Mapeamento dos agentes e bens no circuito de produção e troca da Balata no Pará

Abstract

This research refers to the description of the production chain of a type of latex called balata (manilkara bidentata) in the state of Pará and of the social relations included therein. Initially, the different agents that perform everything from extraction of latex to the commercialization of figurative objects made with balata were identified. To this end, contacts were made with extractivists working in the forests of Monte Alegre and artisans both in that municipality and in the municipalities of Santarém and Belém. Subsequently, it was necessary to collect objective data regarding the work developed by these two groups and to understand the content of relationships they maintain, as well as the points of view that guide them. The ethnographic fieldwork added that artisans and ballers are completely different characters in this production chain. The research offers a description of the activities performed by these two characters, in order to understand the content of the relationships they maintain. It is concluded that these characters trigger different work and exchange strategies that contribute to their social reproduction.