Narrativas e identidades de filhos e filhas de migrantes cearenses na Pérola do Tapajós

Abstract

The main objective of this research is to investigate how the identities of second generation sons and daughters of migrants from Ceará, living in the urban area of the city of Santarém (PA), who came to the city in the 1970s or 1980s, are constructed in their oral narratives in the face of the dominant discourse of social discredit. Three participants took part in the research: two women and one man, aged between 44 and 52. The research is of an interpretive qualitative nature, using narrative analysis. Narrative interviews via Google Meet and WhatsApp with audio and/or video recording were used to generate data. The research is based on the assumptions of Labov (1972), Labov and Waletzki (1962), Ochs and Capps (2001), Bucholtz and Hall (2005), Goffman (2008), Link and Phelan (2001), among others. Thus, supported by this theoretical and methodological framework, in the analyses carried out it was possible to observe that the narratives that emerged in the interaction are used to construct an identity of resilience and overcoming. This can be seen in the theme of narratives that highlight migration and settlement, emphasizing the adversities suffered in Ceará and Pará. The narratives not only recount events, but also construct and renegotiate identities. By emphasizing resilience in the face of adversity, participants construct an identity of overcoming and integration; when they mention discrimination, they reflect experiences of exclusion, opposition, or cultural negotiation. The interviews function as a site of resistance to prejudice, as they allow narratives to emerge that value positive aspects of their identity, thus undermining derogatory stereotypes. The narratives analyzed also show that the ability to move between the communities of Ceará and Pará is ambiguous: it can generate feelings of acceptance or of being "between worlds" without fully belonging to either; but it can also lead the individual to mix cultural elements from the two communities, generating a hybrid culture that converts multiculturalism into interculturalism. It can also be seen that family gatherings, sharing stories full of teachings and values, reinforce the sense of belonging and continuity among the children of migrants. Finally, cultural hybridization can build a conflicting identity, as the children of migrants simultaneously seek to honour their cultural roots and achieve acceptance and success in Pará society. These results highlight a context in which more research is needed to verify and better understand the impact of migration on the identity construction of children of migrants, giving them a voice and visibility.