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On June 19 there was a big party at Fazenda Tamanduá to celebrate the 30th
anniversary of the farm. |
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Some time ago, our friend Bernard Robert-Charrue of DE.TV was trying to
write a wide-ranging report on the roots of the dance forró, for a
large TV network watched by around 100 million viewers throughout the
world. I proposed that he should focus his work geographically on my
beloved State of Paraíba, a land of great artistes. |
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I introduced him to accordion players who were friends of mine, such as
Pinto do Acordeão, a
composer and musician (and a companion of Luiz Gonzaga, the father of
nordestina music), and Aleijadinho de Pombal, an excellent accordion
player, singer and composer. Bernard agreed with this idea and
concentrated on the traditional forró of Paraíba, called “pé de
serra”, showing the unparalleled impact and quality of this music,
which, though not performed or disseminated by the major national media,
continues enjoying success in the hearts and culture of the people of the
North-East – the nordestinos. Bernard also accompanied the
day-to-day life of the cowboy Rúbens, the Tamanduá Trio’s singer. |
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Chico César, an exceptional composer, in addition to taking part as a
musician, bore witness as an internationally acclaimed artiste who was
born in Catolé do Rocha. Chico even authorized Bernard to use the name of
one of his most famous songs, “Paraíba meu Amor”, as the title of
the program. |
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As a gesture of gratitude, Bernard decided to bring Richard Galliano,
France’s most famous accordion player, to Fazenda Tamanduá, in time
for its 30th anniversary, so that he could converse with his Brazilian
colleagues, speaking only the language of music.
A marvelous present!
We fixed the date for this special evening and prepared the famous
“Museum”, the house of mud and wattle that used to belong to our
departed friend Zé Bié, which is where we hold festive events with our
workers and friends. We decided to invite exclusively the farm’s neighbors, rural workers,
small farmers, old and young – basically all those who have helped us
to create what Fazenda Tamanduá is today.
Over 400 people came round! Nothing was missing – neither drinks nor
meat nor food – and certainly not quality music. |
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Chico César, Pinto do Acordeão, Richard Galliano,
Pierre, Catherine, Bernard Robert-Charrue, Aleijadinho de Pombal
practicing at the
“Museum” |
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Quadrille
from the Primary School
Children |
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The presentation of the quadrille formed by the children from the
Primary School, aged from 2 to 7and organized by the clown Miriçoca,
was a real success, not only among the parents, but among the whole
audience – a rare event.
After that, it was the turn of the Tamanduá Trio, which started
playing music from the top of the 1976 Chevrolet D60 truck.
The evening’s climax was a world premiere, a unique presentation on
the same “truck” stage – the presentation of Richard Galliano,
Aleijadinho de Pombal, Pinto do Acordeão and Chico César, the latter
singing and playing the zambumba, a very typical nordestino
drum.
One hour of magic, exciting music, which made everyone go to the
dancing floor amidst the general euphoria. |
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A time of fun and joy, a moment of pure emotion and happiness felt by
each of the participants.
The only people missing were our children, Charlotte, Nicolas and
Luana, children of the land, but now working and studying in good old
Europe… |
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Severino, Fernando, Elizeu, Manoel Batista and Afonso have worked at
the farm for 30 years. Filled with emotion, they recalled the arrival
of the “Gringo”, the fear and expectations aroused by that arrival!
Now each of them has children and grandchildren who also work at the
farm, forming a real united community with the well-integrated
newcomers.
It is precisely at times like this that one can see that the suffering,
the hard, continuous work to change the paradigms of the North-East,
despite the droughts and the numerous difficulties we all faced, were not
in vain!
Long live Fazenda Tamanduá! |
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Fazenda
Tamanduá's 30 years celebration |
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Pierre Landolt’s Statement
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Thirty
years ago, I arrived at Fazenda Tamanduá in a yellow Willis jeep...
It was a half-abandoned farm, covered with second growth, on which
sharecroppers
had produced a lot of mocó type cotton for a farmer who was much
more interested in the rural credit that was cheap and plentiful at those
times, and that he could invest in other more profitable activities than
in farming.
I then started an exceptional human adventure.
Thirty years of rich dialogues with the people of the sertão and
with nature, which made me understand not only the soul of my fellow
men, but also the richness and frailty of our eco-system. This led me
naturally to biodynamic agriculture. I adopted the “farming organism”
concept naturally, diversifying and integrating all the farming
activities (both planting and breeding), seeking the greatest autonomy
possible, recycling all waste, producing and applying the biodynamic
preparations that allow us to reinforce the contacts between the land
and the cosmos.
Today, Fazenda Tamanduá represents one of the few large-scale farming organisms
in Brazil holding the Demeter Label. We offer consumers highly reliable,
quality products with total traceability, including cheeses, goat’s milk,
fresh and dried mangoes, honey, melons and mini-watermelons. In the course
of these thirty years, production techniques adapted to our semi-arid
region were developed and are now systematically passed on, by means of
courses and field days and by receiving trainees. We have other organic
and biodynamic mango and honey producers integrated into our system,
offering them the necessary conditions to access both the national and
international markets. |
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Pierre Landolt |
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I was lucky enough to be able to form a team of motivated workers, who
can stand working with me, supporting my personal challenges – and now
very often anticipating them! Trained and qualified to better
understand and carry out their work, they excel, from the cowboy to
the vet, from the technician to the rural worker, from the women who
make the cheeses to those who process the fruit, from mechanics to
tractor drivers.
Looking towards the future, and marked by the end of the “white gold”
(cotton) cycle that I experienced personally, I seek alternative solutions
for our people: we are now carrying out research work for the genetic
improvement of the physic nut (pinhão manso), almost unique in the
whole world. It is quite probable that it may replace the mocó
cotton in the abandoned fields, taken over by white mallow and jurema
trees, which hardly support cattle, goats or sheep.
Our pioneering cultivation of spirulina has reached a good scale at the
farm. This micro-alga with a high protein content may well be an option to
feed undernourished children, as well as cattle and other livestock, fish
and shrimps. Tests are being carried out in Brazil and elsewhere in the
world with Fazenda Tamanduá’s spirulina.
Living on the farm, which at the time was isolated, far from the well
developed capital cities, in a region that was starting out on a slow
modernization process, I had unique and enriching experiences.
The greatest of them was to have lived, together with my wife Catherine
and my children Charlotte, Nicolas and Luana – all of whom were born here,
isolated in the dry sertão – a simple life, close to nature,
listening to others.
Yes, without false modesty, I think that I have contributed something to
this region, and that I have succeeded in restoring the pride of the
sertanejo, crushed by the ridiculous image of the nordestino
that is widely disseminated in the South of the country.
Yes, I created a small oasis, but today, thirty years later, I see that my
oasis is expanding and that its image is starting to shine and that I have
neither wasted my time nor my life.
All that remains is for me to say to all those who have helped me, worked
with me, believed in us and in my vision: THANK YOU! |
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