Festejo de São João na Comunidade Kalunga do Sucuri: história, memória e práticas socioculturais

Abstract

The Kalunga Historical Site and Cultural Heritage runs through the Goiás municipalities of Cavalcante, Monte Alegre de Goiás and Teresina de Goiás. On the limits of the municipality of Monte Alegre de Goiás, there is a location called Comunidade Sucuri. In this community, the Festejo de São João has been held for many years, which takes place every year in the month of June, from the fifteenth to the twenty-fourth. It is a traditional cultural festival of the local people. The objective of this research was to describe and understand the knowledge and practices of the Kalunga people practiced during the Festejo de São João in the Sucuri Community. The research question is: how is the São João Festival structured, organized and carried out in the Kalunga do Sucuri Community? Qualitative research is used, of an ethnographic nature, developing with memories and experiences of the author, and with data obtained through field research and interviews carried out with elderly women and men who have a great bond and active participation in the knowledge and cultural activities developed in the party. The production of this research work provides evidence of the cultural, religious and identity potential that the Kalunga people possess. As a Kalunga quilombola, I feel committed to the mission of encouraging youth to learn more about our identity, so that the culture of our people does not fall into oblivion. When carrying out this research, the following results became evident: the Festival of São João changed according to the passage of time; several sociocultural practices were lost and were no longer practiced; Several factors are directly and indirectly linked to the transformations that have occurred in the practices that make up the festival, and one of them is the lack of interest among young people in appreciating our cultural manifestations that define our identity.