Onde o mangue é pai, a maré é mãe e a lama é madrinha: Campinhos (Canavieiras-BA) e suas vivências com a natureza

Human beings often fail to recognize themselves as part of nature, instead establishing relationships of power, objectification, and exploitation with it. However, traditional communities develop different ways of relating to the environment. Thus, in this article, we analyze, in collaboration with the inhabitants of Campinhos—a fishing community within the Canavieiras Extractive Reserve, Bahia (Brazil)—the relationships of belonging between people and nature in this territory. In particular, we investigate how fishermen understand their relationship with the mangroves, the predominant ecosystem of the region. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect the data, which were subsequently subjected to content analysis as proposed by Laurence Bardin. Sets of analytical categories were constructed that demonstrate the Campinhos community’s recognition of their belonging to nature, as expressed in the participants’ narratives, reflecting feelings of affection, autonomy, participation, and identification. Based on this, it was possible to understand that the perception of the fishing community of Campinhos can contribute to rethinking the relationship that human beings have established with nature and inspire us to create spaces, especially in the field of environmental education, to build links with nature through an affective and meaningful coexistence.