Faxinal Salso Community Association (Paraná)

Objectives and target population:

The main objective of the project is to guarantee the faxinalenses (rural, communitarian populations in the state of Paraná) their autonomy and their rights in the face of tremendous conflicts related to the expansion of agro-business: plantations of pine, eucalyptus, soybeans, tobacco, among others. The proposal should include human rights training, especially socio-environmental, ethnic and collective rights, so that the communities of faxinais can intervene legally and politically in favor of their traditional way of life and in defense of their territories.

The project will take place in five communities: Quitandinha – Faxinal Salso; Mandirituba – Faxinal Meleiro,  Mandirituba – Faxinal Campestre dos Paula; Pinhão – Faxinal São Roquinho; and Lapa – Faxinal Paiol. One hundred and seventy five people will directly benefit, along with 525 families who will benefit indirectly from the project.

The initiative is in the mold of the project, “From the Law to the Struggle: instruction for the defense of faxinalense peoples’ rights,” proposed by the Puxirão Network of the Faxinal Peoples and supported by the Fund as part of its 2012 annual selection.

Main activities:

– Mobilizing local communities;

– Seminar presenting the project, with the participation of twenty representatives of each community;

– Workshops continuing in each nucleus of the project, about laws that refer to the faxinais and laws guaranteed by the constitution;

– Elaboration of a handout with information from the training, which will serve as reference material even after the project ends;

– Final Seminar, to exchange experiences, evaluate and plan for the future, with the theme: “Knowing my rights is my right as a citizen. Struggling for them is a matter of life!”.

Context:

The faxinais are a traditional system of environmental management and social organization typical of the mixed-heritage (Indian/European) culture of the south-central region of the state of Paraná. Created in the beginning of the 20th century, their organization is based on the collective use of the land for pastoral and silvicultural purposes, through communitarian breeding grounds and pastures. The faxinalenses promote the sustainable management of forests with araucária (a protected endemic species of pine) and guarantee the survival of the families equitably.

With the so-called “green revolution” in the 1970s and the introduction of a cultivation model based on mono-culture and the abusive use of pesticides, the faxinais became threatened and exposed to great social and environmental conflicts. The “trampling” of the faxinais can be observed, causing families to be “pushed out” to urban zones.

About the organization:

The Faxinal Salso Community Association’s mission is to promote the value of the faxinalense community. Its guiding principles are popular organization and group work. Furthermore, the institution aims for the protection of the Faxinal and its natural resources; the preservation of local culture; and the defense of the rights of the faxinalenses themselves.

Partnerships:

The association is supported by the Puxirão Network of the Faxinal Peoples.