A Matematica nos barcos: um estudo etnomatemático com carpinteiros navais de Mocajuba – PA

Abstract

The research entitled "Mathematics in Boats: an Ethnomathematical Study with Naval Carpenters from Mocajuba – PA" aims to analyze the mathematical knowledge present in the socio-cultural activities of naval carpenters from Mocajuba-PA, seeking to understand how this knowledge was or is acquired, how it is applied in the construction of vessels, and what relationships it may have with school mathematics. Within an Ethnomathematical approach, which considers the different ways of doing and knowing mathematics among different cultural groups, the research provides a general framework on artisanal shipbuilding in the Amazon, portraying and describing the geography and histories of the research site and the Amazonian-riverine peoples. The theoretical framework is supported and discussed by authors such as D’Ambrósio (1996, 2001, 2022); Knijnik (1993, 2004); Lucena (2002, 2005); Pantoja (2015), Mendes and Farias (2014), among others. Data production was carried out through observation and interviews with three artisanal naval carpenters, who possess knowledge of extreme importance for the research. The treatment and critical analysis of the produced data were conducted through content analysis, in order to unveil the configurations of these knowledges. The findings show that the carpenters are individuals endowed with various knowledge about their culture, their profession, and the place where they inhabit. Empirical knowledge, coming from other more experienced carpenters or acquired in day-to-day experiences. The more experienced carpenters have a greater load of knowledge compared to the younger ones, due to the fact that they have had more contact and experience with the tasks of the profession. From the analysis of the mathematical knowledge involved in the practice of naval carpentry, the results show the presence of mathematical concepts in the fields of Geometry, Algebra, and Arithmetic that are applied and transmitted to their apprentices over the years. These knowledges are essential for the construction of stable, safe, and quality vessels, and their transmission is fundamental for the continuity of this socio-cultural practice.