The painting on the wall in the handicraft space of the Pintolândia Shelter, in Roraima, had been a wish for a long time. The space for the indigenous artisans to work in was organized in a simple way and the wall was not in good condition.
As a result of a meeting between the missionary of the Fraternidade-International Humanitarian Federation (FIHF), Imer, representatives of the UNHCR, and the teacher of the Visual Arts course of the Federal University of Roraima (UFRR), Leila Adriana Baptaglin, the invitation was formally issued for doing the work of the mural in the shelter.
The teacher, Leila, together with her students, members of the Plac Extension Project, and Sister Maria de Lourdes, missionary of the Humanitarian Fraternidade (FIHF), met with the artisans and asked them what they would like to see drawn on the wall. Their response, according to the teacher, was that “they would like to see something that expressed life in the indigenous communities. They would like to see the elements present that were important to them: the river, a canoe, the houses, handicrafts, the buriti palm, and the women working”.
From that point, the natives designed what they would like to see portrayed and the Plac project group reproduced those designs on the wall, preserving the lines and styles of design. Everybody participated in the painting: indigenous artisans, students, missionaries, and associates of the Roraima Mission.
In unity, art fills walls and hearts.
The native Yanoagcelis spoke about how much she enjoyed participating: “for us artisan women, it was interesting regarding the painting because it brought to our attention that we are indigenous.”
The workspace of the indigenous artisans changed completely, becoming a more colorful and appropriate space for the daily work of the artisans, because “in unity,” art fills walls and hearts.
