This paper presents a case study which took place in the extractivist community in Céu do Juruá, in the Amazon, about the manufacturing process of a thread from the tucum palm leaves, an endemic specie in the Amazon region. The whole preparation process of the thread, as well as its different forms of use, show peculiar ways of socializing and producing, as well as transmitting traditional knowledge. The thread and all the products made from it are biodegradable and do not pose any risk to the forest life cycles, resulting in a path towards sustainable development in the region. Bearing in mind that we live in a planet threatened by recurring environmental crises as a consequence of the development-oriented model of progress, one could argue that the traditional knowledge bestowed upon the younger generations constitutes a manifestation of important cultural heritage.
immaterial heritage; tucum thread; know-how; traditional knowledge
