Narratives of Indigenous Elders from Novo Funil Village/ MA, on the History, Culture, and Strengthening of the Guajajara Cultural Identity

Abstract

The narratives of Indigenous elders are essential for transmitting traditional knowledge to the new generations of each people, in every village. It is through orality that stories, culture, myths, rituals,
languages, healing practices, and concepts of good living are handed down, thereby strengthening cultural identity. However, most Indigenous youth—who have access to other cultures, which is important—do not seem to value what is specific to their own cultures, nor the narratives of those who carry within their memories the knowledge necessary to preserve each people’s distinctiveness. Moreover, most of the formal schools in the villages do not emphasize the importance of Indigenous cultures as specific educational content. In this regard, this paper analyzes the contributions of the elders’ narratives from the Novo Funil village to the strengthening of the Guajajara people's cultural identity. What makes this work relevant is the transformation of its findings into pedagogical material for the local school and those in neighboring villages. This qualitative study employed the Oral History methodology, as it enables the description of everyday aspects of a culture or group. Participants included elders, youth, and teachers from the Kwarahy Indigenous School. The research indicated that, today, the culture of the Guajajara people is being re-signified by younger Indigenous generations.