Paper short abstract:

This film documents the creative process of the theatre performance ‘Guerreiras’ developed primarily from the experiences of a theatre research group with the women of Tejucupapo, situated at the northern area of the state of Pernambuco-Brazil. This process called artetnographical by the researcher.

Paper long abstract:

Between 1630 and 1654, during the period of the Dutch occupation in North-eastern Brazil, particularly in Tejucupapo, at the city of Goiana, the episode known as 'the battle of Tejucupapo' took place. The battle is considered the first combat with feminine participation registered in Brazil.

Since 1993, in the same marginal locality, this historical struggle is being restored by the epic staging of 'A Batalha das Heroínas' (The Battle of the Heroines), performed thanks to the initiative of a community leader and the participation of the district's residents, among which fisherwomen, housewives and public employees.

The research here presented started in 2007, with the aim of uncovering the images and experiences exchanged by the artists-investigators (under the orientation of the researcher) and the women-actresses from Tejucupapo, in a way of understanding how this network of memories and signification have come together in the performance of 'Guerreiras'(Warriors).

The film which was produced through this 'Artethnography' is constructed like a kaleidoscope of fragments braided through: stories from the Tejucupapo women, stories of goddesses and warriors of all times, and the artist's personal stories, revealing a triple plan of actions: historical, mythical and personal.