Um mergulho nas raízes da Amazônia por meio dos saberes tradicionais kokama e da Etnoquímica

Abstract

The present research, supported by CAPES and FAPEAM, is anchored in the Research Project *“Investigative Practices in Mathematics Education as a collaborative work scenario in the actions of indigenous teachers in the Alto Rio Negro/AM region”*, approved under the CNPq/MCT/FNDCT Call nº18/2021 – Universal, as well as in the formative and reflective dialogues during the meetings of the Study and Research Group on Investigative Practices in Mathematics Education (GEPIMat)/UFAM/CNPq. In this context, the study focuses on Ethnochemistry and the integration of traditional knowledge into pedagogical practices, addressing the importance of valuing indigenous culture in the teaching of Chemistry. Within this broad field of knowledge lies our object of study, directed toward the possible insertions of Ethnochemistry into the pedagogical practices of indigenous teachers. Thus, we ask: in what ways do indigenous Chemistry teachers, in their pedagogical practices, integrate Ethnochemistry and the traditional knowledge present in flour production? To this end, we aim to understand the relationships established between Ethnochemistry and the traditional knowledge mobilized by Kokama teachers in Chemistry classes. The theoretical foundations that support this investigation include studies on Ethnochemistry (Francisco, 2004; Rosário, 2018), traditional knowledge (Strachulski, 2014), and reflections on interculturality (Candau, 2013; Fleuri, 2003). Regarding methodology, we opted for a qualitative approach, based on ethnographic research, as it allows for a sensitive and contextualized approximation with the territory and the members participating in the study—in other words, between the spaces of the Kunami Aliança School, located in the Sururuá Indigenous Land in the Alto Solimões-AM region, and the Kokama indigenous teachers who work in Chemistry education. In this empirical context, information was collected through narrative interviews and participant observation, later analyzed using narrative analysis. The results revealed that traditional flour production involves several chemical processes such as fermentation, hydration, pressing, and roasting, which can be explored in the classroom. The teachers’ narratives showed that the integration of Kokama knowledge strengthens students’ cultural identity and legitimizes their knowledge as part of the school curriculum. In addition, structural challenges were identified, such as the absence of laboratories and teaching materials, but also innovative pedagogical proposals, such as field classes and the use of village resources. Another finding was the unprecedented construction of the term *Ethnochemistry*, segmented into *Ethno–Chem–Istry*, which broadens its conceptual understanding and legitimizes it as a field of study. The narratives of traditional elders reinforced that flour production is more than a food practice; it is a cultural, social, and spiritual heritage that articulates memory, identity, and resistance. Therefore, the research demonstrated that Ethnochemistry, by integrating science and tradition, promotes an intercultural and representative indigenous school education, reaffirming that Chemistry teaching can be profoundly contextualized and inclusive when it dialogues with Kokama traditional knowledge.