Tucum brings art from Brazilian indigenous peoples to Lisbon

Tucum, Brazil's first indigenous marketplace and one of the businesses supported by Amaz Aceleradora de Impacto, is participating in the 7th edition of “Jornada Exportadora,” an international program that runs until this Friday, July 4, in Lisbon (Portugal).

Developed by the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil), in partnership with the Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service (Sebrae), the program is aimed at entrepreneurs and businesses seeking to expand commercial borders, internationalize their brands and gain space in international markets.

The current edition focuses on the Brazilian crafts sector and benefits 20 participants, including Brazilian artisans, entrepreneurs, companies, associations and cooperatives.

On Portuguese soil, the "Export Journey" program includes webinars, mentoring sessions, seminars with experts, technical visits, and roundtables with buyers and potential European partners. The goal is to provide a comprehensive immersion into the topic, present opportunities, expand the network, and strengthen business competitiveness.

Founded in 2013 with a physical store in Rio de Janeiro, Tucum quickly recognized the potential of the digital environment. Two years later, it became the country's first Indigenous art marketplace, selling clothing, bags, organic jewelry, crafts, paintings, decorative items, and other sustainable products produced by various Indigenous peoples living in the Legal Amazon.

Amanda Santana, founding partner and creative director of Tucum, highlights the importance of this opportunity for business growth.

"We came to bring indigenous art from Brazil to Lisbon and understand how the Brazilian crafts market is perceived here. We've been operating for 12 years. Sometimes, these potential customers are abroad, which requires a different sales and shipping dynamic. So, we expect that [during the Journey] we'll learn a lot about how the Portuguese market works and develop the idea further," notes Amanda Santana.

Socio-environmental impact in 2024

Tucum currently operates in four Conservation Units (CUs) and 56 Indigenous Territories (TIs) spread across eight states in the Legal Amazon, covering a total area of 2.9 million hectares. The company also works in partnership with associations, cooperatives, groups, and artists who sell their indigenous art.

Partners include the Association of Residents of the Iriri River Extractive Reserve (AMORERI), the Association of Ticuna Women Artisans of Bom Caminho (AMATU), the Association of Ashaninka of the Amônia Apiwtxa River (APIWTXA), and the Zo'é Handicraft Fund (FAZ).

Last year alone, the company purchased R$1,400,000 worth of goods, benefiting artisans from 106 indigenous peoples living in 62 traditional territories. Some of the ethnic groups working in partnership are the Baniwa, Baré, Guarani, Kayapó, Ticuna, and Yanomami.