Migração, memória e literatura: lembranças de um barrageiro de Itaipu

Abstract

The present research aims to analyze how literature and memory can be related. In addition to other objectives such as: to understand the role of the State in the construction of the memory of the West of Paraná, mainly in Foz do Iguaçu and as the migratory phenomenon, before the construction of the great architectural works - Ponte da Amizade and Itaipu Binacional, for example - affected the process of formation and sedimentation of memories. For these objectives to be achieved, one voice was especially significant: The voice of José Alexandre de Oliveira, or Tio Bahia. The methodology used was based on the qualitative method. Firstly, bibliographical research was carried out in order to know the memory of Foz do Iguaçu, as its main source the book written and edited by the municipal administration of 1997: Foz do Iguaçu: retratos, besides the contributions of Luiz Eduardo Pena Catta (2003 and 2009) and Maria Aparecida Bento Ribeiro (2002). In a second moment, field research was used, specifically the interview. The scripts elaboration and analysis were anchored in the oral history method. The first chapter revisits the memory of Foz do Iguaçu bringing with it the memories of former residents of the city and reaffirming the official reports about the constitution of the municipality. For the second chapter, the influence of the State manifests itself through the construction of Itaipu monument, whose work established a landmark in the memory of city, since the pre-1970s interior scenario suffered intense structural and population changes, in which the phenomenon impacted directly on social life. Tio Bahia, one of these thousands of migrants narrated his history and some of the work in the Itaipu. The 80-year-old lord became the voice of marginalized writers and to interpret this senile voice the work Memória e Sociedade: lembranças de velhos by Ecléa Bosi (1994) was paramount. In the third chapter, through the produced literature, Tio Bahia presents his memories - of migrant and dam worker - reinvented in the form of poetry, in which it was tried to evidence that the literature can be a strong ally of the memory to vivify the memories of those who are at the margin of society. The link between marginal literature, migration and senile memory presents itself as a possibility for understanding what is valued as memory and history of Foz do Iguaçu.