Ceramics training project empowers quilombola women and shellfish gatherers

The "Somos Divas na Luz do Candeeiro" project, a collaboration between Prolagos and the Casa Museu Carlos Scliar, has launched a new edition focused on empowering women through ancestral cultural knowledge. This year's initiative includes women from the quilombos of Botafogo and São Jacinto in Cabo Frio, and shellfish gatherers from Rasa in Armação dos Búzios. Over three months, participants will receive ceramics training at the Casa Museu Carlos Scliar in Cabo Frio. Following this intensive period, the project will continue to support participants in their communities, encouraging the development of their artisanal skills and the application of learned techniques. Established in 2020, the project has become a vital space for collective learning, community bonding, and social transformation, using ceramics as its primary medium. Larissa Fernandes, from the Botafogo quilombo, views the project as a way to connect with her heritage and pass down traditional knowledge to future generations. Similarly, Rosineide Santos, a quilombola shellfish gatherer from Rasa, emphasizes the deep connection between ceramics and her family's history, aiming to refine her skills in this traditional craft. Roberta Moraes, Prolagos' institutional executive, highlighted the company's commitment to cultural and social development in its operating regions, praising the project's role in preserving traditional wisdom and community identity through the transformative power of art.