One of Macaíba's main landmarks, the Museu Solar Ferreiro Torto, on the banks of BR-226, was visited on the morning of Friday, October 1st, by a group of patients treated at the Adult Spinal Cord Injury Clinic at the Santos Dumont Institute (ISD). The action,  alluding to September 5th, entitled World Spinal Cord Injury Day, was organized by the multidisciplinary team of the Rodas da Vida Project and aimed to provide a moment of integration and leisure, respecting biosafety standards, and to stimulate debate between wheelchair users and non-wheelchair users about the lack of accessibility to public spaces, as occurs in most museums spread across Rio Grande do Norte.

After a short tour of the first floor of the old mansion, where the history of the enterprise that housed a slave quarters, chapel, flour mill and a pillory was told, the Wheelchair users were asked whether, in their daily lives, they face difficulties in accessing public leisure and cultural establishments and they all responded unanimously that they did. They highlighted the lack of adaptive transport and the absence of adequate signage on municipal roads regarding wheelchair users.

Patient Judson da Silva, 33, highlighted the need to implement public policies that promote the integration of people with disabilities into everyday life in cities, with greater accessibility, signage and necessary adjustments such as the correction of architectural barriers on sidewalks, for example. The Museu Solar Ferreiro Torto does not have access ramps to enter the mansion. Due to the lack of accessibility in the area, wheelchair users were unable to visit other areas of the museum, such as the upper floors and the port pier.

A wheelchair user for four and a half years, Judson Silva highlighted the lack of access as another simple problem that can be solved. He suffers from complete paraplegia due to an injury to the 3rd and 4th thoracic vertebrae. He congratulated the action promoted by the ISD in partnership with the Museu Solar Ferreiro Torto and pointed out that living with a spinal cord injury is a daily challenge. “You have to relearn everything. Life changes completely. When I started with the injury, I needed help with everything. Today, I do everything by myself,” he commented during his visit to the museum. 

After a discussion with students from the Multidisciplinary Residency in Healthcare for People with Disabilities, who were guided during the visit by multidisciplinary supervisors, physiotherapist Heloísa Britto and psychologist Miliana Galvão, the patients agreed to draft a letter with the demands of wheelchair users, which should be sent to the City of Macaíba. “The laws that protect wheelchair users need to be put into practice in order to be valued,” said Antônio Danrley, one of the wheelchair users present. Raimundo Gomes, another patient treated at the ISD Adult Spinal Cord Injury Clinic, stressed that “the community needs to see us so that we can win our rights.”

History

The visit to the museum was the result of a partnership between the Santos Dumont Institute and Solar Ferreiro Torto. On the occasion, participants had the opportunity to learn a little more about the rich history of the municipality of Macaíba, its glorious past with figures such as Augusto Severo de Albuquerque Maranhão, politician and inventor of the Pax airship, born in the municipality in 1864. In addition to the poet Auta de Souza, author of the book of poems Horto. 

The Solar Ferreiro Torto museum is located near the Jundiaí River. Formerly, it was the seat of Engenho do Ferreiro Torto. The building was built in the 17th century, then receiving the name Engenho Potengi, becoming the second sugar cane mill in Rio Grande do Norte.

The site was the scene of numerous battles involving Dutch, Portuguese, Indians and African slaves. The building was practically destroyed. Only in the 19th century, in 1845, was it reformed and received the current name of Solar do Ferreiro Torto, serving as a home for many noble families of the city.

According to Aécio Pereira, son of Bruno Pereira (former owner of the establishment), the name Ferreiro Torto was inspired by a very tall and crooked coconut tree that existed in the vicinity of the construction, and, near the tree, a blacksmith had a tent where served travelers who needed to maintain the horseshoes of their animals. This narrative is presented in the book “O Giramundo”, by Aécio Pereira.

For a long time, the place served as a residence and until the end of the 70s of the 20th century it was transformed into a museum of sacred art, being maintained by the José Augusto Foundation. In the same period, Solar Ferreiro Torto toppled and restored the old colonial mansion.

In the 1980s, the building was again renovated and adapted to function as the seat of the Municipal Executive Branch. Thus, Ferreiro Torto was the seat of the Municipality of Macaíba from 1983 to 1989.

Then the building was transformed into a municipal museum. But shortly after it was closed. The Solar was reopened in April 2003, bringing together a large exhibition of photographs that portray the History of Macaíba and of illustrious children who were prominent in local society.

Today, the site receives frequent visits from researchers of History and Biological Sciences, groups of students, families and tourists in general from various parts of the State, the country and the world. Solar Ferreiro Torto is surrounded by a preserved stretch of Atlantic Forest, typical vegetation of the coastal area of Brazil. Around it, there are several ecological trails that the visitor can enjoy, in addition to enjoying the view of the Jundiaí River. Therefore, the space is ideal for those who like History and the Environment.