Paper short abstract:

In this work, through the local narratives, I explore the complex relation between quilombola people from Aldeia, Brazil and their territory. This relation is marked by buried navels and treasures, memories about the Lagoa de Ibiraquera and the elderly people, who are gone, but remains there.

Paper long abstract:

During my master’s research I had the opportunity to work with two quilombola communities in the southern region of Brazil, which are black rural traditional communities located in different regions of Brazil. In the quilombo called Aldeia, many narratives and ethnographic scenes made me think about the concept of territory. Quilombola and Indigenous communities face many difficult situations since Brazil was colonized and with the current government of Bolsonaro, they are being more persecuted and having their fundamental rights menaced. These actions are part of the global capital interest in these lands, which Arturo Escobar (2015) calls modern ontology. On the other hand, we have the traditional people, such as the quilombola communities who express a totally different relation with the territory, being in what the author calls relational ontology. Through the local narratives, I explore the complex relation between quilombola population from Aldeia and their territory, which can be considered a lively entity. This relation is marked by buried navels and treasures, memories about the Lagoa de Ibiraquera and the elderly people, who are gone, but remains there.