A presença e a ação indígena no oeste paulista e a comissão geográfica e geológica do estado de São Paulo (1886-1906)

Abstract

This dissertation aims to historically document the presence and activities of Indigenous peoples in western São Paulo through reports produced by the Geographic and Geological Commission of the State of São Paulo, as well as official state documents from the period between 1886—the year the commission’s first expedition took place—and 1906, when the last one concluded. The methodology used to achieve this objective is grounded in the concept of Indigenous agency, as well as the concepts of colonial context, historical context, and war of conquest, in order to avoid analytical oversimplifications. This presence is evident from the pre-conquest period through archaeological remains, followed by colonial history and the period following Brazil’s political emancipation, in the form of travelers’ accounts, chronicles, and also through the existence of a wide range of legislation characterizing the indigenous policy undertaken during different periods at both the national and state levels. Indigenous legislation during the transition from monarchy to republic, therefore, oscillated between two projects: the monarchist one, which prioritized the catechism and conversion of Indigenous peoples, and the republican one, which advocated for their integration into society as national workers, with an emphasis on the notion of guardianship over this population. This period is also characterized by the process of reoccupation of western São Paulo, which had already been occupied by Indigenous peoples, and took place on two fronts: The first phase involved the settlement of so-called subsistence settlements by miners from Minas Gerais who, following the crisis in gold production in Minas Gerais, began to occupy indigenous territories in western São Paulo, which led to numerous conflicts between the indigenous population and the miners. The second corresponded to capitalist expansion through the expansion of coffee cultivation, which was preceded, in turn, by expeditions carried out by the Geographic and Geological Commission of the State of São Paulo. The scientific nature of these expeditions aimed to survey the arable lands of western São Paulo for subsequent capitalist occupation, which was not without tensions, deaths, and conflicts among the different groups present in this territory, thus highlighting the persistent presence and actions of the Kaingang, Guarani, and Ofaié Indigenous peoples in their interactions with miners and residents of São Paulo. As for the indigenous people, their presence was felt at virtually every stage of the expeditions, from the organization of the labor force to the entry into the so-called “backlands” of São Paulo. The interactions of these indigenous people with the other participants, on the other hand, took place, broadly speaking, through conflicts or alliances interspersed at times with escapes which, in an interpretation centered on the idea of indigenous agency, are understood in a way that takes into account their political strategies in the face of the growing colonial advance on their territories. Finally, it is evident that their actions in this context always had a backdrop in which the decisions made ultimately aimed to serve their interests.