Mãe Maria: trajetória de uma mãe de santo umbandista em Catalão-GO, na virada do século XXI

Abstract

This paper addresses the story of a mother of saints from the city of Catalão (Goiás), through her memories, which allow us to explore her trajectory in Umbanda. From her experience, it is possible to understand the specificities of this religion and reflect on the importance of addressing religious diversity in History Teaching. The proposal consists of, based on bibliographic and documentary research and the ethnographic method, offering a documentary about the religious trajectory of the mother of saint Mãe Maria, as a didactic instrument to work on the history of Umbanda and religious syncretism in Brazil, in history classes in Basic Education, especially High School. The developed documentary is configured as a pedagogical tool aimed at teachers, allowing, from the perspective of local history, to problematize the experiences of students in relation to Umbanda religious leaders and the religious syncretism present in the context of the city of Catalão-GO. This city stands out for the growing number of religious institutions of African origin, in addition to holding one of the most notable black festivals in the state of Goiás. This scenario favors research and deepening knowledge of Afro-Brazilian culture, allowing teachers to expand their work on the subject in the classroom, in accordance with the guidelines of Law 10.639/2003. The initiative seeks to contribute to overcoming the challenges of addressing this subject in schools in a city in the interior of Goiás, characterized by the conservatism of traditional families who lead local religious movements.