Do you know annatto (bixa orellana), a plant native to the tropical areas of the American continent, with multiple uses throughout history?
See also:
Discover interesting facts about ora-pro-nóbis, an edible and medicinal plant
Also called paprika, annatto enchants not only because of its bright red color, but also because of details such as the delicacy of its flowers.
While wandering around the Porto Meira neighborhood, in the southern region of Foz do Iguaçu, Francisco Amarilla found a magnificent specimen in an area close to the Iguaçu River. According to the presenter of the É da Vida program, the discovery occurred by chance.
“Look how beautiful the annatto flower is. It looks like an orchid flower, very beautiful,” described the environmentalist, who also opened a fruit to show the seeds. “Normally, we don’t do that.”
Widely known by the native peoples of South America, annatto aroused the interest of Europeans at the very beginning of the occupation.
Currently, the main uses are related to dyes, cosmetics production and food seasonings.
In cultural terms, annatto is associated with body paintings made by warriors of various peoples of the continent on occasions such as battles. The word itself (uru'ku) has its origins in languages from the Tupi-Guarani trunk.
Produced by H2FOZ, the É da Vida program has the support of Bird Park. Presentation: Francisco Amarilla. Images and editing: Marcos Labanca. Distribution on digital platforms: Claudio Siqueira.
To see the complete archive, with all video edits, click here.
