Professoras negras de Natividade-RJ e suas incursões nos bairros negros: a prática social como instrumento para o ensino da história e cultura africana e afrodescendente

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to investigate the academic and professional life trajectories of black female teachers from the city of Natividade-RJ and their incursions into black neighborhoods. To this end, we begin by sharing our life story, which presents specificities, both social and historical and territorial, expressed in the history of part of the black population. Our work was developed based on the Afro-descendant method, which, inspired by the Pan-Africanist movement, consists of a theoretical-methodological framework that breaks away from Eurocentrism, which seeks the universalization of knowledge, which is only valid if it is limited to the European way of explaining reality. As a methodological procedure, we have the literature review and field practice, which was carried out in the city of Natividade-RJ. Regarding the literature review, we rely on black thinkers, who deal with the black population, the white-centric system of domination, Africanities, black territories, black identities, urban spaces, urban forms and black neighborhoods, especially Cunha Junior (2020, 2018, 2013, 2011, 2010, 2006), as well as the relationship between Africanities and education, school racism and anti-racist pedagogical practices, as is the case of Nunes (2011, 2007), the realities experienced by black women, especially Jesus (2014) and Gonzalez (1983) and with issues specific to the researched environment, such as Souza and Cunha Junior (2020; 2019). In terms of field research, we also used the Afro-descendant method and objectively and subjectively explored the black neighborhoods of Natividade-RJ, especially Morros dos Cabritos. We developed, based on the narratives of three black teachers, one in her nineties, the second in her eighties and the third in her contemporary life, i.e., still teaching, a rich social memory material. This study concludes with the production of supporting material on the history of education in the black neighborhoods of Natividade-RJ and the schooling of the black population of Natividade/RJ, the region and the state of Rio de Janeiro/RJ.