The comic pages here were selected from several MãmMãmBuge’s stories, the book Zu Kinkajoo, and the commissioned educational story, “The Mystery of the River’s Source.” All stories feature content related to ecology and the environment.
Comments from Céu:
The pages of MãmMãmbuge, gathered here, are from three different stories, all published in Super Eco magazine. The backdrop for these comics is the Amazon Rainforest: the westernmost region of the Amazon Basin, to be more precise. I visited several forests there, researching botany, zoology, the customs of its inhabitants, and popular myths. The pink dolphin, which possesses magical powers and can transform into human form; Yauarete, the Lord of the Jaguars who comes with rain and thunder; and the Giant Boa Constrictor who travels through different supernatural dimensions—all are entities of Amazonian folklore.
But more than the fantastic context, what I like most about these myths is that they stimulate our imagination (and that of our children), to perceive the connections between animal behavior and the flow of environmental changes.
Fantasy is like a field where you can sow and reap. And depending on the seeds you sow, you create a different inner forest, with different emotions living within it. All of this will affect how you connect with your inner self and the world around you. Folktales reinvigorate our roots in the real world and our appreciation for its vivid qualities and delicate balance.
The comic book Zu Kinkajoo is about a young girl and her older brother, searching for a mysterious animal that calls her telepathically. Most of the story takes place in the savannas of Central Brazil, in the region of plateaus and canyons known as Chapada dos Veadeiros (Deer Hunters Plateaux). This area is home to the headwaters of important rivers that contribute to Brazil’s three largest river basins. Therefore, my story also features a subplot where the headwaters are threatened by the enigmatic behavior of some psychologically disturbed characters.
Why all this is happening and what the connection is between the mysterious animal and the threat of the river’s source is something you need to read to understand. I promise the ending will be very surprising.
This publication in my portfolio also includes an excerpt from another story set in a river basin, “The Mystery of the River’s Source.” This is a commissioned work I completed for the São Paulo State Government’s Department of the Environment. The book was distributed to all public schools in the state of São Paulo as part of an educational program. The goal is to raise awareness among children about the importance of respecting and preserving these areas.
Up until now, my comics have only been published in Portuguese. So, for now, if you don’t know Portuguese, you’ll need to learn. Or just look at the pictures. Sorry…
Céu D´Ellia
