Different perspectives on the interview genre in Portuguese classes in an indigenous intercultural education degree course

Abstract

In this article, I discuss a teaching experience of the interview genre in Portuguese classes for indigenous students in an undergraduate course. The text reflects on how the classes were planned and developed based on intercultural dialogue between the linguistic and cultural knowledge that has historically framed the genre in question, and the knowledge of the indigenous teachers, who are beginning to use the interview as a methodological resource for their research, conducted with members of their communities. The question and answer model of the interview and the presumably quick timing of the answers were problematized by the students since it was not a format evaluated as possible to be used by indigenous researchers with elders of their peoples. According to the students, the genre may violate interactional rules and principles of indigenous knowledge. The article aimed to highlight the need for oral tradition to be considered in academic knowledge production and Portuguese language teaching for indigenous people.