Missionary Settlements and its Amerindian Transformations – a Jesuit Controlled Indigenous Village (Atlantic Coast 18th-19th century)

Abstract

This article aims at contributing to the enlargement of historicities of Amerindian territorialities, based on diverse experiences among Amerindian populations living under constrains of colonial settlement. The ethnographical analysis proposes to revisit experiences of place among indigenous people inhabiting a Jesuit-controlled village in the south of Bahia during the colonial period (18th-19th century). I argue that Jesuit politics of civilization (namely, encouraging the Indians to cultivate swiddens - roças), subsequently followed by laic colonial politics, have been appropriated by the Indians to integrate different patterns of territoriality. Two configurations are here described. One based on time-limited ownership of specific terrains, such as opening paths in the forest and between former or current missionary villages. A second is based on personal responsibility to take care of a specific space.