Revisiting the history of immigration and colonization in provincial Paraná

Abstract

This article revisits two established themes in the historiography of Paraná: immigration and colonization. Studies dedicated to these themes had a general tendency to focus on the narrow relationship between these two historical experiences, appointing that, in Paraná, colonization was made effective by means of small land owners of foreign origin (the colonials) who farmed their land for general supply agriculture. Using sources that have also been largely explored by researchers of regional history – reports from province presidents and legislation – but prioritizing a less-studied period – the years 1850 and 1860 – and presenting questions related to the definition of public politics for the recently-constituted province, the research made evident that the proletarianization was a common experience for the immigrants in that period and that the so-called “nationals” were fundamental agents in the colonization projects then being implemented. The article, therefore, shows the problems of the synonymy constituted by the historiography between the words immigration and colonization, giving evidence to a context of ruptures, indeterminations and multiple expectations.

Keywords

• História
• Paraná
• Imigração
• Colonização
• Nacionais