March 28, 2019
The character shares reflections on the pride of being black and different elements of her identity.
Tayó is a six-year-old black girl who is proud of her curly hair with an afro hairstyle, decorating it in many different ways. This is the theme of the book “O Mundo no Black Power de Tayó” (The World in Tayó’s Afro-Brazilian Black Power), by writer and researcher Kiusam de Oliveira, who is also the author of the books “Omo-oba: histórias de princesas” (Omo-oba: stories of princesses) and “O mar que beira a ilha de Goré” (The Sea That Bathes the Island of Goré).
To reaffirm the power of stories in building positive references for children to develop and position themselves in the world, the author now transforms Tayó into the protagonist of a series of comic strips about black culture.
In the stories, the girl interacts in situations that put into play her ability to perceive herself as a black woman in the making in a structurally racist society. In the dialogues, the author draws attention to the role of adults in providing children with empowerment to build a full and self-confident identity.
“Tayó is a powerhouse and, like her, I want to see other black Brazilian children do the same. The choice of the comic strip genre is due to its effectiveness in terms of direct and agile communication for adults and children. As I am a teacher, issues focused on literacy and alphabetization concern me,” explains Kiusam.
Adapted text. To learn more about Tayó and its author, check out the full publication on the Lunetas Portal .