Análise de mitos africanos em uma comunidade quilombola: comunicação, informação e religiosidade

Abstract

This paper presents research results conducted in the Quilombola Community Alcantarense of Itamatatiua, located in Maranhão, whose goal focused on identify and verify how does the preservation and understanding of African myths present in this community - like Oshun, Yemanja, Nana and Eshu - as well as the possibility of contributing to the continuity of studies that portray the history and black memory. These myths are as fundamental information of the traditions of the inhabitants of Itamatatiua, which are concerned to preserve the secrets, religion and stories experienced by them and by the ancestors, passing them to the newest and researchers interested by orality. To collect and analyze the data we used the myth analysis, from the imaginary theory of Gilbert Durand, concomitant with qualitative methodology of ethnographic approach. The results show that analyze the mythical narratives in diachronic and synchronic lines, contributes to the unveiling of wealth and dormant traditions in a past of oppression and repression, which can be rebuilt and returned to populations unaware of his own ancestry. We conclude that these mythological information, passed on by oral tradition, may even return the self-esteem of this population.