Abstract: História Oral: diálogos com a obra de Alessandro Portelli no Brasil, edited by Telma Bessa Sales and Antonio Jeferson Lins de Freitas in 2021, examines the methodology of oral history. Published digitally by SertãoCult, it emphasizes marginalized narratives, paying homage to Portelli. This work is an indispensable resource for anyone engaged in research on oral history in Brazil.

Keywords: Oral History, Interview, Alessandro Portelli.

In e-book format, História Oral: diálogos com a obra de Alessandro Portelli no Brasil, is organized by Professor Telma Bessa Sales in partnership with Antonio Jeferson Lins de Freitas and was published in 2021 by the SertãoCult publishing house. This publication was released amidst the global health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions caused by social isolation. This led to the decision to publish the book in digital format, which is available for free as a PDF on the publisher’s website. The book was launched at an event on SertãoCult’s YouTube channel, with the participation of the organizers, Professor Yara Aun Khoury and Italian researcher Alessandro Portelli. The objective of this publication is to disseminate the methodology of oral history in order to highlight the existence of the oral history group at the Vale do Acaraú State University (UVA) and to pay tribute to the esteemed professor Alessandro Portelli. As the title suggests, the collection of articles engages with the methodology of oral history, a notable feature of the work of the honored researcher.

The book’s organizer, Telma Bessa Sales, holds a degree in History from the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo (PUC), a master’s and doctorate in History from the same institution, and a post-doctorate at the University of Évora in Portugal (2015). She completed an internship at La Sapienza University (Rome) under the guidance of Professor Alessandro Portelli and has been a lecturer on the History course at UVA since 2011, where she leads the Oral History Research Group. Her partner in this publication, Antonio Jerfson Lins de Freitas, holds a degree in History from the State University of Ceará (2004). He holds a specialization in Higher Education Teaching and a master’s degree in Geography from UVA (2019). He is a member of the Oral History Studies and Research Group of the History course at UVA and coordinates the editorial board of Editora SertãoCult. The book presents a collection of eleven research papers on oral history, written by both young and experienced researchers on the subject, spread over 268 pages. These papers highlight some of the renowned Italian researcher’s contributions to this research methodology by incorporating his concepts and approaches. The preface is by Portelli himself, translated by Manoela Amato. In addition, the book contains information on the organizers, a presentation of the work, and a table of contents. Finally, bibliographical references are provided at the end of each article.

The introductory text, written by Yara Aun Khoury, an oral history researcher at PUC-SP, provides an overview of the socio-political context in Brazil at the time of publication, the relevance of Alessandro Portelli’s writings, and the use of this methodology. It posits that this methodology has the potential to challenge single, homogeneous narratives of reality, which are often considered to be true and disseminated by supporters of the then-president of the Republic. Khoury emphasizes the importance of promoting dialogue between different voices and perspectives, welcoming diversity and questioning dominant views that tend to simplify and domesticate the understanding of reality. She highlights the need to challenge reductionist perspectives and seek a broader and more critical understanding of historical events. From this perspective, the author establishes a significant connection with Portelli’s work by stating that it is through dialogue that we seek to understand and interpret narratives, respecting differences and recognizing the point of view of our interlocutors. In this way, she emphasizes the importance of considering each person with respect and valuing their uniqueness in relation to others. Khoury also points out that although we may have status, study, and knowledge, in the context of dialogue, it is the interviewees who hold the information and share it with us. This approach values active listening and the exchange of knowledge, providing a space where the voices of the interviewees gain prominence and relevance.

In this context, oral history is a valuable tool for amplifying the voices of individuals and groups that have been marginalized or silenced in traditional historical narratives. By allowing these voices to be heard and their experiences to be recognized, the methodology in question plays a pivotal role in expanding historical diversity and fostering a comprehensive and inclusive understanding of the past. By enabling the narratives of the silenced to be heard, the researcher who adopts the oral history approach plays a revolutionary role in legitimizing discourses that were previously doomed to oblivion.

The establishment of a dialogical relationship with Portelli’s work is a characteristic that runs throughout the book. Throughout the eleven chapters, it is possible to see how the researchers incorporate and relate to the concepts and approaches proposed by Portelli. This dialog with the work of the Italian researcher enriches the collection and provides a critical and in-depth reflection on the methodology under study. Moreover, the language utilized in the texts is accessible, facilitating comprehension of the concepts, even for novice readers or those less familiar with the methodology under discussion.

By integrating diverse perspectives and methodologies, the collection offers a comprehensive overview of oral history in the Brazilian context. Nevertheless, despite the title suggesting a dialogue with Portelli’s work in Brazil, the majority of the articles focus on the state of Ceará, especially the region of Sobral where the Vale do Acaraú University (UVA) is located. There are few research projects carried out in other states of the federation, which represents a limitation in relation to the geographical representativeness of the work. This observation does not detract from the quality of the writings, which explore the potential and challenges of the methodology in question, emphasizing its significance for rescuing subalternized narratives and broadening the understanding of history.

The collection under analysis has a number of positive aspects that make it a significant contribution to the field of oral history. One of the collection’s strengths is its thematic diversity, which encompasses a range of topics, including religiosity, conflicts and violence between social classes, the life story of a confectioner from the interior of Ceará, the struggle for land, the memories of elderly people and shoemakers, indigenous resistance in Tremembé/CE, and more.

The Tremembé indigenous lands in Barra do Mundaú, Ceará, have been demarcated | Photo: | Foto: Cetra/Reprodução/G1-CE

This variety exemplifies the potential for employing oral history as a research methodology in a multitude of contexts. Emphasizing the significance of interviews as a pivotal component in investigations underscores the role of oral history in amplifying the voices of marginalized and silenced groups. Another positive aspect of this text is that it is available free of charge, which allows other researchers, students, and other interested parties to access the content, increasing the likelihood of the material being disseminated. Overall, Oral History: Dialogues with the Work of Alessandro Portelli in Brazil is a valuable anthology that brings together significant research in the field of oral history. The thematic variety of the texts and the emphasis on the interview as a research tool enhance the methodology analyzed. The choice of works written by collaborators from UVA’s Oral History Study Group corroborates the organizers’ intention to highlight the existence of this group. Furthermore, the relationship established with Portelli’s work adds an element of critical reflection, contributing to the advancement and consolidation of oral history as a field of study in Brazil. For these reasons, the collection fulfills its role well and is ideal for undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as researchers who use or intend to use oral history methodology in their research.

Summary of Oral History: Dialogues with the Work of Alessandro Portelli in Brazil

• Prefazione di Alessandro Portelli
• Prefácio de Alessandro Portelli
• Apresentação
• 1. O diálogo na construção de solidariedades na luta por democracia
• 2. A História Oral “e toda essa engenharia de trocar pneu com o carro andando”, segundo nos conta profa. Ada Pimentel
• 3. Vozes dissonantes e as cantatas do que aprendi com Alessandro Portelli e a História Oral
• 4. “As mulheres, em ciranda, iam na frente e, se precisasse, os homens iam atrás”: memórias de camponeses e camponesas do movimento do dia do senhor sobre a luta pela terra de Nicolau, em Trairi — CE
• 5. História Oral e narrativas
• 6. O inferno das memórias: narrativas orais de idosos católicos do Cariri/CE
• 7. Não há piores ou melhores: a violência, o preconceito e o medo entre vizinhos de uma mesma cidade
• 8. “Eu sou feliz, me sinto muito feliz […]” uma máquina do tempo que é a História Oral
• 9. Um pedaço das memórias das oficinas de sapataria de Sobral-CE
• 10. Narradores e a perspectiva do lugar: reflexões teórico-metodológicas da História Oral como fonte para entender como falamos sobre o espaço geográfico
• 11. Percepções da mata e praia à universidade: um roteiro em dois atos da resistência Tremembé no noroeste do Ceará

Reviewer

Giliardo Lima de Oliveira is a master’s student in the Programa de Pós-Graduação em Estudos Africanos, Povos Indígenas e Culturas Negras (PPGEAFIN) at Universidade do Estado da Bahia (UNEB), Campus XVI – Irecê/BA (2023). ID LATTES: https://lattes.cnpq.br/6619417561691853; ID ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-4053-3684; E-mail: giliardolima@hotmail.com.

To cite this review

SALES, Telma Bessa; FREITAS, Antonio Jerfson Lins de (Orgs.). História Oral: diálogos com a obra de Alessandro Portelli no Brasil. Sobral: SertãoCult, 2021. 268p. Review by: OLIVEIRA, Giliardo Lima de. Potentialities of speech. Crítica Historiográfica. Natal, v.4, n.16, Mar/Apr, 2024. Available at <Potentialities of speech – Giliardo Lima de Oliveira’s (PPGEAFIN/UNEB) of the book “Oral History: Dialogues with the work of Alessandro Portelli in Brazil”, organized by Telma Bessa Sales and Jeferson Lins de Freitas. – Crítica Historiografica (criticahistoriografica.com.br)>.

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Crítica Historiográfica. Natal, v.4, n. 16, Mar/Apr, 2024 | ISSN 2764-2666