A 75-year-old Mbya Guarani artist unveils a bilingual book of drawings, collages, and indigenous cosmology this Saturday in Porto Alegre, free admission.
On Saturday, March 21, at 9 a.m., José Verá launches Mbya Nhenhandu Reko, a essência da sabedoria guarani (Riacho, 2026, 148 pp.) at the Banca do Meio stall of the FAE – Feira de Agricultores Ecologistas, on Rua José Bonifácio in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Admission is free, and the event includes a Brazilian Sign Language interpreter.
Guided by Nhanderu
José Verá lives in the village of Tekoa Yvyty Porã (Campo Molhado Village, Guarani Barra do Ouro Indigenous Land) in Maquiné, Rio Grande do Sul. His drawings — made with pencils, pens, and markers — are rooted in Mbya spirituality and the resilience of his people.
The child grows up in the village; school is in the village, together with the families. And Nhanderu [the Guarani creator of the world] is my government and also my teacher. He chose me. I was born for this.
The bilingual book — in Mbya Guarani and Portuguese — presents plants, animals, and deities from the Guarani cosmology. The stories were passed down orally to Guarani teacher Francisco Alves, who transcribed and translated them into Portuguese.
Five years in the making
The book grew out of a collaborative process between the Tekoa Yvyty Porã community and a non-indigenous team. After the release of the previous book, Nhemombaraete Reko RaꞋi (2021), José Verá was given high-quality paper and art supplies. By the team’s next visit, every sheet was already covered in drawings, graphic patterns, and mythological figures. Five years later, this new book took shape.
The creative process and daily village life were documented in video and photography by four young Mbya Guarani communicators. The material will be available at riacho.me/josevera.
Institutional recognition
José Verá’s work has been gaining ground in art exhibitions and literary fairs. The MARGS – Rio Grande do Sul Museum of Art acquired seven of his pieces for its permanent collection and will open a solo exhibition of his work in April — the first solo show by an indigenous artist living in Rio Grande do Sul. More at margs.rs.gov.br.
The project was funded by SEDAC/RS through Public Notice No. 31/2024 PNAB RS – Memory and Heritage, and executed by AEPIM (Association of Studies and Projects with Indigenous and Minority Peoples), an NGO working since 2009 alongside indigenous, quilombola, and family farming communities. Editing and graphic design are by Riacho, an independent publishing imprint active since 2016, focused on poetic expression and socio-environmental diversity.
Event Info
Launch of Mbya Nhenhandu Reko, a essência da sabedoria guarani
Date: Saturday, March 21, 2026, at 9 a.m.
Venue: Banca do Meio — FAE Farmers Market, Rua José Bonifácio (first block), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
Free admission
Launch price: R$ 60.00 | Cover price: R$ 70.00 | 148 pages
Where to buy: Via Sapiens — R. da República, 58, Cidade Baixa, Porto Alegre
Website: riacho.me/josevera
Photo: Courtesy/Riacho
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