When Rivello looks back at his childhood, the hoe (“barete”) has always been an artifact—an incredibly important tool in the lives of his grandparents, his father, his older brothers, and eventually even himself, the youngest child. They’ve always considered the hoe to be essential. For them, the barete is like a multi-tool.

Originally, the main purpose of the barete was to dig holes for planting fence posts or crops, or simply to prepare the land. But if you look closely, the hoe can also be used to lift, break, or destroy something that needs to be removed. In that sense, the barete is truly a
multi-purpose tool. Rivello grew up watching his uncles work with the barete. He saw his father using it every day, and now Rivello himself still works with it. As a child, you learn to use the barete. The usual time to dig post holes was in the morning.

But since Rivello had to go to school, they often did the work in the late afternoon. Sometimes his uncle would even dig holes at night—when it was cooler. Those were the cooler moments, and that’s when he worked best. So the barete has always been a big part of
Rivello’s life and upbringing. Nearly every job a farmer does involves the barete. And alongside it, there’s the cocorobi, half a calabash used to scoop out soil.
Rivello also remembers using tuna cans or vegetable tins to do the same, just to work faster. When Rivello sees that same hoe today, he knows it’s the one his family has used for years. And it’s no ordinary
tool—it’s heavy. Very heavy.
His family did a lot with it. Hit the ground hard. Dig deep. And keep working. According to Rivello: “That’s what I can say about our barete!”