Capim Dourado - Gold of Jalapão
Jalapão is home to capim dourado (golden grass), which is woven into all manners of personal and home accessories. This plant apparently doesn't grow anywhere else in the world; let's hope it continues to be so, since most of the population seems to depend on it for their livelihood. The handbags, boxes, baskets, trays, vases, hats and jewelry pieces have become objects of desire in Brazil and elsewhere, and yes, they do gleam, shine like gold! The tradition of handicrafts with capim dourado has been passed from generation to generation. The harvest is made from mid September until the start of the rainy season in November. They respect the techniques of sustainable handling. The challenge for them is great since they are pioneer in the art of capim dourado and they are well aware of the importance of its preservation.
