DA ORALIDADE À FICÇÃO: A REPRESENTAÇÃO DE CÉLIA DE SOUZA NA LENDA URBANA DA BRUXA DA SAPOLÂNDIA EM CAMPO GRANDE-MS

Abstract

This dissertation approachesthe story of the "Witch of Sapolândia," an emblematic figure of the collective imagination in Campo Grande-MS, in order to understand the boundaries between reality and fiction. The study aimed to analyze the construction and permanence of the image of the "Witch of Sapolândia" over time, evaluating its social, cultural, and religious aspects, as well as the literary, artistic, and cultural representations that contributed to consolidating her in the local imaginary. This research investigates the survival mechanisms of this narrative, from its circulation in oral tradition, its formation as an urban legend, to its transposition into contemporary fictional literature. The study adopts a qualitative approach, based on bibliographical review, analysis of documentary sources, and interviews with authors relevant to the dissemination of the narrative, with emphasis on the writer André Alvez. His book A Bruxa da Sapolândia (2018) presents a literary and fictional recreation of the story of Célia de Souza, incorporating childhood memories of the author, who lived next to the swamp known as Sapolândia and grew up listening to the story of the witch. In addition to the literary analysis, the research includes the creation of an original rhymed tale and the development of a digital illustration representing the character, as creative resources that reaffirm the importance of the witch figure in local popular culture and in the affective memory of the inhabitants of Campo Grande. The study highlights the representation of Célia de Souza as a social, cultural, and political subject, analyzing the dynamics that contributed to her designation as a witch. To this end, we considered historical fragments, collective memory, and folklore elements present in the socio-cultural context of Mato Grosso do Sul, with emphasis on the city of Campo Grande. The theoretical foundation was based on authors such as Marlei Sigrist (2008), Silvia Federici (2017), Nilza Megale (1999), Luís da Câmara Cascudo (2012), Nicholas Wolterstorff (2003), as well as Mikhail Bakhtin (1987, 2002, 2003, 2010, 2011) and Fayga Ostrower (1987 and 1989), highlighting the importance of the permanence and resignification of urban legends as forms of cultural resistance and preservation of popular memory. Keywords: Folklore, Witch of Sapolândia, Brazilian literature, Popular Culture, Orality, Collective Memory.