Oral history as a way of constituting the history of rural youth organizations in Cariri, Ceará (1990-2000)

Abstract

This article is an offshoot of ongoing doctoral research, the subject of which is the history of the Rural Youth Ministry (PJR) in the Cariri region of Ceará, from 1994 to 1999. Due to the lack of documentary sources on its history, we opted for the methodology of oral history for the construction of sources and analysis. Regarding the PJR, it is important to note that it emerged in 1983, as a dissidence of the youth groups of the Pastoral da Juventude Meio Popular, in Pernambuco, and the Pastoral da Juventude, in Rio Grande do Sul. From these localized experiences in the South and Northeast, the pastoral gradually won over more rural youth and expanded to other regions and states of the country. In Ceará, the first groups emerged in the Cariri region in 1994, when a commission made up of 10 young people took on the responsibility of forming groups in their communities. Furthermore, the PJR is a progressive and ecumenical organization linked to the Catholic Church. Having made the necessary considerations about the object that inspired this article, our aim in this work is to reflect on the possibilities of oral history in the constitution of sources and analysis in the field of history, in order to historicize the historical course of rural youth organizations and social movements. In this sense, we believe that oral history has been fundamental in enabling us to learn about the mobilization processes and socio-political and cultural organization strategies of various social groups, in this specific case, rural youth, through oral narratives. By conducting interviews with the protagonists of these organizational processes, we can revive their memories and access relevant information about the past. Therefore, by means of a qualitative bibliographical review of oral history, we intend to reflect on the possibilities that this methodology offers for research in the field of history, especially when it comes to dealing with young people and their various forms of socio-political and cultural organization.