What is Capim Dourado? The Story Behind Golden Grass Jewelry

By Silvana Budge - Amazonian Treasures*

If you've ever seen a piece of jewelry that seems to glow with its own golden light, no artificial color, no metal plating, just pure natural radiance, you may have been looking at capim dourado. Known in English as golden grass, this extraordinary natural fiber is one of Brazil's most treasured materials, and the heart of our Grass of Freedom Collection.

But behind every golden grass piece is a story that goes far deeper than beauty. It is a story of freedom, resilience, and a woman who changed everything.

 

The Woman Who Started It All

In the Quilombola community of Mumbuca, in the state of Tocantins, there lived a visionary artisan, Dona Miuda, whose name is deeply honored within the golden grass community.

She was the one who first saw the extraordinary potential of capim dourado, not just as a source of income, but as a living expression of Quilombola identity and cultural heritage. Through her vision and hands, she transformed a wild plant of the Cerrado into an art form.

She fought tirelessly for sustainable production practices, insisting that the harvest of capim dourado be done in harmony with nature, never depleting, always regenerating. She founded an association, bringing together artisans from her community and giving them a collective voice, a market, and a future.

She passed away in 2010. But her legacy lives on in every woven piece that leaves the hands of the women she inspired, a legacy that turned a wild plant from the Cerrado into a symbol of freedom, sustainability, and artisan pride.

When you wear a piece of capim dourado jewelry from Amazonian Treasures, you are carrying a piece of that story.

What is Capim Dourado?

Capim dourado (*Syngonanthus nitens*) is a plant native to the Cerrado, Brazil's vast tropical savanna biome. It grows in the wetlands of Tocantins state, where the unique combination of sandy soils, seasonal flooding, and intense sunlight creates its signature luminous gold color.

Unlike metals or dyed materials, capim dourado's golden sheen is entirely natural. The plant's slender stems turn a deep, warm gold as they dry, producing a fiber that catches the light in a way no artificial material can replicate. No dye. No plating. Just nature.

Who Harvests It?

Capim dourado is hand-harvested once a year, in September, after the plant's seeds have fully matured and dispersed. This timing, established and defended by the community ensures the plant regenerates naturally the following year.

The harvest is carried out by the Mumbuca community, descendants of Africans who escaped enslavement and built free settlements deep in the Brazilian Cerrado. For this community, working with golden grass is far more than a craft. It is a living connection to their ancestors, their land, and their hard-won freedom.

How is Golden Grass Jewelry Made?

After harvesting, the golden grass stems are carefully dried and sorted by hand. Artisans weave the fibers, often combining them with buriti palm straw for structure and flexibility, into intricate patterns that form necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and sets.

The weaving process is entirely handmade and requires years of skill to master. Each artisan develops her own style and signature patterns, learned through years of dedicated practice. No two pieces are exactly alike.

 

Why is Capim Dourado So Special?

There are several reasons why golden grass jewelry stands apart from anything else on the market:

**It is rare.** Capim dourado only grows in one region of Brazil, in specific wetland conditions that cannot be replicated elsewhere. The annual harvest is limited by nature itself.

**It is sustainable.** The traditional harvest method, practiced and protected by the community protects the plant's reproductive cycle. No chemicals, no machinery, no environmental damage.

**It is lightweight.** Despite its rich, golden appearance, golden grass jewelry is remarkably light to wear. A full necklace and earring set feels almost weightless.

**It is timeless.** The natural gold color never fades, never tarnishes, and requires no special care beyond keeping it away from moisture.

Explore Our Golden Grass Collection

At Amazonian Treasures*, all of our capim dourado pieces are sourced directly from Quilombola artisans, honoring the legacy of the women who built this craft. Each piece is handwoven, one of a kind, and carries the story of the women behind it.

Some of our favorites include the Serra Jewel Set, a teardrop pendant choker with matching earrings, and the Espiral Dourada Set, featuring handwoven spiral elements that captures the movement of the Cerrado landscape.

Explore the full Grass of Freedom Collection

*Amazonian Treasures is based in Louisville, Kentucky, and curates handcrafted natural jewelry from Indigenous, riverside, quilombola, and independent artisan communities across Brazil. Free U.S. shipping on orders over $90.*