Pau dos Ferros further the oiticica's shadow: the valuation process as a guide for heritage choices
value attribution; cultural significance; preservation of historic sites; monumentality and everyday life.; Pau dos Ferros/RN
This research addresses the topic of cultural heritage from the perspective of attributing values, having as its study universe three regions of the Municipality of Pau dos Ferros/RN where problems related to the preservation and conservation of historical sites are evident. Taking the process of valorization and heritage choices as the object of study, we will clearly seek the following question: how different subjects value the city's historic sites and how these values influence the construction of heritage meanings and choices about how to intervene in pre-existences ? Our objective is, therefore, to investigate the role of the values attributed to the historical sites of the city of Pau dos Ferros in the patrimonial choices of the municipal authorities and inhabitants.To achieve this objective we will to make: a conceptual discussion about the valuation process based on a bibliographical review that addresses the theory of values and its implications for the field of heritage from a contemporary perspective; a characterization of our universe of study from a historical-socio-cultural approach, also taking as a basis a review of the bibliography that permeates the fields of knowledge of history, geography and architecture and urbanism; identify the values attributed to sites through qualitative data extracted from field records anchored in the methodology of incorporated observation, and semi-structured interviews aimed at site inhabitants and municipal managers linked to the field of heritage; and finally, by crossing the data obtained, we will analyze the conception of pau-ferrense cultural heritage by the inhabitants and managers and the way in which they have been intervening in the pre-existences of the historical sites studied. The results indicate that the valuation process is clearly grounded in the relationship established between individuals and place, and that these directly influence the various meanings attributed, which may or may not lead to the attribution of heritage value. Heritage value, in turn, also has diverse characteristics, sometimes more focused on the monumentality and exceptionality of the assets, and sometimes broader, encompassing more typologies and intangible elements. Finally, we also note the existence of several points of convergence and divergence between the views of residents and managers regarding local cultural heritage.