A fotografia e o vaqueiro de gibão: a imagem criando sentidos na pesquisa de campo

Abstract

This dissertation is an investigation in the field of visual anthropology on the use of photographic pictures of the figure of the northeastern cowboy of the city of Acari, in Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. It presents a cutout about “vaqueiro de gibão” (Brazilian northeastern cowboy of Acari, RN), the historical and contemporary contexts that define its presence as a craft and culture, as well as how anthropological strategies have contributed to understand how they access their own images. Issues involving the use of images in the field of anthropology are discussed, presenting the strategies adopted that highlight the power of photography as a tool for constructing knowledge and exploring links between the cowboys and the photographer-anthropologist, allowing shared and participatory work, bringing relevance to the presence and contribution of affections among those involved in the process of investigation and construction of this work. The combination of photography with the experiences, interviews, records and exchanges made it possible to understand the universe of the cowboys and contributed to the repertoire of research in the field of Anthropology on the theme of the “vaqueiro de gibão” and on images. Through this work, it is possible to highlight some ways in which we can work with images in field research, as well as contribute to the preservation of the figure of its memory and culture.