Contos do povo de um lugar: memórias, histórias e perspectivas de existência no bairro da Torre

Abstract

Human beings maintain a relationship with the environment through an interaction permeated by symbols, creating, from their singularities, unique meanings with and for the world. At the same time as they transform nature, they build their social relations reflected in their historicity. That said, the general objective of this qualitative, descriptive and exploratory research is to understand the relationship between the residents of the Torre neighborhood and the local territory through individual biographical accounts, and to identify the connection between these stories and the constitution of local history. From these reports, elements are sought that indicate belonging and territorial identification with the neighborhood, at the same time as we intend to observe the ways of living of the people who experience the Tower. For this, six residents of the neighborhood were selected due to their notable contributions to the constitution of the history of the Tower and its culture. The reports were collected in person through the recording of open interviews based on a guiding script. The recordings were transcribed and the reports were analyzed according to the content analysis phases of Laurence Bardin (2016), as well as being submitted to the IRAMUTEQ software to obtain graphs illustrating the connections between the categories found in the analysis. Residents reported on the importance of manifestations of popular culture and local traditions as a way of maintaining the neighborhood's cultural identity. The feeling of belonging can be found in community and family ties, in the connection with ancestors and ancestry, and in the network of community solidarity. The impacts of urban violence, the unbridled advance of commerce, real estate speculation and homogenizing globalization, guide the socio spatial transformations observed in the territory and can lead to the uprooting of residents in relation to territorial belonging and local identity. Therefore, it is important to reflect on urban development planning that includes territorial singularities and respects local culture, allowing the maintenance of the neighborhood's memory, and its history.