Letieres Leite e o método UPB: considerações a partir de um levantamento em documentos digitais.

Abstract

This research investigates the UPB Method (Universo Percussivo Baiano), developed by Maestro Letieres Leite, and its contribution to music education. It is based on the premise that music education in Brazil, historically marked by a Eurocentric bias, needs to be rethought to incorporate and value Afro-diasporic knowledge matrices, thus promoting greater cultural diversity and epistemic justice. The objectives of the research revolve around presenting the trajectory of Letieres Leite, analyzing the pedagogical principles of the UPB method and its practical application in the context of music education for young people; and identifying the strategies of the method that promotes the valorization of African matrices in music education. The research methodology is based on the analysis and transcriptions of digital files that include interviews, documents, video lessons and documentaries about the life and trajectory of Letieres Leite and about the UPB, and is anchored in a theoretical foundation that uses basic concepts of Bantu philosophy, with emphasis on the Bakongo cosmogram. This cosmogram, which represents a Central African perspective on the cycles and processes of life and death, illuminates central aspects of the research by highlighting the circularity of time and the connection between ancestry, community life, music and education. Such a perspective allows the method to be explored not only as a technical methodological resource, but as a cultural practice rooted in black knowledge. The importance of the social engagement of young musicians trained by the method is highlighted, highlighting that music education must align with contemporary debates on racism and epistemic and social justice. Furthermore, the research points to the need for more academic studies that explore the intersection between the UPB Method and anti-racist practices in music education, highlighting a significant gap in the field. The conclusion reinforces the general objective by stating that, although the UPB Method is not a universal solution, it represents a transformative educational proposal, capable of promoting training that values Afro-diasporic cultural matrices and, consequently, combats racism.