PRÁTICAS SEMIÓTICAS NO BANHO DE SÃO JOÃO:PATRIMÔNIO CULTURAL IMATERIAL EM CORUMBÁ-MS

Abstract

This study analyzes the semiotic practices present in the Banho de São João, celebrated in Corumbá and Ladário, Mato Grosso do Sul, through the perspective of Discursive Semiotics, with a focus on Corumbá. Recognized as Patrimônio Cultural Imaterial de Mato Grosso do Sul in 2010 and, more recently, by IPHAN as Patrimônio Cultural Imaterial do Brasil in 2021, this tradition constitutes one of the most relevant religious and cultural manifestations in the region, celebrated in Corumbá and Ladário, with this dissertation focusing on the former. The research is structured around three specific objectives: (i) to describe the history and culture of the Banho de São João in Corumbá-MS, with emphasis on its origins, traditions, beliefs, and values; (ii) to analyze three ritual situations: the descent of the andores toward the banks of the rio Paraguai, the meeting of the andores in the ritual of greeting the images of the saint, and the banho de São João in the waters of the rio Paraguai, photographically recorded, as well as the songs of São João present in the documentary Banho de São João nas águas do Rio Paraguai (2023), interpreted through the semiotics of song, in order to describe the processes of meaning construction and their multisemiotic articulations within the festive context; and (iii) to reflect on the methodological and analytical path undertaken, discussing the contributions of Discursive Semiotics to the understanding of the plural social practices of the Banho de São João, while also assessing the relevance of the theoretical tools employed. Regarding methodology, the research adopts a qualitative, exploratory, and bibliographic approach, grounded in Discursive Semiotics, particularly the generative trajectory of meaning, with emphasis on the discursive level and the analysis of figurativity. Considering the specificity of the selected objects, the study also draws on developments of plastic semiotics, especially through the analysis of visual texts based on categories of the expression plane, with particular attention to the topological category, as well as on the developments of the semiotics of song. The investigation is guided by the following research question: how can Discursive Semiotics contribute to the understanding and unveiling of meanings in plural, multisemiotic social practices such as the Banho de São João? The choice of this object of study is due to its cultural and religious relevance in Corumbá-MS. The analysis of the semiotic practices of the festivity allows for an understanding of its cultural expressions and its role in preserving local customs and traditions. It is expected, therefore, that this research will contribute to the field of Discursive Semiotics by applying its concepts to a specific and still little-explored cultural context, opening new possibilities for future investigations on this festivity.

Keywords: Semiotic practices; Banho de São João; Memory; Identity; Intangible Heritage.