Readings of the Anthropocene in popular narratives: an analysis of the legend of the Curupira

Abstract

This work deals with the correlation between the legend of Curupira and the geological concept of Anthropocene, as well as addresses cultural variations of the legend and pedagogical possibilities involving Brazilian popular traditions and the Anthropocene. Based on this assumption, the general objective of this article is to analyze the representations of human actions in nature from the legend of the Curupira recorded by the historian Luís da Câmara Cascudo, considering possible repercussions in the current Brazilian socio-environmental context, its signs and cultural correlations. To do this, we seek to reflect critically on the concepts of Anthropocene and memory in the context of popular narratives based on tradition and orality; analyze the relevance and transformations of the literary debate about the impacts generated by human actions in nature; and to observe the unfolding of the narrative in written and audiovisual records based on the discussion about the contemporary environmental crisis. In addition, the work presents an analysis of the audiovisual adaptation of the legend of Curupira in the serial "Cidade Invisível", as well as an analysis of possible pedagogical approaches to the subjects discussed. Finally, the method used is based on a review of the theoretical literature about the concepts worked to interpret the narrative of Curupira.