A etnomatemática da cultura afro-brasileira: possíveis contribuições na aprendizagem de matemática e cultura afro-brasileira dos estudantes da educação básica

Abstract

This research, carried out in the Postgraduate Programme in Science and Mathematics Teaching (PPGECIM) at the Universidade Federal de Alagoas (Ufal), had the general objective of investigating how the inclusion of Ethnomathematics, derived from elements present in Afro-Brazilian cultural manifestations, in Mathematics classes contributes to the learning of Mathematics and Afro-Brazilian Culture of students in elementary school. For this reason, this qualitative research with an interventional approach, comprising a pre-test, intervention and post-test, was carried out in a public school in the state of Alagoas, with the participation of students from the first year of high school and citizens who practice Afro-Brazilian culture. The pre-test is made up of an initial diagnosis and a round table discussion applied to the participating students in order to understand what conceptions primary school students have of Afro-Brazilian culture and how they view the maths exposed to them. With the results of this pre-test, we began collecting data through half-structured interviews with the Afro-Brazilian cultural participants in the research, with the intention of identifying possible Ethnomathematics in elements present in Afro-Brazilian cultural manifestations. Through the results of the interviews, we developed two didactic materials that make it possible to bring the ethnomathematics that exists in elements present in Afro-Brazilian cultural manifestations to the students of elementary school and we applied them to the students taking part, which was the intervention part of the research. Activities dealt with the ethnomathematics of Afro braids and Afro-Brazilian fashion. Following the intervention, we administered the post-test, consisting of questions and subjective items to be completed by the students. We can conclude from comparing the post-test with the pre-test that the students taking part in this research have developed an interest in learning and studying mathematics, visualizing it as a creative, lively and dynamic subject. As far as learning maths is concerned, the students broadened their understanding of the existence and application of maths in everyday life, especially in aspects of AfroBrazilian culture. When learning about Afro-Brazilian culture, students who initially couldn't name existing Afro-Brazilian cultural manifestations learnt not only about Afro-Brazilian braids and fashion, but also a little about the history and meanings of Afro-Brazilian culture, and the types of music, dances and foods considered Afro-Brazilian. Concerning the two Afro-Brazilian cultural manifestations worked on most intensively in the intervention, the students learnt brief historical aspects, some types of braids, clothes, accessories and some relationships with the mathematics shown in the classroom. On the topic of the Ethnomathematics of Afro braids and Afro-Brazilian fashion, the students learned and/or improved their braiding techniques, how to classify a piece of clothing according to its pattern and came to recognise that this knowledge from Afro-Brazilian culture is Ethnomathematics and therefore uses and allows the Mathematics presented in the classroom to be used. We therefore organised the didactic materials produced and their application scripts into a book to be made available online, which is the educational product resulting from the research. We hope that this research and the book will inspire other teachers and researchers to take a closer look, researching Afro-Brazilian Culture linked to Ethnomathematics and working with their students in elementary education, emphasizing that there are customs and traditions commonly carried out by them that come from the African people and, consequently, from Afro-Brazilian Culture. However, we recognise that carrying out work and research such as that described here is a way of combating prejudices that have been built up historically and of recognising black people and Afro-Brazilian culture as something valuable to be considered, praised, highlighted and proud of.