Salutations: An epilogue in letters

Abstract

In a letter to an imagined future reader a century from now – at the 2121 bicentennial of the birth of Paulo Freire, I argue for the potential of a framework of timescapes and a feminist, Freirean praxis of letter-writing to enrich Freirean studies. In the context of analysis of Freire’s other letter-writing praxes across his life, I reflect on my recent interviews with two of Freire’s family correspondents, both women, whose letters with him have been published: the first to be granted by his niece Cristina Bruno Freire and the first interview for an English-language publication (this journal) with his cousin Nathercia Lacerda. I aim to center their voices on the occasion of this current centennial and highlight the continuing need for critical translation and archiving of this work within Freirean studies, as well as for these creative forms of resistance and modes and areas of inquiry.

Keywords:

• Timescapes
• letter-writing
• feminist praxis
• Freire

Acknowledgements

My sincerest thanks to all those whose generosity of time and insight allowed this project to expeditiously come together: Ângela Biz Antunes, Cristina Bruno Freire, Lutgardes Costa Freire, Debbie Jones, Chip Jones, Nathercia Lacerda, Greg William Misiaszek, Lidia Nhamirre Isac (Research Assistant), and Carlos Alberto Torres.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 The collective “we” is often problematic; language has certainly evolved by the time you are finding this.

2 For more on timescapes, see e.g., Burke (2018); Burke and Manathunga (2020); Misiaszek (2020a).

3 All translations are intentionally left in to present the speaker’s original words, and thus, at least briefly, to decenter English in the process.

4 -inha is a diminutive, in this case denoting affection towards a young Nathercia: Natherc-ia becomes Natherc-inha. Here, Paulo spells it without the “h”: “Natercinha.”