Narrando as histórias de vida

a biografia humana como instrumento de conexão com as próprias origens e a identidade coletiva

Abstract

This study documents an educational project developed in 2024 at a Waldorf public school in rural Rio de Janeiro, featuring the life story of Maria Andrade Melone - a Black, migrant, semi-literate woman from Acre - presented to 9th graders. The initiative aimed to: value Indigenous and Afro-Brazilian identities through personal narratives; revive oral storytelling as teaching practice; and promote teacher autonomy in creating contextualized didactic materials. Drawing on Conceição Evaristo's (2020) concept of "stories the world ignores", the project connects Waldorf principles with decolonial approaches, challenging Eurocentric curricula. As part of the school's biographical studies program, it employed life narratives to: strengthen ancestral connections in education; examine identity-territory relationships; practice "escrevivência" (life-writing) as pedagogy; and incorporate Amefrican perspectives. The analysis reveals how marginalized narratives can transform education when integrated with Waldorf's holistic framework, repositioning teachers as authors of culturally responsive content.