O vaqueiro e suas representações em Alto Longá-PI: reflexões e propostas para o ensino de história

Abstract

In this dissertation, a reflection on the construction of representations surrounding the figure of the cattle rancher in the town of Alto Longá (PI) and their incorporation into teaching practice is presented. This work aims to analyze the historical process of choosing the cattle rancher as the protagonist of this territory, observing how other figures have been marginalized in this identity construction; and to discuss the integration of these local themes into current school curriculum, through the suggestion of learning situations that involve them. The sources of research and objects of analysis used were: the cultural manifestations present at the “Festa do Vaqueiro” and the “Museu do Vaqueiro”. The text is divided into three chapters: the first chapter engages in conceptual debates on culture, identity, tradition, and representation, establishing initial connections with the central theme; the second chapter addresses the formation of the town and the cattle rancher, making connections with the festivities and the museum; the third chapter presents reflections on Heritage Education and, particularly, History Teaching, analyzing the school curriculum structuring and possible adjustments to the aforementioned theme. The research methodology used was bibliographic review, including works by authors such as Clifford Geertz, Michel de Certeau, Peter Burke, Pierre Nora, Roger Chartier, Sandra Pesavento, and Stuart Hall, as well as various academic and journalistic works that address the town, the cattle rancher, the festivities, and the museum. The results showed a strong identification of the cattle ranchers and the people of Alto Longá with the festivities, which grow every year and attract thousands of visitors. However, this identification did not extend to the museum – which is currently closed – and, even when it was operational, it did not receive much visitation and was not integrated into the Day of the Cattle Rancher. It was also found that, despite the festival being centered around the cattle rancher, this figure is not present in the local History school curriculum, nor are the indigenous peoples who gave the town its name. The pedagogical resource developed as an intervention proposal was a thematic unit that presents the various representations of the cattle rancher in Alto Longá and how these can be addressed at the elementary and secondary levels. Therefore, we present concrete and contextualized proposals for learning situations that can guide the planning, execution, and evaluation by teachers involved in History education in that town.