You reap what you sow, don’t you? Socio-environmental micro-realities transformed by tourism in São Miguel do Gostoso, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

Abstract This study investigates the tourist city of São Miguel do Gostoso, from the theoretical and methodological viewpoint of Micro-History. The proposal is to highlight how micro-realities construct outstanding narratives about the place. For the argumentative foundation Micro-History is presented. This is the methodological route for the research construction that gave rise to this study. The methodological course of construction of the research was based on direct participant observation using semi structured interviews and analysis of films In this article, we made use of a sample with 16 subjects, out of a universe with 52 participants, here represented by: owners of sailing boats schools or marinas; municipal government members; dwellers that are members of associations, NGOs and/or committees; religious representations, and dwellers representing local history. Therefore, our conclusions point to an inextricable relationship between culture and nature, perceived within the intrinsic relation of environment and participants’ lives, as well as the urgency to think over micro-realities, so that we can reflect on tourism and future developments.