Identity, Cultural and Literary Memory in the Quilombola Community of Mata Cavalo, in the Municipality of Nossa Senhora do Livramento, Mato Grosso
Quilombo. Mata Cavalo. Black literature. Oral literature. Cultural identity.
This thesis aims to study the cultural and literary formation in the Quilombola Community of Mata Cavalo, located in the municipality of Nossa Senhora do Livramento, State of Mato Grosso. To this end, it was necessary to undertake a historical journey through the origins of the first quilombos in Brazil and their contributions to the construction of Brazilian society, tracing a timeline that connects the past and the present, identity and memory, society and culture. In this sense, by investigating literature and culture from an oral perspective, taking the Quilombo of Mata Cavalo as the central axis of the study, the thesis goes beyond bibliographic research, gaining substantial momentum in field research. In this context, the dimensions of the social, political, and economic organization of the community will be debated, understanding them as expressions of resistance and identity. This study on identity and memory will focus on the voices of Black quilombola people, as well as those who comprise the Black literature of Mato Grosso, and will also examine the concept of Oral Literature and the role of art in preserving knowledge, strengthening bonds, and reaffirming ancestry. Finally, this work empowers and values quilombola individuals as subjects of speech, holders of histories, knowledge, and experiences that reaffirm the importance of collective memory and quilombola representation in Mato Grosso.