1 agosto 2019
Entrançar a flora local
WEAVING THE LOCAL FLORA
Há dois anos atrás, na feira anual de Vila do Conde, conversei com Abílio Pereira, artesão cesteiro da zona de Barcelos que me falou da dificuldade em encontrar vime em Portugal, e de como, estando no Minho, usa a madeira das árvores infestantes para fazer cestaria, já que esta não tem outros usos. Alguns meses depois, juntamente com a Matilde, visitei o seu atelier, onde trabalha com a mulher e o filho, que nos mostraram o terreno onde plantam o seu próprio vime e como tratam esta fibra polivalente.
Two years ago, at the annual fair in Vila do Conde, I spoke with Abílio Pereira, a basket maker from Barcelos, who told me about how hard it was to source wicker in Portugal. Also, he told how he uses wood from infesting trees species to make basketwork, as it has no other uses. A few months later I visited his workshop alongside Matilde, where he works with his wife and son, who showed us the field where they plant the wicker and how this polyvalent fiber is transformed.
Two years ago, at the annual fair in Vila do Conde, I spoke with Abílio Pereira, a basket maker from Barcelos, who told me about how hard it was to source wicker in Portugal. Also, he told how he uses wood from infesting trees species to make basketwork, as it has no other uses. A few months later I visited his workshop alongside Matilde, where he works with his wife and son, who showed us the field where they plant the wicker and how this polyvalent fiber is transformed.
O vime que usa é todo nacional ou às vezes tem que comprar fora?
IS THE WICKER YOU USE LOCAL OR DO YOU HAVE TO PURCHASE FROM ABROAD?
Agora sou quase que obrigado a ter que estar a produzi-lo para ter. Porque ele vinha do Chile, e os salários lá subiram muito e o que acontece: a mão de obra tornou-se cara e os produtores do vime começaram a deixar de produzir.
Nowadays I'm almost forced to produce it in order to have some. It used to come from Chile, but their wages have improved a lot lately and now the labor force became very expensive so the local wicker producers gave up on this work.
Nowadays I'm almost forced to produce it in order to have some. It used to come from Chile, but their wages have improved a lot lately and now the labor force became very expensive so the local wicker producers gave up on this work.
Mas antes só trabalhava com esse vime estrangeiro?
YOU ONLY WORKED WITH FOREIGN WICKER BEFORE?
Era quase só do Chile. Agora comprei um bocado de terreno e estou a produzi-lo, só que isto dá muito, muito trabalho. Eu desde abril para cá nunca mais tive um domingo de sossego! Um domingo, nem é um sábado, um domingo! Porque este vime para ser grande, alto, ter aí três metros e meio ou quatro de altura, é preciso tirar os rebentos. Tem de ser limpo pelo menos uma vez por semana, e muito regado. Eu nunca imaginei que dava tanto trabalho, se não… Só me dedico a isto porque tenho um filho que trabalha nisto comigo a 100%. Porque se não, com a idade que estou não arriscava. Eu gastei muito dinheiro a comprar uma parcela de terreno. Fazer as plantações, plastificar o chão todo no terreno para meter as estacas e não virem as ervas daninhas porque se não as ervas às tantas comem o vime. E gastei lá já quase mais dinheiro para ver se consigo tirar. Graças a deus tenho lá vime tão bom como o que estava a vir do Chile, tenho sim senhora. Mas tem-me dado muito trabalho. Por isso é que eu sei que muita gente, mesmo com condições, não produzem porque sai caro. Não sai nada mais barato que mandá-lo vir, tivéssemos nós donde ele venha. Eu antes o queria mandar vir porque ganhava mais dinheiro a fazer o artigo em casa do que estar a produzir o vime.
It was almost all from Chile. Now I've bought a plot of land and I'm producing it, but this is a lot, a lot of work! Since April, I have never had a peaceful Sunday again! A Sunday, it's not even a Saturday, a Sunday! Because this wicker to get big and tall, to be three and a half or four meters high, it's necessary to remove its buds. It has to be picked at least once a week, and heavily watered. I never imagined it was so much work, otherwise… I only do this because I have a son who works together with me full-time. Otherwise, because of my age, I wouldn't risk it. I've spent a lot of money to buy a plot of land. Making the plantations, covering the ground with plastics to put the posts up so there are no growing weeds around because the weeds will often destroy the wicker. And I've spent more money on this crop hoping to make some profit out of it. Thank God I have wicker as good as the one that was coming from Chile, yes I do, ma'am. But it has given me so much work. That's why I know that many people, even when having the necessary conditions, chose not to grow it because it's so expensive. It's not cheaper than buying it abroad if we had where it came from. I preferred to buy it abroad because I would earn more money making the items at home than producing the wicker.
It was almost all from Chile. Now I've bought a plot of land and I'm producing it, but this is a lot, a lot of work! Since April, I have never had a peaceful Sunday again! A Sunday, it's not even a Saturday, a Sunday! Because this wicker to get big and tall, to be three and a half or four meters high, it's necessary to remove its buds. It has to be picked at least once a week, and heavily watered. I never imagined it was so much work, otherwise… I only do this because I have a son who works together with me full-time. Otherwise, because of my age, I wouldn't risk it. I've spent a lot of money to buy a plot of land. Making the plantations, covering the ground with plastics to put the posts up so there are no growing weeds around because the weeds will often destroy the wicker. And I've spent more money on this crop hoping to make some profit out of it. Thank God I have wicker as good as the one that was coming from Chile, yes I do, ma'am. But it has given me so much work. That's why I know that many people, even when having the necessary conditions, chose not to grow it because it's so expensive. It's not cheaper than buying it abroad if we had where it came from. I preferred to buy it abroad because I would earn more money making the items at home than producing the wicker.
Então estas cestas afinal não são em pinho...
SO THESE BASKETS AREN'T MADE OF PINE WOOD...
Isto é acácia.
Você não sabe o que é acácia [Acacia longifolia], pois não? Sabe o que é a mimosa [Acacia dealbata]?
This is acacia wood. You don’t know what is an acacia tree, do you? Do you know what’s a “mimosa” tree (Acacia dealbata)?
Você não sabe o que é acácia [Acacia longifolia], pois não? Sabe o que é a mimosa [Acacia dealbata]?
This is acacia wood. You don’t know what is an acacia tree, do you? Do you know what’s a “mimosa” tree (Acacia dealbata)?
Sim, sim.
YES, OF COURSE.
São “irmãs”, são parecidas.
They are from the same kind.
They are from the same kind.
E também são parecidas com as Austrálias. São todas espécies invasoras…
THEY’RE ALSO SIMMILAR TO ‘AUSTRALIAS’ [ACACIA MELANOXYLON]. THEY ARE ALL INVASIVE SPECIES…
Aqueles cesteiros que estão acolá, os dois, não sabem o que é Austrálias. Vocês daqui, mesmo do Porto sabem o que é. Mas eles de onde são não sabem. Um é de lá de cima da Guarda, de Gonçalo.
Those basketmakers over there, both of them don't know what is an Australia tree. People from Porto, like you, know what it is. But they have never seen one. One of them is from up north in Guarda, [the village of] Gonçalo.
Those basketmakers over there, both of them don't know what is an Australia tree. People from Porto, like you, know what it is. But they have never seen one. One of them is from up north in Guarda, [the village of] Gonçalo.
Ah, porque lá não há Austrálias?
OH, BECAUSE THERE THEY DON'T HAVE ANY AUSTRALIAS?
Não há Austrálias.
Yes, there are no ‘Australias’ up there.
Yes, there are no ‘Australias’ up there.
Só há aqui no Norte.
ONLY HERE IN THE NORTH REGION.
Nós aqui é uma praga. A cana de bambu em ponto grosso… lá para cima não têm nada disso. Veio lá um senhor que já faleceu…. veio a minha casa para eu lhe ir arranjar “raízeiros” de canas, para ter canas graúdas. Levou para cima aquilo e não deu, não morreram, mas não saiam da cepa torta. E aqui em Vila Verde, aquilo é uma praga que chega a atacar as árvores todas… Eu tenho canas em casa a pesar 30-40 quilos cada cana. E depois também faço cestos daqueles, com uma cana faço dez ou doze cestos, no inverno.
Here it's a plague. The thicker cane... up there they don't have any of this. Some time ago, a man came to me to get some cane roots, to grow bigger canes. He took some up north and it just didn't work, it hasn't died but it wouldn't grow properly. Here in Vila Verde, it's a plague that even attacks all the trees around... I have canes at home that weigh 30-40 kilos each. And then, I also make baskets like that one. Just with one cane, I can make ten or twelve baskets during the wintertime.
Here it's a plague. The thicker cane... up there they don't have any of this. Some time ago, a man came to me to get some cane roots, to grow bigger canes. He took some up north and it just didn't work, it hasn't died but it wouldn't grow properly. Here in Vila Verde, it's a plague that even attacks all the trees around... I have canes at home that weigh 30-40 kilos each. And then, I also make baskets like that one. Just with one cane, I can make ten or twelve baskets during the wintertime.
Tem muito rendimento.
HAS PLENTY OF YELD, RIGHT?
Aquilo torna-se rentável e barato, porque ninguém quer aquilo, porque aquilo é uma praga… Enquanto vamos para estes produtos assim…
It becomes very profitable and cheap because no one wants to buy that [cane]: it's a plague. So, while we make this kind of products [it's useful]...
It becomes very profitable and cheap because no one wants to buy that [cane]: it's a plague. So, while we make this kind of products [it's useful]...
Estas [cestas] aqui é que são de pinho, não é?
THERE WERE ALSO MANY MORE PEOPLE MAKING THINGS BY HAND. MAKING WOOD PIECES...
Isto é que é pinho [batendo na madeira do cesto]. Fiz uma “maquinetazita” lá, estilo uma plaina automática… [para extrair as fitas de madeira].
That's pine [knocking on the basket's wood]. I've made some sort of a machine, at home, like an electric wood planner... [to extract the wooden ribbons].
That's pine [knocking on the basket's wood]. I've made some sort of a machine, at home, like an electric wood planner... [to extract the wooden ribbons].
Porque é uma madeira mais dura não é, e estas aqui já são mais fininhas…
BECAUSE THIS [PINE WOOD] IS A HARDER WOOD AND THESE ONES [ACACIA] HERE ARE SOFTER...
Esta aqui nós desfiamos como o vime, enquanto que esta não. Aparece alguma madeira em que se põe na tal maquineta e ela sai “fita” mas a grande maioria não se tira. Tem que saber escolher bem a madeira para conseguir tirar “fita” se não não se consegue.
This one we can shred like the wicker cane, while this one we can't. There is some wood we place in the machine and it comes out like a ribbon, but most of them won't. We need to choose the right wood for making ribbons, otherwise we can't make it.
This one we can shred like the wicker cane, while this one we can't. There is some wood we place in the machine and it comes out like a ribbon, but most of them won't. We need to choose the right wood for making ribbons, otherwise we can't make it.
