Teachable monuments: using the captain Kirk memorial for formal and informal history education

Abstract

This study, part of the project “Museums, Monuments and Communities: Places of Public Memory,” investigates the unique value of the Captain Kirk Memorial, including those of the Aniz Domingos Museum and the Archives of the Federal Institute of Paraná as pedagogical tools in formal and informal learning environments about the Contestado War (1912-1916). These spaces, located in União da Vitória-PR and Porto União-SC, respectively, are not just monuments but “living entities” that engage the public, especially the students of the Thomaz Padilha School. Inaugurated in 2015, the Captain Kirk Memorial celebrates the historical significance of the Contestado War, which influenced public memory and often diverged from other narratives.  Analyzing monuments and historical archives and conducting a community study between 2021 and 2022, we seek to deepen our understanding of the interconnections between monuments and memory, based on public history, and Oral history. We highlight the importance of pedagogical and exhibition practices, which not only provoke reflections on memory and history but also culminate in the creation of a monument for the centenary of the District of Taquara Verde, Caçador-SC, a significant site in the memory of the Contestado War. Thus, the project allowed the students and the community to connect with the past and reflect on the links between personal memory, the memory of the Brazilian army, and the memory of the thousands of caboclos-sertanejos (backlands) killed in the Contestado War. Therefore, these sites are not only educational means but also environments for dialog and understanding the dynamics of public memory. These are crucial for developing a diverse and shared historical consciousness.