Practices and representations of cultural heritage in Rosana: the Folia de Reis Estrela Guia of the Rural Settlement Gleba XV de Novembro

Abstract

Popular cultural manifestations are produced by the people and reconfigure the territory through their identity markers, social relations, and power dynamics. In this context, the present article aims to understand the continuities and ruptures in the cultural practices and representations of the Folia de Reis Estrela Guia, of the Rural Settlement Gleba XV de Novembro, located in the municipality of Rosana, situated in the Pontal de Paranapanema region, in the extreme western portion of the state of São Paulo. To this end, a qualitative, descriptive and exploratory research was conducted through a literature review and semi-structured interviews to enable the achievement of the proposed objectives and to base the analysis and discussion of the results. In this way, it was understood that the Folia de Reis of Gleba XV de Novembro faces several challenges for the maintenance and safeguarding of this popular tradition. Nevertheless, this cultural and religious practice contributes to the construction of cultural identity and social cohesion of the community, establishing itself as a vector of resistance and menas of protection of local and collective memory.