Clio: Revista de Pesquisa Histórica (Dec 2017)
History of black people in south of Mato Grosso: the oral histories of maroons in Mato Grosso do Sul and the (re)invention of African traditions in the brazilian cerrado
Abstract
In the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul, the question of maroon identity has served as a point of contention between the state’s Historical and Geographical Institute and the Palmares Foundation. The former issued a resolution in 2008, stating that they do not recognize the presence of any remaining maroon-descendent community in the state. The latter recognized 22 distinct maroon-descendent communities in 2017. This article proposes a new narrative for black history, in dialogue with maroon communities and with academic knowledge, that has the potential to rewrite the history of African descendants in the region. Such an approach places what were once subordinates as the protagonists of the process of settling the Brazilian west and has implications on the definition of public service policies for these communities, in conflict with other political and economic interests.
