Non-Specialists Perception about Endokarst and Exokarst Scenarios: Visions from High School Students

The aim of this work is to recover some methodological aspects of the study about the mind representations of caves in Brazil. The basis of this research consisted of one essay, approaching the social representations of a particular group of high school students on the exokarst and the endokarst. The results showed that the meanings vary only slightly, however, the most interesting result was due to the fact that students, who had already visited caves in some period of their lives, still held “negative” concepts regarding this environment even before visual stimulations. About 640 words associated with the exokarst and the endokarst were mentioned, emphasizing: fear, dark, shadowy, skull, hidden places, fantastic and beauty, which helped identifying relations between the cultural and psychological aspects of the group, mainly general views about the obscure and mysterious aspects of this landscape and its prominence over natural beauties. Analyzed data showed that the development of new research on mind representations of caves is very important, mainly for environmental education programs promoting adequate concepts about caves and extending activities of educational ecotourism in Brazilian caves

On the origin of the name Dinara

This short paper on the origin of the name Dinara based on literature is in fact an open question and a challenge for future researchers. The authors are relatively well acquainted with the Western part of Dinaric karst and corresponding ”western” literature and from this point of view they tried to find out where and when appeared the name Dinara for the mountain as well as for the whole Dinaric chain as we call it nowadays. Based on older literature and maps they found out that the name Dinara appeared in the 16th century in a novel, not in a professional work, while in the 17th (Evliya Çelebi) and during the 18th centuries it became largely used by authors describing Balkans (Fortis 1774, Hacquet 1785). During the 19th century it was a generally adopted name, often as Dinaric Alps. Authors make an appeal to researchers whose topic is Dinaric karst to pay attention to this question; especially to older publications which are not generally known and accessible.Key words: Dinara, Dinaric Mountains, origin of name.Vprašanje izvora imena DinaraPričujoči kratki prispevek na podlagi pregledane literature predstavlja nerešeno vprašanje izvora imena Dinara, kar je lahko tudi izziv za prihodnje raziskovalce. Kot poznavalca predvsem zahodnega dela Dinarskega krasa in ustrezne »zahodne« literature sta avtorja poskušala ugotoviti, od kod izvira oziroma od kdaj se pojavlja ime Dinara za samo goro s tem imenom pa tudi za celotno Dinarsko gorstvo, kot ga pojmujemo danes. Na podlagi starejše literature in zemljevidov ugotavljata, da se ime Dinara pojavi v 16. stol. v romanu, ne v strokovni publikaciji, v 17. (Evliya Çelebi) in 18. stol. ga že pogosteje uporabljajo opisovalci tega dela Balkana (Fortis 1774, Hacquet 1785), v 19. stol. pa je že splošno priznano ime, pogosto kot Dinarske Alpe. Avtorja pozivata raziskovalce, ki se ukvarjajo z Dinarskim krasom, naj posvetijo nekaj pozornosti temu vprašanju, posebno o starejši literaturi, ki ni splošno znana in dostopna.Ključne besede: Dinara, Dinarsko gorstvo, izvor imena.

Caves, Stories, History and Popular Traditions in the Semi-Desert (Sertão) of Bahia, Northeastern Brazil

The symbiosis between man and caves usually causes a mixture of fascination and respect. When looking back at the history of Antique civilizations, there are references to this relationship made in almost all cases. Caves were men’s first home, their first meeting places, shelters, and ritualistic places. Nowadays, even with the fear of darkness and closed areas that is so usual, that old-time connection still exists. In the contemporary world, some places still hold a special sacred meaning to many social groups. Thus, the pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, to the shrine of Fatima in Portugal, to the Ganges River in India or to the cave church of Bom Jesus da Lapa in the interior of Bahia State, Brazil, are closely related when it comes to spiritual complicity. These sites play a key role as a collective reference of human sacrifice in an increasingly automated, technical and individualistic world much more than as strengthers of the religious faith. In Brazil there are many important religious sites. This paper mentions important sites specifically from the northeastern region. The examples are the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus da Lapa, the Cave of Patamuté, the Brejoes Cave, and the Milagrosa Cave. All these examples show clear manifestations of popular traditions and year after year illustrate the important roles that caves play in regional Brazilian societies. This paper is not intended to diminish the physical studies of karst areas but it wants to emphasize the importance of the human variable, especially in developing countries, for the relationship between karst and caves in the popular tradition, transmitted by means of oral stories and folk beliefs goes beyond the scientific advances

Historical and Geomorphological Characterization of a Brazilian Karst Region

This work aims at presenting the geographical characterization of the Cordisburgo karst region, in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, by applying the consolidated concepts of the classical karst adapted to the reality of the intertropical karst. The characterization of the karst in the region, led to an exploratory mapping of the main karst features using the methodology proposed by the Commission of Karst Phenomena of the French National Geography Committee, adapted by Kohler. The choice of this methodology was made on grounds that the existence of many Dinaric and Intertropical Karst maps facilitates comparative analysis. As a result of this study, a map summarized the distribution of the karst features for the first time in this region, providing relevant information for the geoenvironmental compartmentation of the Cordisburgo area and important subsides for the sustainable management of that region. Due to its geological, geomorphological, hydrological and biogeographical characteristics, karst in this region is an expressive example of the Brazilian intertropical karst whose superficial and subterraneous evolution must be understood as a complex phenomenon. There is little research on the Lagoa do Jacare Formation. Thus, it is premature to state that the karst in Cordisburgo presents a low karstification rate in its entire carbonatic pack. Studies on the magnitude and the direction of underground water are still insufficient, however

Geomorfološke enote na kraškem območju Arcos-Pains, Minas gerais, Brazilija

The Arcos-Pains Karst Region is approximately 850 km2, formed by massive carbonate rocks that host hundreds of caves, rock shelters and shafts. Many fossil discoveries exist in the region; one can also find rock paintings and other archaeological remains. A ruiniform landscape, weathered caves and continuous or isolated outcrops characterize the karst. They are cut by diaclasis, fractures and fissures, separated by flattened relief with dolines, uvalas, ponors and blind valleys. The evolution of karst morphology in the region reflects pluviometric and paleoclimatic variations, with faults and fractures from neotectonics events exerting control over water flows. One can observe four geomorphological compartments in this region, each with specific characteristics. The region is an outstanding example of the Brazilian intertropical karst and one of the most important Brazilian mineral deposits of limestone and dolomite. So, delimitating its geomorphological units can facilitate understanding the speleological heritage and guide strategic decisions for sustainable use.Kraško območje Arcos-Pains meri približno 850 km2, tvorijo pa ga masivne karbonatne kamnine, v katerih je več sto jam, spodmolov in brezen. Na območju je veliko najdišč fosilov, najti je mogoče tudi jamske slikarije in druge arheološke ostanke. Za kras so značilni ruševnata pokrajina z denudiranimi jamami in neprekinjeni ali osamljeni izdanki razpokanih in močno zakraselih karbonatov. Med temi so uravnana območja z vrtačami, uvalami, požiralniki in slepimi dolinami. Kraška morfologija odraža pretekle hidrološke in paleoklimatske razmere, pri čemer na vodne tokove pomembno vpliva tudi neotektonika. Na območju je mogoče opaziti štiri geomorfološke enote, vsaka ima specifične značilnosti. Območje je izjemen primer brazilskega tropskega krasa in eno najpomembnejših brazilskih nahajališč apnenca in dolomita. Zato lahko razmejitev njegovih geomorfoloških enot olajša razumevanje speleološke dediščine in usmerja strateške odločitve za trajnostno rabo

Karren on laminar calcarenitic rock of Lagoa Santa (Minas Gerais, Brazil)

The form of the karren is dictated by the horizontal laminated beds and fissuring. They are dissected by characteristic rock forms that are traces of their development and current shaping. The permeable contacts between laminae and the vertical fissuring of the rock fostered a distinctive three-dimensional development of karren and with it unique forms

LIVING AND LEARNING IN TWO CRECHES IN BRAZIL: UNDERSTANDING ECONOMICALLY-POOR YOUNG CHILDREN'S MEANINGS OF PEDAGOGY

My interpretive study is about low-income Brazilian children's pedagogical experiences and the meanings the children made of their experiences in two creches (non-profit early childhood centers). I focused on children's own interpretations and how they exerted agency within the pedagogical constraints. By contributing to the understanding of what it means to be four- and five-years old and economically poor in two creches, my study offers insight into 'new understandings' of children and pedagogy. It also raises questions about the perpetuation of discriminatory pedagogies for the poor in Brazil. My study was informed by a socio-constructivist approach centered on a view of children as rich, competent social actors, who are connected to others and who actively co-construct knowledge and self. Other significant concepts are pedagogy, Dewey's theory of experience and the interpretative approach to children's narrative thinking. Such theoretical framework disputes views of the child reared in poverty as simply destitute, lacking, or the object of oppression, demanding multi-faceted inquiries of the pedagogical experiences of poor children. Uncovering the rich lives of children and their meanings demanded 'rich' methods. I collected various data, including conversations, stories, pretend-play and children's tours. I videotaped extensively. Data analysis continued to center on understanding and narrating experience from children's own perspectives. In this work I describe and analyze the so-called educational activities, or trabalhinhos, and children's views of 'what' and 'how' they learned, particularly how they 'learned about learning.' Then I discuss children's experiences of play and of bagunça and castigo (misbehavior and punishment). Next I explore children's meanings of these conflict-ridden experiences, which they seemed to find central aspects of their lives at the creches. Finally, I discuss children's meanings of mandar or 'who is in charge.' The children in my study were keen interpreters, offering some serious critiques of their experiences. My analysis provides understanding about (a) how the pedagogy seemed to lead to children's miseducation, 'teaching' submission, yet, how children were agents who actively and collectively created a place for themselves at the creches; and about (b) a complex paradox between children's active meaning-making and the passivity reflected in their accounts