THE VOICES OF THE PRODUCERS: UNVEILING THE ART OF ARTISANAL FLOUR MAKING IN THE CITY OF PARINTINS/AM

Abstract

The article “The voices of the producers: unveiling the art of artisanal flour production in the city of Parintins/AM” presents a pedagogical experience carried out by Pedagogy students from the State University of Amazonas (UEA), focusing on the application of the interview text genre as a didactic resource in the early years of elementary school. The general objective was to understand the artisanal process of cassava flour production in the Nova Esperança community, located on Estrada da Vila Amazônia, in the municipality of Parintins-AM, using the interview technique as a tool for reading and constructing knowledge. The proposal sought to promote meaningful reading and value the traditional knowledge related to flour production, a cultural practice present in the Amazon region. The methodology was organized in stages that involved direct observations, photographic records, and semi-structured interviews with local producers, in addition to accounts of indigenous production from the Sateré-Mawé ethnic group. Data collection encompassed everything from cassava planting to flour roasting, highlighting technical, cultural, and social aspects such as collective work (puxirum), the division of tasks, and the full utilization of the root. The experience with using interviews as a textual genre proved effective in developing linguistic and interpretive skills, stimulating active listening, critical analysis, and text production. This practice contributed to teacher training by bringing academics closer to the sociocultural reality of producers and popular knowledge, strengthening educational practices contextualized to cultural diversity.