Apetê - Cerrado Mapping Festival 2026

“Apêtê” is the term used by the Kayapó people for islands of cultivated vegetation created within the biome. These islands are the result of generations of ancestral knowledge which, in addition to ensuring the subsistence of these peoples, nourished the soil and prepared it for subsequent cycles. The management of seeds, fire, water, plants, and animals played a fundamental role, transforming the landscape into a space of abundance and biodiversity.
Inspired by this concept, the research explores the “Being” that inhabited the Cerrado region of Minas Gerais long before colonization. Documents and records concerning the management practices and culture of the Southern Kayapó highlight the essential role played by Indigenous peoples in the creation and sustainable maintenance of the biome. The research also incorporates personal references drawn from travels to the region, engagement with its flora and fauna, and visits to archaeological sites and Brazilian rock art locations.

Colab: Julio Puttini