The cordel is a small booklet combining a handcarved woodcut image and a poem, both created by the artist. These booklets are cheaply produced on thin wood pulp paper and, hung from rope at the market, are sold for pennies—hence the term, cordel. This one is about a man from the Brazilian state of Ceará is coming to Brasilia and watching it be built.
The Caatinga is a unique semi-arid biome in northeastern Brazil, defined by its seasonal dry and rainy cycles, and is inextricably linked to the teachings and legacy of Father Cícero Romão Batista. As a folk saint and community leader, his philosophy of faith, self-sufficiency, and compassion provided hope and guidance for the impoverished and marginalized people, known as the sertanejos, who endured the region's harsh climate and political neglect. This is a sermon about this area.