Unconventionally Traditional

In the far Northeast of Brazil, where economic misery and cultural richness coexist, there is a place with paradise beaches and tropical jungles called Bahia. It is the home of the "baianas", which are considered to be part of Brazil's cultural and immaterial heritage. They are the women, black women usually, who identify strongly with and have their roots in African religions. These women dedicate themselves to the craft of making and selling "acarajé". This traditional food is made of ground beans, shrimp, pepper, and lots of a unique palm oil made from “dendê”. One of these "baianas" is special for a completely different reason: Toinha was born in the body of a man, to a very poor family from the countryside of Bahia, and was physically punished by her father for wanting to play with dolls. Among her many brothers, it was her that had to do the hard work in the family ranch. Feeling lost and isolated for being transgender in such a prejudicial environment, she left everything behind and never looked back.

Unlike the other more conventional "baianas", Toinha harvests and makes the palm oil she will later use to prepare a uniquely delicious acarajé, and according to her It is the most beautiful part of the process. For days she will walk her way to the jungles of Bahia carrying only rudimentary tools, she will then climb the trees and knock the “dendê” fruits down, which stand several meters tall. The fruit bunches are then picked carefully to avoid being pierced by the plants' painfully big thorns, which she tells happened many times in the past. This process will be repeated until she completely fills her huge barrels with fruits she will then carry home and use to make her own palm oil, with the help of no one. It is a long process and everything is done manually, which Toinha, an unconventional “baiana” does with love and proudly so!