Mudanças e continuidades no Salgado Paraense: dinâmica das relações sociais em torno do universo da pesca artesanal em Marudá/PA

Abstract

The research area of this dissertation is Marudá, located in the municipality of Marapanim/PA, within the Salgado Paraense microregion, and part of the Mestre Lucindo Marine Extractive Reserve, established in 2014. It is important to highlight that studying the universe of artisanal fishing is complex, as it involves various variables marked by social indicators, such as environmental issues, climate, gender, education, public health, and others. However, given the variables presented by the field of research in which I work, this study aims to highlight, through my participant observation and ethnography conducted between 2018 and 2024, the dynamics observed in the social relationships surrounding the fishing universe in Marudá. During fieldwork, many developments emerged from the observed evidence, opening paths for future projects and research. In this context, tradition and modernity constantly intertwine in the fishing lifestyle of the region's inhabitants, provoking both changes and continuities, especially regarding what fishing activity represents for them. Thus, another objective is to emphasize, based on my ethnographic research, what artisanal fishing currently represents for the sons and daughters of Marudá, considering that this relationship is no longer the same as it was in past decades of the 20th century, as changes and continuities occur constantly, where fishing activity was more intense. Other aspects addressed also include issues related to tourism, a category that has been transforming the way of life of the residents. Since the construction of the first roads and highways that connected and still connect Marudá/PA to the large and medium-sized urban and commercial centers of the State of Pará, such as the municipalities of Belém and Castanhal, the region has received many tourists, especially during vacation periods and holidays, thus causing some impacts. Currently, other means of communication have been transforming social relationships around the universe of artisanal fishing in the locality, such as internet access, as the digital medium has become integrated into everyday life, facilitating communication and mobilization of social categories, both internal and external, that is, beyond the territorial boundaries that make up the district of Marudá and Marapanim. In this way, the concepts of changes and continuities will metaphorically serve as the oars that will help me navigate the tides of this dissertation. It is also important to note that this research was conducted in a pandemic context, which generated many difficulties for fieldwork, as well as demands arising from the aftereffects of COVID-19.