Memórias de infância de mulheres e homens camponeses

Abstract

This article intends to analyse the childhood ' s memories of peasants (women and men). We draw on oral history methodology - life histories and semi-structured interviews. We interviewed 34 people, 25 are women and 9 are men, thar covers ages from 30 to 80 years old. They are small-holders and "rendeiros" (landless who work on others ' properties) in rhe municipality of Fagundes, which is placed in the Agreste Region, in the State of Paraiba, In the men and wornen's narratives, work emerges as a central experience in the childhood, children's plays are interpreted as an interval in the day and not relataed to a life specific phase. Working since the earlier ages mean that there is not a rupture between the childhood and adulthood, bur a junction of these two life periods intermediared by work. Child labour is part of work social division in rhe peasant family, but ir is also parr of children socialization, taking the place, many times, of school and the playing space.