Between tacit and academic knowledge: the MDD method experienced in the quilombo of Monge Belo -MA

This article aimed to contribute, through the Relational Participatory Design approach, to the question of how the approximation of tacit and scientific knowledge could contribute to the sustainability of artisanal processes and products in the quilombo of Monge Belo, in Maranhão. To this end, we used MDD (Material Driven Design) proposed by Karana et al. as a methodological approach. (2015), a methodology that addresses the tangible and intangible aspects of a material and focuses on the experiences lived through this contact between designers and artisans. To this end, we carried out tests in laboratories (UFMA and UEMG) and, later, we prototyped this process together with the group of women, here called our co-researchers, in the community. The findings of laboratory research, such as the effectiveness of banana tree milk and lemon, as well as the relationship with the sample washing cycles, were translated into a language and methodology that could be developed in the quilombo, by women, providing productive autonomy.