The striking red patterns painted across Indigenous Peoples' faces and bodies have long fascinated the outside world. This red comes from urucum, a pigment derived from the seeds of a native plant from the South and Central American territories that has been part of our lives and rituals for centuries.
In my Pankararu community in Brazil, urucum also has health properties along with cultural and spiritual significance. More than just a pigment, urucum connects us to our ancestors, the land, and the deities that watch over us.
