Aoka - The world through different eyes

The Construction of a Traditional Sugar Mill

Background

In the upper Ribeira Valley region near the city of Iporanga, there lives a local elder named Nhô Jeca. He was well known in the area for selling delicious brown sugar that he produced in his wooden sugar mill for over 93 years. But today, Nhô Jeca’s great reputation for producing this local favorite is now just a memory. His mill has ceased its function for years due to age and wear; and, with it, he has lost his main source of income and a trusted worker. Through the Aoka Fund, we hope to help Nhô Jeca fix his sugar mill so that he may restore his livelihood as well the pleasure of providing this homemade treat to his community.

Project

This Aoka Fund project will involve the reconstruction of Nhô Jeca's traditional sugar mill by supporting the artisanal woodwork of its components and shafts as well as the employment of local people to build the structure.

In the region of Vale do Ribeira, much of the age-old knowledge for building a sugar mill has been lost. Fortunately, there is a respected elder named Seu Pedro from the Quilombo de Ribeirão Grande community (in the region of Barra do Turvo) who still retains this knowledge. We will, thereby, enlist the valuable help of Seu Pedro as well as two more assistants for this project that will take approximately 1 month to fulfill.

For the initial phase of the project, certain trees in a forest area should be selected and felled in accordance with the phase of the moon. This attention to the lunar calendar keeps the wood from being vulnerable to attack by ants and other insects (it dries faster). When the wood has dried, the woodwork begins in carving the intricate sections, which include axles and pieces with complex inlays. All are made with tremendous precision. Following this process, the sugar mill will be built. It may then begin to function immediately for the community, grinding the sugarcane and extracting its juice by water or animal power.