"Aqui em Caiana tem muitas pessoas negras na África também”: a representação da literatura afro-brasileira na identidade da criança quilombola de Caiana dos Crioulos - PB

Abstract

The use of literary texts in the classroom provides the development of creativity, reasoning, collaboration for the emancipation of an individual, helping them become conscious and reflective citizens in regards to their place in the world and with a broad view of it. This research emphasizes the discussion of the identity and representation of black children in quilombola school education, based on the use of Afro-Brazilian literature in a 5th grade classroom of elementary school, at Escola Firmo Santino in Caiana dos Crioulos, Alagoa Grande - PB. The research investigated, within the quilombola education context, how black children and non-black children, at the previously- mentioned school, build their identity representation in relation to their ethnic belonging, through Afro-Brazilian literary texts, in a meaningful and pleasant way. Through a qualitative research of the action-research type in interface with the bibliographic and documentary research, we worked with on-site observation, using a semi-structured interview with the teacher of the selected class, a questionnaire with students from that same school. Literary workshops were developed and as an educational product a pedagogical notebook was made with suggestions for activities that can help teachers at quilombola schools in addressing ethnic identity. In the theoretical perspective, the concepts of identity are addressed in Hall (2004), ethnicracial and quilombola education in Silva (2007) and Gomes (2008), the discussions of representation in Chartier (1999), studies on childhood and black literature, the discussion from Munanga (1996), Santos (2008), Fernandes; Sousa (2016), among others, as well as the Education Law (Lei de Diretrizes e Bases) 9394/96 and Law 10.639 / 2003 that deal with the subject, as well as the problematization of educational policies that address the racial issue. In the results, it is estimated that the construction of the identity of quilombola black and non-black children occurs through the representations that Afro-Brazilian literary texts will provide, which promotes the awakening to critical and reflective thinking in the face of racial ethnic issues, as well as attitudes and values that will be reviewed after their approach, through educational actions experienced collectively. Therefore, they start to recognize themselves in their social life, playing a unique role in this process, also proposing respect for differences and the visibility of the black identity of children in the community.