Drying Memories: Rescuing Biographical Objects in Rio Grande do Sul Floods (2024)

Abstract

This article investigates how people affected by a meteorological catastrophe that struck the state of Rio Grande do Sul from April to May 2024 cope with the material losses of symbolic and affective value caused by the floods. This research is justified by the need to go beyond structural economic damage, making visible an emotional impact of a tragedy. The central objective is to understand the role of biographical objects in the reconstruction of memory, identity, and a sense of belonging in contexts of collective trauma and displacement. This is a qualitative exploratory study based on a documentary analysis of a corpus comprising eight news reports published in local and nationwide media. Research data were collected based on inclusion criteria that prioritized narratives of loss, rescue, and restoration of personal belongings, excluding strictly financial approaches. Based on these journalistic narratives, the main finding was that the suffering recounted transcends the physical dimension of destruction and reaches the realm of affective memories. Photographs, toys, and furniture become extensions of family history. This study demonstrates that drying, cleaning, and preserving damaged objects also constitute a communicative, cultural, and political action, as it reflects an attempt to re-narrate oneself and the community after a trauma. It concludes that preserving memories plays an essential role in affected communities’ emotional, social, and symbolic reconstruction, revealing the power of memory as an element of continuity, a sense of belonging, and resilience.