Cultural heritage: research circulates throughout Pará to map master letter openers

This is the first time that Instituto Letras que Flutuam has carried out fieldwork in Santarém and Alter do Chão. The team visits ports, shipyards and other places where letter openers work to identify masters, learn about their stories and record painting techniques and styles.

The tradition has been passed down for generations in riverside communities. Each letter opener develops its own combinations of colors, designs and ways of painting the names of the vessels, creating styles that are part of the landscape of the Amazon rivers.

The mapping also involves the participation of the population. Residents, artists and artisans who know professionals in the craft can contribute information via WhatsApp (91) 99201-8585 or Instagram @letrasqflutuam. No registration is required.

"It is important to remember that the knowledge of opening letters is not only passed on from parents to children. There is also the action of the river, of the boats that travel along the rivers of the Amazon and take this knowledge from one place to another. When we include Santarém, it expands the richness of our repertoire and, consequently, the richness of this traditional knowledge", explains Fernanda Martins, general director of the Instituto Letras que Flutuam.

Started in 2004, the Letras que Flutuam research has already identified more than 170 letter openers in different municipalities in Pará. The work gave rise, in 2024, to the Instituto Letras que Flutuam and resulted in the production of a book, two documentaries and meetings between masters from different regions of the Amazon.

In addition to recording the techniques, the research addresses the authorship of the creations. Boat lettering styles also began to appear on clothing, brands and other products, not always with the recognition of the artists. According to the Institute, identifying the masters helps to combat the undue reproduction of paintings and value the work carried out in riverside communities.

The program from November 15th to 22nd also includes letter opening workshops for public school students and the painting of an artistic mural in Santarém, with the participation of master letter openers.

On November 20th, at 7pm, the Porão Centro Cultural, in Santarém, will host a free screening of the documentary Marajó das Letras – The openers of letters from the Marajoara Amazon, which presents the work of artists from the Marajó archipelago.

After the session, the public can participate in a conversation with Augusto Amorim, a lyricist from Ponta de Pedras, in Marajó, who is part of the activities in western Pará. The project is carried out with resources from the Aldir Blanc National Policy for Promoting Culture (PNAB).