Explorando as tradições do povo Xukuru do Ororubá e sua relação com o céu e o conhecimento astronômico: algumas possibilidades para o ensino de Física

Abstract

The objective of this article is to understand how the Xukuru people of Ororubá experience in practice their knowledge about natural phenomena related to astronomy in order to take this knowledge to high school Physics classes. The target audience for this research are people from the Xukuru do Ororubá ethnic group who are located in Serra do Ororubá in the municipality of Pesqueira, Pernambuco. To carry out this work, the following methodological procedures were used: bibliographical research, recurring immersion in everyday life and events in the Xukuru Territory, observations and interviews with two Toipes (wise elders) knowledgeable about astronomical phenomena, analysis of engravings made by young people from community that express the Xukuru view on such phenomena. Thus, it was possible to reach the following results: observing the position of the stars allows indigenous people to know the time of day and night. Celestial observation makes it possible to formulate predictions of rainy periods or long droughts and impacts directly caused by the agricultural practices of these people. Through the methodology applied, it is concluded that the Xukuru people have a differentiated and functional astronomy system, in line with the cycles of nature.