A introdução de instrumentos populares em contexto educativo: a escola como agente de defesa da cultura local num mundo globalizado The introduction of popular instruments in an educational context

Num mundo globalizado, a cultura local e regional esta em risco de desaparecimento, cabendo a escola do futuro um importante papel de defesa e promocao do patrimonio artistico, relacionado com a identidade da comunidade onde se insere. Na Regiao Autonoma da Madeira (Portugal), o Governo Regional, atraves do seu Servico de Educacao Artistica e Multimedia, comecou no ano letivo 1987-88 um projeto educativo de defesa dos instrumentos populares madeirenses nas escolas, que constitui um interessante caso de estudo e que podera servir de modelo para a integracao do patrimonio regional em contexto educativo. No inicio do projeto, os instrumentos estavam a cair em desuso e eram raras as criancas e jovens em idade escolar que os tocavam. Apos tres decadas de implementacao do projeto, assiste-se a uma revalorizacao da pratica destes instrumentos, existindo milhares de alunos a toca-los nas escolas e em grupos artisticos. Deste modo, este projeto e atualmente uma das referencias portuguesas de preservacao e divulgacao dos instrumentos populares em contexto educativo. Palavras-chave Instrumentos Populares; Politica Educativa; Preservacao de Patrimonio; Globalizacao; Escola do Futuro. The introduction of popular instruments in an educational context: the school as a defense agent of local culture in a globalized world Abstract In a globalized world, local and regional culture is in danger of disappearing, and the “school of the future” plays an important role in the defense and promotion of artistic heritage, related to the identity of the community in which it operates. The Regional Government of the Autonomous Region of Madeira (Portugal) through its Department of Arts and Multimedia Education (DSEAM) started an educational project in 1987-88 to defend the popular Madeiran instruments in schools, which is an interesting case study and which can serve as a model for the integration of regional heritage into an educational context. At the beginning of the project, the instruments were falling into disuse and children and school-age youths who played these instruments were rare. After three decades of project implementation, there is a revaluation of the practice of these instruments, with thousands of students playing them in schools and artistic groups including these instruments in their music group formations. Thus, this project is currently one of the Portuguese references for the preservation and dissemination of popular instruments in an educational context. Keywords Popular Instruments; Educational policy; Good practices; Musical Heritage.