Corredor cultural “Padre Dudu”: dinâmicas, conflitos e os atores do espaço em Montes Claros/MG

Abstract

The urbanization process of Brazilian cities has been characterized by several transformations, including in historic buildings. These phenomena also occur in Montes Claros, a medium-sized city located in the north of the state of Minas Gerais, which, like many municipalities in Brazil, has been undergoing decentralization, resulting in the creation of new urban centers and the abandonment (and oblivion) of others, such as historic centers. The municipality has undergone constant changes in its urban center, which are visible from the creation of the “Padre Dudu” Cultural Corridor (Coronel Celestino Street), a space where the main cultural events currently take place, such as the August Festivals, and is a symbolic place that represents the cultural and historical memory of the population. In this sense, this research aims to investigate the dynamics that occurred in the “Padre Dudu” Cultural Corridor, its conflicts and the actors in this space, as a result of the revitalization of historic buildings, which was carried out in 2012 with the aim of hosting and promoting artistic and cultural events. During the field research, it was observed that despite the variety of meanings attributed to the “Padre Dudu” Cultural Corridor and the changes suffered during its period of abandonment, the place is easily identified and has significant importance for the inhabitants. In this sense, the city has in its central area, the core of its formation, an important historical cultural and built legacy. The methodology of this work consisted of qualitative procedures, based on bibliographic research, documentary research and field research. The field research was constructed with semi-structured questions, with the objective of extracting from the participants elements such as the conception of historical heritage, the recognition or not of the listed assets in the city and reports of experiences built in this urban space. It was observed that even though the interviewees identified their historical heritage, for them the urban preservation instruments are still insufficient, given the great need for reforms, maintenance and other factors that interfere in the safeguarding of the heritage collection. This research aims to contribute to studies on the material heritage of Montes Claros and assist in research on the subject, recognizing its importance for the preservation, identity, history and culture of the municipality of Montes Claros.