A construção coletiva de narrativas sobre o passado: o primeiro asfaltamento de São Paulo

Abstract

This paper presents an unprecedented research which aims to demystify the issue about São Paulo’s first street to be paved in asphalt, questioning the well-established narrative featured in its inhabitants’ popular imagery, which attributes this achievement to Avenida Paulista. Through a thorough documentary research, a new interpretation of the case is presented, and furthermore, it seeks to clarify the processes that have set up the well-known version of the case. Finally, it discuss what are the consequences of the collective construction of narratives about the past with no commitment to the verification of the sources, or any concern about methodological matters, in the contemporary society.