"THE BOX OF SECRETS"
A NARRATIVE ON AFRICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE IN BRAZIL
Keywords:
literature, anti-racist education, African culture, slaveryAbstract
This paper reports a teaching experience through a literary project carried out with 5th-grade classes at a public elementary school in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina. The proposed activity involved a collective reading of the book A caixa dos segredos (The Box of Secrets), as well as the production of drawings, notes, and evaluations about it. In the context of considering Brazilian identity and the study of ancestors, the project's goal was to use the story of Malã — an African boy kidnapped and taken to Brazil to be sold as a slave — to discuss and study with the classes the importance of valuing African and Afro-Brazilian culture. In accordance with law 10.639/03 concerning the teaching of African history in the classroom, the activity promoted important discussions about Brazilian history, such as slavery, abolition, racial discrimination, and ancestry. From this teaching experience, it is clear how sharing different cultures contributes to the practice of an Anti-Racist Education, which is fundamental for the eradication of stereotypes and prejudices in Brazilian society.
References
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