Das experiências narradas aos saberes (re)tomados: a história indígena, o ensino de história e um futuro ancestral

Abstract

The central theme of the present work is Indigenous History and the Teaching of History, with an emphasis on the formative and educational processes of Indigenous students in an urban contexto, considering the enactment of Law No. 11,645/2008, the teaching of Indigenous Culture and History became mandatory in Basic Education schools throughout Brazil. This research, therefore, aims to understand the Teaching of Indigenous History and its narratives present in the city of Uberlândia, uncovering whether their approaches refer to generic and typified teaching or if they include and perceive the original and Indigenous Brazilian populations. This work seeks to identify historical and social erasures of Indigenous populations both in Uberlândia, MG, and in Brazil during their educational and formative periods. This allows for deliberation on issues regarding the performance and impact of the aforementioned legislation and how education itself can assume the role of a tool for the ethnic reclamation of the Indigenous population in urban centers. This is done through a compilation and presentation of quantitative data from official documents marking the number of Indigenous students enrolled in the city of Uberlândia in recent years, and qualitative studies of bibliographic materials composed of accounts from already-graduated Indigenous people who narrate their educational experiences, as well as textbooks used for History classes in state public schools in this region, based on central concepts like experience, interculturality, and decolonial practices (THOMPSON, 1981; BENJAMIN, 1987; FREIRE, 1996; CANDAU, 2008; WALSH, 2019). The research permits for the conclusion that education has significant value for the process of ethnic identification, self-declaration, and recognition, directly implying a possible movement and mobilization for ethnic reclamation by students in large cities. The approaches and curricular contents are decisive in breaking down barriers and reducing historical, cultural, and racial dichotomies.