Ancestry in the poetics of Ivanildes Moura

Abstract

Historically, Brazilian literature has focused mostly on the works considered classical, which make up the so-called literary canon. Society delimits classic works based on a structural condition, which is, above all, sexist and racist, which almost always leaves other works that do not fit into the established molds of authority out of consideration. By tracing the opposite path, this article intends to bring to light the black, feminine and engaged writing through the narrative Azire, a princesinha de Aruanda (2014), by the Jequieense writer Ivanildes Moura, in order to build a new perspective about the black representation in children's books, based on the recurring themes of the author's book in question. Through children's literature, Moura incorporates in her work elements of African ancestry, female empowerment and black self-esteem, thus building a counter-narrative about the reality of these subalternized subjects. Reflecting on ancestral memory and the construction of a people's identity is a necessary process for the perception of the existence of other paths and possibilities for retelling history. What Azire, a princesinha de Aruanda and Ivanildes Moura do with the reader is to propose reflection and the construction of an image whose horizon points to the emancipation and empowerment of black people, especially children.