IDENTITY AND CULTURE OF CONTEMPORARY QUILOMBOS OF MARANHÃO: A STUDY ON WRITTEN NARRATIVES OF QUILOMBOLA COMMUNITIES OF ITAPECURU MIRIM

Abstract

This article aims to demonstrate historical and cultural aspects of the quilombos of Itapecuru Mirim - MA, based on written narratives collected in these places. The communities selected were Santa Rosa dos Pretos and Santa Maria Pinheiro, as they are part of the Terras Quilombola Collection, a set of booklets, published in 2016, which brings together a set of narratives about the formation, way of life and the struggles fought by Brazilian quilombola communities to maintain themselves in their traditional territories. In addition to defining quilombo, this study also presents a brief description of the research locus, namely Itapecuru Mirim. For this, we used authors Botelho (2008) and Marques (2009), who talk about quilombo and authors Lucchesi (2016), Silva (2016), organizers of booklets that deal with the communities studied. The methodology used consists of the selection and analysis of narratives written using a qualitative method. The results showed the processes that led to the foundation of the two communities as well as some local customs. Quantities of quilombos in Brazil and in Itapecuru Mirim are also presented, as well as some illustrations of local customs. Thus, the quilombos Santa Rosa dos Pretos and Santa Maria Pinheiro, in the narrative of their residents, are places of struggle and resistance and guarantees of rights.