Amazon Handicrafts Initiative Program

Preservation and social contribution
NCA members have collaboratively expressed their intention to support and promote traditional native activities that protect our natural world.

To accomplish this objective, NCA has chosen to form alliances with various people and organizations that are actively engaged in the preservation of the environment through the exchange of native wisdom and the support of traditional earth-honoring activities.

Arts, Crafts, and the Environment
NCA is working to establish and support a number of arts and crafts programs throughout the Amazonas region. The goal of these programs is to assist local artisans to utilize the area's resources in a manner that is environmentally sustainable. These traditional activities can then continue to produce desireable and high quality arts and artcrafts for years to come, without depleting the rainforest of its valuable, life-giving resources. Native artisans utilize such materials as wood leftovers and native fibers to create beautiful items for sale to tourists, as well as for their own use. Careful harvesting and replanting sustains the ecology of the area.

These handicrafts provide an economic alternative for many of the indigenous people and at the same time help to preserve their traditional cultures. Associations and cooperatives are being formed to facilitate the manufacture and sale of the handicrafts. Local governments have also shown great interest in supporting these cottage industries.

Some of these associations include:

"The Almerinda Malaquias", an art crafting center, established in the year 2000. It now has more than fifty members. Children from the age of fourteen are taught handicrafts utilizing leftover wood.
The Carpentry School, which offers master courses and administration studies in preservation, enabling participants to create their own cooperatives
The "Escola Silvestre da Naturaleza", a technical school specializing in environmental studies and forestry.

As these cooperatives and other handicraft projects grow, we will provide updates on this website. In the very near future, we hope to offer some of their beautiful works for sale here also.