Tools and utensils

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Flour houses are home to aviamentos — essential equipment for the artisanal production of flour.

The culmination of producers’ ingenuity over centuries, these tools combine Indigenous knowledge

with that of the Portuguese colonizers. Even with the arrival of modernity and the introduction of motorized equipment powered by diesel, electricity, or water, artisanal flour production continues

to rely on collective labor and the sharing of knowledge across generations.

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Washer and Peeler

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A substitute for machetes, basins of water, and rivers, this equipment uses internal graters, friction between the roots, and running water to remove dirt and peel from the cassava, making it easier

to clean. Made of wood or steel, it operates through pulleys and water wheels, or electric motors.

 

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Rodete or Grater

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This piece of equipment is used to grate cassava, a process known as sevar. Traditionally made of

wood lined with perforated metal, it was either operated manually using cranks or powered by pulleys

and water wheels. Today, it is made of steel and powered by motors, speeding up the process of

grating the roots.

 

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Cocho and Gamela

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These are hollowed-out wooden troughs used to hold the grated cassava pulp. They serve as

containers for receiving and storing the pulp throughout the grating, pressing, and toasting

stages. The main difference between them lies in size: cochos are larger than gamelas.

 

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Spindle press

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Of Portuguese origin, this press is used to compress cassava pulp and extract its juice, separating

the liquid from the dry matter. It operates using a central screw — the fuso — which gradually applies pressure to the pulp via a lever. More modern versions are made from iron and steel instead of wood.

In Paraty, the press was adapted for use with the tapiti, blending Indigenous and European knowledge.

 

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Tapiti or Tipiti

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A handwoven tool made from taquaraçu (a type of bamboo), used to compress cassava pulp and

extract its liquid. In Paraty, it is traditionally combined with the spindle press, resulting in a wider,

shorter shape compared to the elongated Indigenous models used in northern Brazil. Today,

common substitutes include woven raffia sacks.

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Taquaraçu Sieve

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A handwoven sieve made from taquaraçu (a type of bamboo), used to separate lumps from the

pressed, dried cassava pulp. The sifted pulp is then placed in the cocho and taken to the oven

for toasting. Common substitutes include steel mesh sieves.

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Oven and Copper Pan

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A traditional wood-fired oven, typically built with stone and stucco — a mixture of lime, sand,

and water — used to toast cassava flour. The flour is stirred constantly in a copper pan using

a handcrafted wooden paddle to prevent burning or clumping. Modern versions use

mechanized paddles and steel construction.

 

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Taquaraçu Baskets

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Handwoven containers made from taquaraçu (a type of bamboo), used to store and transport

cassava during the various stages of the flour-making process. In recent years, these baskets

have often been replaced with synthetic alternatives, such as plastic containers.