Indigenous literature as an anti-racist teaching practice

experiences with the "Roots and Ancestral Histories" project

Abstract

This article proposes a reflection on the role of indigenous literature as a pedagogical tool in the construction of an anti-racist education, considering its relevance for the implementation of Law 11.645/2008, which establishes the mandatory teaching of indigenous history and culture at all levels of education in Brazil. Based on the premise that literature is a sensitive language, capable of provoking displacements and forming critical subjects, it analyzes how the narratives produced by indigenous authors contribute to expanding the cultural repertoire of adolescents in the school environment, breaking with colonial stereotypes and promoting the recognition of the epistemologies of native peoples. To this end, the experience of the project "Roots and Ancestral Stories: valuing indigenous literature in Chapecó", carried out between 2024 and 2025, is presented. The project's activities were organized in workshops, training meetings and the elaboration of didactic sequences that dialogue with the areas of Applied Human and Social Sciences and Languages and their Technologies, in accordance with the National Common Curricular Base (BNCC). By valuing contemporary indigenous authorships, the project promoted spaces for listening and intercultural dialogue, contributing to educational practices committed to social justice and overcoming epistemicide in Brazilian education.