Quince festival reaffirms tradition in “quilombo” near Brasília

Quince jam, quince soup with cheese, quince liqueur: these are just some of the delicacies celebrated in Quilombo Mesquita, a community founded by black people fleeing slavery during Brazil’s colonial period. Every January, following the quince harvest, this community, located 48 kilometers away from Brasília, comes together to celebrate a tradition that has endured for generations.

Originally introduced by the Portuguese during colonization, the quince has thrived in the Brazilian climate, becoming a staple in the region for over a century.

“This tradition goes back to my great-grandparents, who passed it on to my grandparents, then to my parents, and now to me. You can use quince for everything—eat it whole, make soup, or prepare jam,” explains Joselino Pereira Dutra, a farmer, as he tends to his stall selling quince jam.

In addition to making the jam, he also handcrafts the beautiful wooden boxes in which the delicacy is stored and sold. “People come from all over—Brasília, Goiânia, and Luziânia. It’s a highly traditional festival,” he proudly remarks.

The fruit

Every January Quilombo Mesquita celebrates the quince harvest – Wilson Dias/Agência Brasil

Quince has become deeply rooted in the local culture, finding its way into school meals due to its rich fiber content and low-calorie count. Furthermore, efforts are underway to promote the fruit across various sectors of the food production chain.

“We proposed to local businesses to include at least one quince product on their menus. Currently, we have quince milkshakes, quince used as a sauce for hamburgers, and even as a pizza flavor. This initiative is aimed at boosting the local economy,” explains Sanches Paiva, the municipal secretary for Industry, Commerce, Tourism, and Labor in Cidade Ocidental, a town near the quilombo.

The quilombo

The Mesquita Quilombo originated when three enslaved black women inherited a portion of the land from the farmer José Correia de Mesquita.

This region was fueled by the pursuit of gold, which was a dominant economic activity in the state of Goiás during the 17th century but declined by the end of the 18th century.

The town of Santa Luzia, which is now known as Luziânia, emerged around the estates where approximately 13,000 enslaved individuals and 3,500 free people comprised the town’s elite in the mid-1760s.

After being freed from slavery, the women who received land from the landowner Mesquita chose to stay on the land. There, they raised their families and upheld the traditions of agriculture and the customs of black culture. They also provided refuge back then for enslaved individuals who had escaped from other properties in the region.