Ancestral crafts are highlighted at the Bahia Fair

Inspirations from Brazilian literature and music such as writers Itamar Vieira Júnior, Allan Dias Castro and cordelist Bule Bule will compose the personal narrative of each student from the state network who goes to the Bahia Book Biennial between the 26th and 1st of May, at Convention Center, in Salvador. At the opening of the event, this Friday (26), the author of the award-winning book Torto Arado, Itamar Vieira Júnior, told the young people how he discovered his talent for writing.

“When I started writing, in this field of memory, I would say it was almost at the same time that I learned to read. The word, at that moment, held an almost mystical fascination over me. In an attempt to penetrate the soul of the world, I realized that windows were opening to other dimensions than the ones I lived in”, he shared with the student audience.

The Biennale, whose theme is ‘The stories that Bahia tells’, will also be a space to present new authors, some of them students from the state education network. According to education secretary Rowenna Brito, the State Government stand, in Room D10 – ASA B, will welcome young talents from 172 state schools in Bahia. Twenty-three student projects will go through the Government space.

“Students will meet authors, participate in debate tables, lectures and conversation circles with writers. But at the stand at the State Government there will also be presentations of poems and poems by students, and an exhibition by teachers. It’s a special moment for us in the state education network”, celebrated the manager.

One of the featured artists from the state education network is Maria Heloísa dos Santos, a student at Colégio Estadual Cidade de Candeias. She presented the authorial cordel ‘Viva o Dois de Julho: the three heroines of Bahia’. “I feel very honored to be at this beautiful event. The text I present here was inspired by the story of women warriors, who brought something so important to our Bahia: freedom”, said the student from Candeias.

The heroines of Bahia, as she names in the cordel, also encourage her to fight cancer. The girl uses art for this. “Last year I was diagnosed with cancer, but I didn’t let it get me down. As these women fought, fought, I can too, I can also achieve my victory”, said Maria Heloísa, determined.

The Government of Bahia, through the State Book and Reading Plan, from the Bahia Department of Education (SEC), is also making book vouchers available to students and teachers in the state network. Portfolio holder Rowenna Brito explained how it works.

“Our students can access any Biennale stand and buy books with a R$50 voucher available for each visiting student. With this, we reaffirm our government’s commitment to the democratization of books.” Teachers need to request a book voucher through ba.gov.br.

Homage to cordel literature

One of the biggest honorees of the edition is the cordelist Bule-Bule, who launched the book ‘Cordéis Antológicas’ during the Biennale. Antônio Cardoso’s Bahia native, with extensive production on the state, as per the theme of the event in 2024, guaranteed: “the good story, the good story, the good soap opera, the good plot of life are in Bahia. Bahia has elements for all of this. And nobility.”

In the Auditorium, in Room 101 B, discussions on ‘Literary Circulations of Bahia’ and ‘Reading Clubs’ will also take place until 4pm on the first day. The space hosts other dialogues until May 1st about children’s literature, reader training, cordel and peripheral literature. In addition to the launch of the book “Time does not stop life”, by writer Heloísa Prazeres.

The programming is carried out in partnership between the Bahia Department of Education (SEC); Secretariat of Culture of Bahia (Secult-BA), through the Pedro Calmon Foundation (FPC); Secretariat of Science, Technology and Innovation (Secti); Cultural Foundation of the State of Bahia (Funceb); Studio Palma; Academy of Letters of Bahia (ALB); Publishers of the State University of Feira de Santana (Uefs Editora); State University of Southwest Bahia (Edições Uesb); Federal University of Recôncavo da Bahia (EDUFRB); and State University of Santa Cruz (Editus); Studio Palma; and Editora Cógito e Periferia Brasileira de Letras (PBL).

Biennale tickets are exempt for school or university teachers, librarians, writers, book translators and book professionals. Paid tickets can be purchased through the website: bienaldolivrobahia.com.br.