Masters of knowledge: trajectories and practices of black women shellfish gatherers in the municipality of Valença - Bahia
Mangrove. Seafood. Oral history.
This dissertation presents the result of investigations that aim to analyze the processes of experiences and the ways that shellfish gatherers residing in the municipality of Valença-BA – masters of knowledge – articulate and share their knowledge. Thus, the research has as its locus the enunciation of the masters of knowledge, that is, their narratives were collected, described and analyzed. Such narratives reveal their life stories, knowledge, experiences and relationship with nature, as the group of shellfish gatherers is considered a traditional community, as their practices and ways of survival depend on elements found in nature, moreover, they are results knowledge produced by their interaction with this ecosystem. The guiding question of this research is: how do the masters of knowledge, from the municipality of Valença-BA, build, experience and share their knowledge? In order to answer this question, in addition to analyzing the narratives of the shellfish gatherers, we also dialogued with authors such as: Antônio Carlos Diegues, Victor Hugo A. Lima, Juliana Santilli, Ana Lícia da S. Stopilha, Thais Mara D. Gomes, Maria de Fátima Fernandes Brasão, Iaskara Regina R. Saldanha, Daniela Barros Pontes e Silva, among others. In the methodological aspect, we make use of Oral History based on the narratives of the shellfish gatherers, highlighting their life experiences and their knowledge constituted in the practice of shellfishing. A bibliographical, documental and empirical research was also carried out. Therefore, this study seeks to give visibility to the group of shellfish gatherers, their knowledge and ancestral practices, which are so present in the Valencian community.