Penedo, Itatiaia
Penedo is a district in the Itatiaia municipality, located in the southern region of Rio de Janeiro state, in Brazil. It is the first Finnish colony in Brazil, and some Finnish influence can still be noticed in some houses, and commercial buildings, as well as in the local culture.
Penedo, a small village, located right next to Parque Nacional do Itatiaia, became the first true Finnish settlement Finnish immigrants in 1929.[4] The founder of the settlement, Toivo Uuskallio, settled with but a small group of like-minded countrymen aiming to build a community that would live an idealistically prosaic, peaceful torwards nature, and with precepts that included a strict vegan diet, with no foods of animal origin. He arrived in the city of Rio de Janeiro with his wife Liisa. Considering the virgin land of the Itatiaia valley at the time, stating that both he and his wife were marveled with the lush natural beauty of the state, Uuskallio agreed to the government into settling fellow Finnish people in the Itatiaia valley in assigned lands, partof the pro-immigrant plans of the Brazilian government at that time. After taking Portuguese lessons (reportedly at Berlitz), he ended up going by train to the nearby town Barra Mansa, from where he started the exploration and mapping of the region, visiting farms and properties in Rio and neighboring states as means to understand the local farming process and style.
He finally visited Fazenda Penedo, then owned by the São Bento Monastery. With 3,500 hectares, it was crisscrossed by fresh water springs and rivers, that were distributed along several altitudes. He could use the large Casa Grande, the main house in the farm, to accommodate his group. He envisioned that the area would allow them to grow both European and tropical flora. He was not aware that the former use of the farm as a coffee plantation had basically drained the most substantial nutrients from the soil, and that saúva ants were to cut the plants. In 1929, he purchased the property, and a second group of settlers arrived. After working on the land, they were finally able to plant corn, yams, bananas, flowers, and loofah. By 1935, most settlers had their own individual houses. Women took care of the laundry, cooking and vegetable gardens, while men tended the earth, planted and negotiated the crops. Many of the settlers did not adapt well to the new country, and returned home to Finland. When things got ugly with World War II some of them came back to Brazil. The strict vegan philosophy was no longer prevalent, though, and fowl, pig and dairy farming were gradually introduced. Tourism became an alternative. Liisa Uuskallio was the pioneer, using the spacious Casa Grande. Penedo is where Brazilians were introduced to the Finnish sauna. Guests could enjoy the healthy lifestyle, delicious food and fresh-baked breads, and relax in the river. Clube Finlandês opened doors in 1943. Massages and treatments were incorporated into the attractions for visitors. It could be considered the grandfather of today's spas. In 1970, electricity reached the village, and 1980 the first phones were installed.
The Scandinavian style of the houses has been preserved, and the village has kept its European charm. With a number of talented local artisans, handcraft and carpets (Ryijy and Raanu) are offered in local stores for very attractive prices. Decorative candles, hand-woven blankets and throws are also part of the Finnish legacy. As the descendants of the immigrants stopped growing loofah in the 70's, the traditional bathing gloves, sandals, dolls and other items are no longer available. To compensate, food specialties such as fruit preserves, chutney, home-made chocolates and ice cream became well known for their excellent quality. In addition to nature lovers and gourmets, Penedo is popular with adventure seekers. Rappelling, mountaineering and horseback riding are some of the most sought options from tourists.
External links
Penedo travel guide from Wikivoyage
Coordinates: 22°26′34″S 44°31′43″W / 22.44278°S 44.52861°W