A correnteza das memórias: a construção da memória pós companhia de tecidos Rio Tinto

Abstract

This study examines the construction of social memory in Rio Tinto, a town located on the North Coast of Paraíba, whose history is intricately linked to the Companhia de Tecidos Rio Tinto, established in 1924 by the sons of Herman Theodor Lundgren. This textile factory, which specialized in cotton production and became the largest complex of its kind in South America, underwent gradual deactivation between the 1960s and 1980s. The ethnographic research investigates how the town's residents, living on part of the Potiguara indigenous territory, navigate the memory of this industrial past and their perceptions of its decline. Additionally, the study addresses issues of heritage and territory, exploring how the remnants of the former factory have been repurposed into new spaces, such as Campus IV of the Federal University of Paraíba, or have persisted as ruins integrated into the local landscape. By examining the contexts and social markers that shape these memories, the research uncovers frequently silenced narratives that provide meaningful insights into Brazil's recent history and its impact on the lives and experiences of Rio Tinto's inhabitants.