Entre tradição e adaptação: o Grupo de Estudos de Haicai da Universidade Federal do Amazonas e suas contribuições para o cenário da poesia amazonense

Abstract

This dissertation investigates the work of the Haiku Study Group at the Federal University of Amazonas (UFAM) and its contributions to the consolidation and renewal of Amazonian poetry through the dialogue between tradition and adaptation. Starting from the recognition of haiku as a poetic form of Japanese origin-marked by conciseness, simplicity, and attention to nature, the study examines how this lyrical structure has been incorporated, reinterpreted, and transformed within the Amazonian context. The research seeks to understand how the group, composed of students, professors, and poetry enthusiasts, has been producing haiku that reconcile the metric and contemplative spirit inherited from tradition with cultural, environmental, and linguistic elements specific to the region. In this sense, the research is grounded in theoretical references on haiku in Japan and Brazil, drawing on authors such as Rosa Clement, Paulo Franchetti, and Adriana Calcanhotto, who discuss the history, aesthetics, and adaptations of the genre. It also incorporates approaches to the literary field, particularly those developed by Pierre Bourdieu, Loïc Wacquant, and John Speller, as well as reflections on the Amazonian landscape and cultural imaginary. The study further engages with the concept of kigology, a field dedicated to the study of kigo (seasonal words) and their relationship to poetic imagery, sensibility, and the representation of nature. The study also engages with the concept of kigology, which highlights the relationship between seasons, imagery, and poetic sensibility. Methodologically, it adopts a qualitative approach, combining bibliographic research, documentary analysis of the group’s productions, participant observation in meetings and workshops, and interviews with its members. The results indicate that the Haiku Study Group at UFAM plays a significant role in the formation of new poets, in aesthetic experimentation, and in the valorization of Amazonian landscape and culture within the literary sphere. Its productions incorporate specific environmental references—rivers, streams, local fauna and flora, while preserving the conciseness and lyricism characteristic of haiku. The study also reveals that, by adapting the genre to the local reality, the group expands its reach and resignifies its function, transforming haiku into a tool for identity expression and poetic reflection. Therefore, the experience of Haiku Study Group at UFAM represents a meaningful example of how traditional poetic forms can be revitalized and appropriated in distinct cultural contexts, generating new aesthetic possibilities and strengthening the regional literary scene. The work contributes to literary studies by offering an unprecedented overview of haiku practice in Amazonas and by demonstrating that the interaction between tradition and adaptation is a fertile process for contemporary artistic creation.