Can, bag and basqueta: non-standardized measures used in the extraction and commercialization of açaí in a peasant community in Southeastern Pará

Abstract

This work aimed to investigate practices and mathematical knowledge involved in the extraction and commercialization of açaí in a peasant community, seeking to understand how ethnomathematics is linked to the use of non-standard measurements used by açaí producers. The research was carried out in the village Nova Aliança, which is part of the Serra Quebrada Settlement Project, located in the municipality of Novo Repartimento, in the southeast of Pará. The nature of this research is qualitative, with ethnographic procedures, whose data were constructed through the following research instruments: observation; field journal; photographs; interview; voice recorder; informal conversations. The theoretical contributions were based on Ethnomathematics, which made it possible to investigate ways of mathematizing and living with the reality of this work practice. We identified the can, the bag and the basqueta as measuring instruments, meeting the needs of açaí producers in the community, measures that are useful mainly in the fruit extraction and commercialization processes; realizing that this practice of measuring the community is ethnomathematical knowledge, which serves economic interests and has cultural values ​​of the community.