CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY OF BLACK PEOPLE AS A MEMORY SPACE

Abstract

This paper shows an overview about how Church of Our Lady of the Rosary of Black People is perceived by surrounding residents. We know this church witnessed several moments in the community and the changes taken place (in Natal urban landscape) in Cidade Alta neighborhood. Luis da Câmara Cascudo, in his book "History of the city of Natal", points it out as the humblest temple of Natal. Ignorance of this patrimony relegates the church to urban invisibility and social oblivion, which is a danger to local artistic heritage, because people who could preserve end up contributing to depredating the place by account to their non involvement. We intend to clarify the importance of this social space for local memory and to contribute to the regional history. In this way, collaborating with Rio Grande do Norte History. We used as research source an oral quizz applied to some nearby residents, and a bibliography of local and national authors in pursuit of understanding the studied epoch (1980 and 1990 decades, spreading until the beginning of 2000s). The quiz allows us to perceive people's view of the church in terms of memory and space.