the reality in the villages, through conversation circles and daily coexistence with the participants.
goals and challenges
The Multiethnic Network was then created to support the development of the production chain, initially, of the communities participating in the Multiethnic Village, expanding its network of action and impact in 2020.
It then emerges to contribute to overcoming multiple common challenges that communities face, such as insufficient production, lack of raw material management, access to consumer markets, geographical distances, administrative difficulties, low product qualification, lack of support and partnerships, and lack of recurring demands.
In this sense, the Multiethnic Network works by linking communities, associations, cooperatives, and independent artisans to insert them into a solidarity network to promote production, contributing to the distribution of their production, generating regular income and valuing their cultures.
Our goals
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Strengthen artisanal, artistic, food and extractive production of indigenous peoples and other traditional communities;
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Expand the dissemination of its ethnocultural activities and contribute to the positive exposure of communities;
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Contribute to the safeguarding of cultural, material and immaterial heritage;
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Promote income generation through fair remuneration for artisans;
our way
to do
Fair trade, ethical and transparent relationships
Promoting fair trade with traditional peoples is a guiding principle of all the actions of the Multiethnic Network as it constitutes a fundamental element in guaranteeing the human rights of these communities.
Therefore, we establish an open and participatory dialogue with communities, seeking to support and respect their autonomy and culture.
The Network is structured through respect for traditional knowledge, observing patrimonial, collective and individual rights, contributing with its positive exposure to strengthen cultural diversity and overcoming prejudices and stereotypes.
Furthermore, the Multiethnic Network seeks to maintain transparency about transactions, publishing annual transparency reports, creating communication materials about the pricing value chain at all points of sale and demonstrating the distribution of benefits it generates.