"Memorial da Fronteira": O museu histórico de Carolina e o cenário social Carolinense

Abstract

This research focuses on understanding the function and relevance of the Carolina Historical Museum, located in southern Maranhão. Therefore, I problematized the historical and cultural context of this locality and some questions related to the importance of the museum institution as a builder and disseminator of representations and memories. Given the restricted circulation to academic circles of scientific works on the history and culture of the border region between the states of Maranhão and Tocantins, the presence of a museum provides an opportunity for dissemination and visibility, reaching the general public, but it is necessary to reflect about the practices and objectives of this institution. The methodology used was participant observation and oral history, together with a bibliographic examination of regional productions on local culture, in the evaluation of exhibitions and collections of the Carolina Historical Museum. Moreover, in a hermeneutic and interdisciplinary approach, I observed, described and analyzed the historical and cultural context of the city of Carolina under the lens of anthropology, highlighting the network of references that constitute and support the existence of the museum of this city.As a result, I identified the social place from which the museum's historiographic discourse is stated, which time frame is highlighted and which themes are valued. Therefore, I consider this research a contributionto theurban ethnography of the border region between southern Maranhão and northern Tocantins.