Indigenous women to launch chocolate at Altamira festival
The participation of female entrepreneurship will once again be significant at Chocolat Xingu
Indigenous women will once again have an active participation in the International Chocolate and Cocoa Festival of Altamira, which will open this Thursday (26), with the presence of Governor Helder Barbalho. In addition to handicrafts and products that use cocoa as raw material, they will leave their mark through the launch of innovative products. This is the case of the indigenous chocolate Chocodjá, produced artisanally by women from the Juruna ethnicity, from the Juruna Tubyá Indigenous Association, located on the Picadinho road, in the Asurini region, 115 kilometers from the headquarters of Altamira.
Chocodjá was born in 2021, the result of the union and collective strength of four Juruna women who, even without structure or equipment, decided to transform the cocoa grown in their territory into a source of income and cultural appreciation. Support for professionalizing production came from the Basic Environmental Plan of the Indigenous Component (PBA-CI) of the Belo Monte Hydroelectric Plant.
Through the partnership, the entrepreneurs, who are part of the Juruna Tubyá Indigenous Association, received support throughout the entire cocoa production process, from the donation of seedlings to the selection of the beans. In addition, they received training and essential equipment to enable chocolate production.
The entire process—from recipe development to packaging selection—is conducted collectively and horizontally. "Everyone listens, talks, gives their opinion. We grow because we work together," highlights Irasilda Fernandes Juruna, president of the association and one of the project's idealizers.
Presence - The coordinator of Chocolat Xingu for Sedap, Ivaldo Santana, said that the participation of women in the Altamira festival is significant. He recalled that last year a group of women launched the chocolate “Elas,” manufactured by Cacauway, a brand of the Agroindustrial Cooperative of the Amazon (Coopatrans), located in the municipality of Medicilândia.
He also informed that renowned chefs will be sharing recipes with the public. Among the guests are chefs Rita Aguiar, Mariana Corbetta, and Janaina Torres.
“The female strength will be present once again at the Altamira Festival. The public will really like the results of their work and can certainly expect a lot of good things,” he assured.
*Collaboration: Ascom/ Norte Energia
