What is community tourism?
- To take a trip in a typical boat in Cajari MA, with live instrumental music…
Community tourism aims to contribute to the development of the communities. Stimulating the exchange of experiences between tourists and the local community, it promotes the preservation of history, culture and nature.
Community tourism is tourism by the community for the community. All resources generated by tourist activities will therefore be reinvested in community projects. The community itself decides in a transparent way on how these resources will be reinvested, serving its basic principle: The preservation of human life.
Where?
The Baixada is a territory of wetlands and lakes situated in the north of the state of Maranhão. Flooded by the rivers Pericumã, Aurá, Pindaré, Maracu and Mearim, its scenery reminds of that of the Pantanal.
- Fishermen from the community of João Luís sail on the lakes of the Baixada..
When?
In the dry season from August to January, the region offers sights of vast plains and fields scattered by buffalo’s.
It is however recommended to visit the Baixada in the wet season, from January till August. The increased water level of the rivers, then flood the fields resulting in one of the biggest and most beautiful set of natural lakes and ponds. A trip in one of the typical fishing boats is the ideal way to contemplate this magnificent setting and to get a glimpse of the abundant bird life.
Get to know the tours of Baixada.
Cities:
First tour (Arari, Cajari) – 4 days
First day:
Untill 3pm – Arrival in São Luis
4pm – Leaving for Arari
Trip to ‘Curral da Igreja’
7pm – Dinner
Cultural night
Overnight
Second day:
8 am – Trail on the banks of the Mearim and dialog with the community about the phenomenon of Pororoca and its impacts for the population.
12 am – Lunch
3 pm – Leaving for the community ‘Passagem de Areias’
7 pm – Dinner
8 pm – Conversation in the light of the stars.
Overnight
Third day:
6 am – Accompany the way of living of the community
9 am – alternative activities: Fishing, trail
12 am – lunch
3 pm – Leaving for Cajari
Living with the youngsters of the youth forum
6 pm – Dinner at the river bank
Cultural night with presentation of the musical repertoire of the city. The admirers of instrumental music can share this experience with the younger people.
Overnight
Fourth day:
7 am – Leaving on a boat to the community of Boa Vista / Flexal
Visit to the library of Boa Vista or
Experiencing the practice of organic crops and the cultural patrimony of the quilombola Flexal.
12 am – lunch in one of the communities
2 pm – return to Cajari/ São Luis
7 pm – Dinner
Free night
Overnight at B&B Portas da Amazônia
Second tour (Penalva) – 3 days
First day:
Untill 3 pm – Arrival in São Luis
4 pm – Leaving for Penalva
Dinner
Overnight
Typical cultural activities of the city, realized by the youth and by the local community
Second day:
6 am – Leaving to the community ‘Formoso’
Fishing craft
Conversation with the community
12 am – Lunch
4 pm – Trail or Workshop
7 pm – Dinner
Overnight
Third day:
6 am – Accompaniment the work and the way of living of the community
9 am – Leaving for Penalva
12 am – Lunch
3 pm – Return to São Luis
8 pm – Free night
Overnight at the B&B Portas da Amazônia
Third tour (Matinha, Olinda Nova) – 3 days
First day:
Untill 3 pm – Arrival in São Luis
4 pm – Leaving for Matinha
Dinner and overnight at the ranch Nazaré
Cultural night (Community)
Second day:
8 am – Visit to the community of Contenda – rural community in area of settlement
Experiencing the practices of organic crops
12 am – lunch
4 pm – Dialog with the students and teachers of the Center for medium and professional education.
Visit to the projects of the youngsters (atelier and agro-industry of pulp)
5 pm – Leaving for Olinda Nova
7 pm – Dinner in B&B of the youngsters (Pindoba and Betel)
8 pm – Cultural night (companies of theater, dance and musical groups of the community)
Third day:
6 am – Experiencing the work in a flour house
9 am – Fishing/trip to the lake of Coqueiro (Archaeological land house under the sea level)
12 am – Lunch
4 pm – Stop at the Pau da mentira (prose with the community)
5 pm – Return to São Luis
Free night
Overnight at the B&B Portas da Amazônia
Fourth tour (São Bento, Palmeirândia/Peri-Mirim) – 4 days
First day:
Until 3 pm – Arrival in São Luis
4 pm – Leaving for Palmeirândia
Dinner and overnight at the condominio Cauaçu (ecological houses in a rural area, with production unities of the technical and agro-ecological youngsters)
Dialog in the light of the stars, around a brotherhood fire
Second day:
6 am – Accompaniment of the activities of the families of Cauaçu
8 am – Fishing craft
10 am – Visit to the production unities of the condominio Brisa dos Campos (unities of meliponiculture and pisciculture)
12 am – Lunch
3 pm – Leaving for São Bento
4 pm – Visit to the agro-industry São Carlos (artisanal industry of sweets) and youth forum
6 pm – visit to the CEMP – Dialog with the teachers and students of the center for medium and professional education about the formation process of the youngsters.
Cultural night – serenade through the streets of the city
Overnight
Third day:
8 am – Visit to the cultural center of São Bento – Histories of the Baixada / workshop / dialog with the hammock makers
12 am – Lunch at Cauaçu
2 pm – Leaving for the agro-ecological park Buritirana
3 pm – Dialog about the local sustainable development – proposals for the Baixada or conversation with the coconut-breakers.
5 pm – Management of the plant modifications (manioc, fruits of the Amazone, tropical flowers, vegetables)
7 pm – Dinner in Buritirana – conversation with the fishermen
Overnight
Fourth day:
8 am – Trail in Buritirana
Lunch
3 pm – Return to São Luis
Free night
Overnight at the B&B Portas da Amazônia
Fifth tour (São Vicente Férrer, São João Batista) – 3 days
First day:
Until 3 pm – Arrival in São Luis
4 pm – Leaving for São João Batista
7 pm – Dinner
8 pm – Film session at the PJCinema – films produced by the youngsters of the Baixada
Overnight
Second day:
7 am – Leaving for the community of Raposa
Fishing / trip and dialog with the community about the history of the ancient port of disposal of products of the Baixada
12 am – lunch
3 pm – Visit at the center for medium and professional education: dialog with the teachers and the students
Workshop to make typical sweets of the region.
7 pm – Dinner
Overnight
Third day:
8 am – Leaving for São Vicente Férrer
Trip to the Community Lago do Mato
9 am – Workshop of artisanal pottery
12 am – Lunch
3 pm – Return to São Luis by ferryboat
Get to know the tour of São Luis
Sixth tour – rural zone of São Luis
Spend a weekend with your son on the field – Saturday and Sunday
Public:
Parents and children who are interested in spending a weekend on the field with communities around São Luis, like it was at the time of our parents and grandparents, when we used to go to the land house.
Adolescents and youngsters interested in experiencing a life on the field. They can learn about culture, management and healthy habits in coexistence with the local population in their own environment.
Tourists that in general are interested in coexistence with the communities of the rural zone of São Luis.
First day:
8 am – Leaving for Maracanã
9 am – Meeting with the young agents of community tourism and the inhabitants.
Visit to the communities of Maracanã and Alegria
12 am – Lunch
3 pm – Workshop of organic crops and environmental education in Alegria
5 pm – Cultivation of seedlings of plants and vegetables.
6 pm – Dialog around the fire
Overnight at the land house Marrecas
Second day:
7.30 am – Taking care of the birds and animals on the land house
8.30 am – Planting of seedlings in the streets, gardens or squares with the inhabitants of Alegria and Maracanã
9 am – Trail in Maracanã
12 am – Lunch
4 pm – Return to the center of São Luis
Guardians of Memory
In all the tours you will meet a guardian of memory – an elderly person that knows – like no other – the history of the community; of that place, where he was born, grew up and mostly, never left. That is why it makes part of his history.
Find us!
Get information about the tours, the prices, the dates of the tours.
Address: Av. Ana Jansen, 19 – Ed. Mendes Frota, 6º andar, sala 612, São Francisco, CEP 65076.200 – São Luís/MA – Brasil
Phone: (98) 3227-7203
Site: http://www.formacao.org.br
E-mail: turismocomunitario@formacao.org.br
Formação – center for support for basic education
(Integral organization of the network Turisol)
Formação is an NGO, without lucrative meanings, founded by a group of educators in the area of basic and popular education, with experiences in analyzing and proposing public policies, developing educative projects, producing didactic material, professional qualification of the youngsters in medium level and of the teachers in continuing formation process and specialization.
The main objective is to build political and educational bases. This is to realize projects and public policies that help the local development in a way that the life of all of the citizens can be raised. From a management practice that prevails in ethical conduct, that promote a social and economical justice. The youngsters and adults participate in an effective way at the construction of new perspectives for the cities of the region.
Formação coordinates the set of integrated projects – CIP (Conjunto Integrado de Projetos) ‘Jovem Cidadão’ with various actions in the Baixada Maranhense. The main areas are Art and Culture; physical education, sports and leisure; health and human ecology; educational communication and Education and work.
The actions to help are:
a) Promotion of centres for the medium education – 7 centers were implanted;
b) Implantation and monitoring of the telecentres – 13 telecentres were implanted with 107 internet points;
c) Promoting the activities of Art and Culture and Physical education, sports and leisure;
d) Creation of the incubator of Art, Media and Technology – responsible for the coordination and development of a set of projects in these areas, for the whole of Maranhão, in particular in São Luis and Baixada Maranhense;
e) Implantation of a pole of development of Technologies – in the Baixada Maranhense;
f) Creation of the incubator of production projects – responsible for the promotion, incubation and development of more than 60 projects in the areas of agro-ecology and community tourism in the Baixada Maranhense;
g) Implantation of the agro-ecological park Buritirana – under construction, in the city of Peri Mirim.
The formação is headquartered in São Luis and two centers of development of technologies in agro-ecology (Peri Mirim (Buritirana), São Luis (Alegria))
Organizations responsible for the community tourism in Baixada Maranhense:
Youth forums
Education Portal of Baixada
Association of Physical education, sports and leisure
Agency of sustainable development
Agricultural Portal
Amilagos
Cooperlagos
Community institute of the Baixada Maranhense
Councils of Law
Partners/supporters of Formação in the development projects of the Baixada.
Fundação Kellogg
Unicef
Federal economical Bank
Institute Oi Futuro
Fifa
Southamerican network of streetsoccer
Project Bagagem
Sebrae
Help systems
Fapema
Fundep
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