A salvação cultural no ensino de música em projetos sociais

Abstract

Urban landscapes often reflect the socioeconomic inequality of major cities, exacerbated by the presence of drug cartels exploiting children and adolescents, further aggravating social disparities. Meanwhile, public actions seek to promote transformations that often inadvertently intensify social challenges. In this scenario, notable initiatives stand out, such as children and youth orchestras, like the Ilha de Música Project in the África Community, in Natal. Founded in 2006, the Project emerged as an initiative to confront this scenario through educational-musical actions. From this context, this thesis aims to understand the dynamics of Cultural Salvation (S.C), present in the experiences within the mentioned project. This work outlines S.C. as an ideal type that inherits from religion the metaphysical, ritualistic, and transformative aspects to attribute them to learning processes linked to culture. These elements are present in education for people from lower classes, but not limited to them. There is a directional movement: from the saved to the candidates for salvation. The saved are those who possess a certain type of culture, such as teachers and musicians. The candidates for salvation are learners in social projects, and/or subjects in vulnerability and/or social risk who may live in neighborhoods, communities, and neighborhoods labeled as "dangerous". S.C. is an instrument of approach and interpretation of musical experiences, therefore, research was conducted on how it was part of the formative experience of a social way of life and manifested itself during the life path of the (former) participants of the Project. As a theoretical field, references were used in the areas of Social Sciences and Sociology of Musical Education. Data were produced through interviews, field activities, and ethnographic research with former students, teachers, and residents of the África Community. The investigation revealed that the emergence of Cultural Salvation depended on two conditions: material and cultural (kultur). Regarding material conditions, the processes and repercussions of colonization in the lands of Rio Grande do Norte were studied, which marginalized and made vulnerable the descendants of Afro-Amerindians. This historical process significantly contributed to the socioeconomic disadvantage of the population residing in the África Community. As for the cultural condition, the influence of religious heritage on culture was examined, which manifested in three significant elements in Musical Education: The Metaphysical Veil of the Power of Music, which understood its perception as a transcendental force, the Ritualistic Order linked to a structured approach to musical practices, and Transformation, namely, the belief in the ability of Music to lead to personal and social transformations. With these defined elements, the social portraits of former students were interpreted. The interpretation of the data led to the formulation of three archetypes that significantly influenced practices on the Ilha de Música: the deviant/lost, the enchanted, and the present. These archetypes served as fundamental points for understanding the dynamics and nuances of Musical Education in the context of the África Community, shedding light on the diverse perspectives and experiences of former students, relatives of students, and other residents.