This Saturday (19), an entire afternoon of free activities, at Parque das Dunas, celebrates the 20 years of construction of the sculpture Mother Earth House. The event features a presentation by the Nação Zamberacatu group and artists from Burkina Faso, François Moïse Bamba and Konomba Traoré. The action is part of the international artistic residency “Dunas – Territories of collaborative creation”.
Starting 2:30 pm, the percussionists of the Zamberacatu Nation, the first maracatu nation in the state, will hold a musical procession through the park, starting in front of Mother Earth House. Then, at 4 pm, at the Pau-Brasil amphitheater, the show “Tales and legends of Burkina Faso” takes place, with François Moïse Bamba, storyteller, actor, and cultural promoter from Burkina. The presentation is an invitation to travel through the richness of West African oral tradition cultures.
The show is in French, with translation on stage by Laura Tamiana, and will also feature the participation of Konomba Traoré, recognized as a living treasure for the art of balafon, multi-instrumentalist musician and luthier, a reference personality in the traditions of Burkina Faso and who will bring to the environment of the Atlantic Rainforest, within Parque das Dunas, the cultural ancestry of the African savannas.
Through the stories, punctuated by musical moments, viewers will be able to embark on a meeting with the peoples of this country for a moment of sharing their cultures, their histories, their beliefs, their values, and their worldviews, for mutual enrichment, respecting differences. The presentation in Natal takes place through Ba-kô Burkina Brasil, a cultural and artistic bridge created by François and Laura, which since 2017 has been carrying out actions between the two countries.
MOTHER EARTH HOUSE
Installed two decades ago, in the heart of Parque das Dunas, the sculpture, “Mother Earth House”, was conceived by Maurício Panella, inspired by the indigenous traditions and adobe houses of Brazil and West Africa. The work was created in celebration of the arrival of the French thinker Edgard Morin to Brazil, at the invitation of the Complexity Study Group (UFRN), of which Panella was a researcher. The inauguration was held on October 12, 2003.
The construction process was collaborative. Initially erected with rods, the structure came to life with the addition of clay, shaped not only by Maurício Panella, but also by people going to Parque das Dunas. As a final touch, Mother Earth House was coated with a mosaic of tiles, transforming it into a complete figure, almost like a skin that surrounds its essence.
In 2016, after almost a year of interdiction due to the threat of deterioration, the sculpture needed restoration. It was at this moment that the idea of the “Jornada no Bosque” museum program emerged, bringing with it the promise of revitalizing not only the physical work, but also the emotional connection between the community and the park.
In recent years, the sculpture has acquired new roles, serving as a virtual setting in the game “Jornada no Bosque” and as a canvas for mapped projection shows.
The artistic residency “Dunas – Territories of collaborative creation” is a project presented by the Ministry of Culture through the Federal Law of Incentive to Culture sponsored by Ticket Log and Edenred Brasil. It is supported by the Government of RN, Idema, Parque das Dunas, José Augusto Foundation, Ba-kô Burkina Brasil, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Ágora Institute, Department of Arts of UFRN (DEART), Department of Communications of UFRN, and Dean Office of Extension of UFRN (PROEX).
The cultural program is also sponsored by the Municipality of Natal and encouraged by Colégio CEI and SICOOB through the Municipal Law of Incentive to Culture Djalma Maranhão. The production is from the museum program Jornada no Bosque and Casadágua Institute.
SERVICE:
Celebration of 20 years of Mother Earth House
August 19, starting at 2:30 pm, at Parque das Dunas
Access to the Park: R$1.00