O ensino e aprendizagem da língua tupi antigo : instrumento de fortalecimento da identidade do povo potiguara

Abstract

The present work aimed to understand how the process of teaching and learning the Old Tupi language by the Potiguara indigenous people in the municipality of Baía da Traição-PB, at the Pedro Poti Indigenous State School of Elementary and Middle Education, and to analyze whether this process of teaching has contributed to the revitalization of this indigenous language and to the strengthening of the ethnic-cultural identity of the Potiguara people. Methodologically, this research has a qualitative approach, and used bibliographic research and field research as procedures. About the bibliographic research, we seek to read Moonem (2008), and Freire (1985) to discuss the history of struggle and resistance of the Potiguara people; Navarro (2012) and Tibiriça (1984) to reflect on the Tupi language. We also resorted to Calvet (2007) and Quadros (2010), to think about Language Policies and how they dealt with the teaching of indigenous languages, in addition to focusing on the National Curricular References for Indigenous Schools (RCNEI, 1998). Regarding the field research, we attended the Pedro Poti State Indigenous Elementary and Middle School, observing classes by the teacher participating in the research and his 3rd year high school class, made up of 25 students. Regarding the research corpus, the following were analyzed: records made in a field diary of the classes observed, didactic material used by the teacher, answers to the interview applied to the teacher of Tupi Antigo and the answers to the questionnaire applied to the students of the 3rd year of the High school. At the end of this work, we conclude that the teaching of Ancient Tupi has contributed to the strengthening of indigenous identity and to the appreciation of the Potiguara people. However, for this language to be really revitalized, several actions need to be done beyond the classroom walls.