Caiapó Do Sul, an Ethnohistory (1610–1920)
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CAIAPÓ DO SUL, AN ETHNOHISTORY (1610–1920) By DAVID LOUIS MEAD A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2010 1 © 2010 David Louis Mead 2 To Kendall and Kiefer 3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Dissertations have their conventions: the introduction, the bibliographic review, the chapters of dense, tedious, and often turgid text, the conclusions, and the bibliography. It all begins, of course, with the acknowledgements and, unfortunately, this dissertation is no different. I have tried to write an exciting and interesting history (and the history of the Caiapó is exciting and interesting), but I have, in many ways, produced yet another conventional dissertation that shall generate little interest, have few readers, and gather much dust. So I embrace the conventions and begin with the acknowledgements, then move on to the introduction, the bibliographic review, etc. And, so it goes. Because research is impossible without money, I begin with funding. The Center for Latin American Studies at the University of Florida generously funded my academic career with two summer Foreign Language and Areas Studies Fellowships, two yearlong Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships, as well as a Tinker Travel Grant in 2002, and a Charles Wagley Research Fellowship in 2003. A Fulbright-Hayes Doctoral Dissertation Research Fellowship made possible a year of archival research in Brazil in 2005. I never imagined that I would be so lucky to earn so many prestigious grants and awards as I have in my graduate career. Many people inspired and supported my academic career at the University of Florida. There is Michael J. Heckenberger. He took me to work in the Xingú and introduced me to Brazil. Michael E. Moseley inspired me as an undergraduate—his classes on the Andes ultimately led to my graduate studies; much to my parents‘ dismay—and he continued to inspire me as a graduate student. It is one of the great pleasures of my life to have known him, conversed with him on so many occasions. Jeffery Needell showed me what the phrase ―a scholar and a gentleman‖ means. His 4 knowledge, forthrightness, and professionalism served as a guiding light during some truly dark hours in my life. I can only hope someday to be as professional and personable as he. I doubt he will ever really know what one particular phone call meant to me. John Moore, without hesitation, stepped onto my doctoral committee on short notice. Charles Perrone, of the Department of Romance Languages, aided me with some difficult translations of archaic Portuguese. Christian Russell provided me with a place to stay and made me feel at home. Outside of the University of Florida, many special thanks must be offered to Mary Karasch. She kindly read this entire dissertation and offered perceptive criticism and commentary. Her efforts produced a much better study. Stephen Schwartzman told me about collections of Caiapó artifacts and wordlists that exist in Europe. There are many to whom I owe thanks in Brazil, which has become my second home. I begin with Carlos Fausto. I first met Carlos in the Xingú, and he impressed me immensely with his vast knowledge of Brazilian ethnography (as well as his ability to learn Kuikuru, a language I found difficult and perplexing). He sponsored my 2005 doctoral research in Brazil, for which I thank him. I worked in numerous archives throughout Brazil in my hunt for documents relating to the Southern Caiapó. I must thank all of the archival staffs that tolerated my badgering for documents and copies. In Rio de Janeiro, I especially want to thank the staffs at Arquivo Nacional, the Biblioteca Nacional, Instituto Histórigrafico and Geográfico Brasileiro (a magnificent place to conduct research), and the Arquivo Histórico do Exército. In Goiás, I wish to thank the staff at the Museu das Bandeiras. This was, from an architectural and historical perspective, a most interesting of archive: the building was the old jail, and I have often 5 wondered if Manoel da Cunha met his end there, perhaps in the very room where I sat scribbling notes. At the Arquivo Histórico Estadual de Goiânia, I would particularly like to thank Maria Carmen Lisita and Sávia Barros Diniz. Carmen and Sávia opened their archive, offered their friendship, and made me feel extremely welcome. My stay in Goiânia was perhaps the most profitable in terms of volume of documents recovered. After Goiânia, I went to Ouro Preto, chasing down references to the Caiapó at the Abelhas River, and the staff at the Casa dos Contos welcomed me but, as they warned me, everything was in Belo Horizonte. Nonetheless, I spent two weeks in Ouro Preto, enjoying the spectacular vermillion sunsets, stunning churches, and, best of all, drinking Mineiro cachaça. Belo Horizonte followed. The staff at the Arquivo Público Mineiro helped me track down references to the Caiapó in their massive holdings. Along the way, I discovered Belo Horizonte is a marvelous city. Cuiabá gets its own paragraph, as I had my most enjoyable experiences there. Before I left Rio for Cuiabá, numerous people told me how hot the city would be, how lonely I would be, and how tiresome living in the interior would become. It was not so. The people of Cuiabá are known for their hospitality, and the reputation is well deserved. At the Arquivo Público de Mato Grosso, the archive director, Eliane Fernandes, and her colleagues, especially Carlos Gonçalves and Luzinete Correa, embraced my research and aided in finding many interesting documents. I would especially like to thank Vanda da Silva, also of the archive staff, who went out of her way to find a valuable reference in another (then closed) archive. Vanda was, and is, a great friend, whose help was more appreciated than she knows. I also wish to thank Nauk Maria Jesus, an incredible scholar with an encyclopedic knowledge of the history 6 of Mato Grosso, for her assistance and friendship. My (then) fellow UF graduate student Luís Symanski was in Cuiabá while I was there and deserves thanks for his companionship. I would lack many unforgettable memories without the friendship of Vanda, Nauk, and Luís. Finally, I must say something about Kendall Campbell, my friend, companion, and spouse. She suffered through many of my graduate papers, numerous drafts of this dissertation, and graciously listened as I bloviated endlessly about the Caiapó, Brazil, and whatever other subject caught my fancy. Kendall accompanied me around Brazil, trekking from Goiânia to Ouro Preto and down to Rio de Janeiro; she helped me lug suitcases of documents and books, laughed at me when I bought more books, and made life all the more enjoyable. She had fun too—at least, so she claims. I know not how she survived my blathering, diatribes, and, lately, typos. I never would have finished this dissertation without her strength and support. And, most importantly of all, she gave me my son. 7 TABLE OF CONTENTS page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................................................................................................. 4 LIST OF TABLES .......................................................................................................... 11 LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................ 12 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ........................................................................................... 13 ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................... 14 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 16 The Kreen-Akrore ................................................................................................... 16 From Kreen-Akrore to Panará ................................................................................. 26 From Panará to Caiapó........................................................................................... 32 From Caiapó to Kreen-Akrore ................................................................................. 38 A Brief Historiography ............................................................................................. 42 Conclusion .............................................................................................................. 49 2 THE EARLY CAIAPÓ-COLONIAL CONTACT (1590–1720) ................................... 61 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 61 Ibirajara and Bilreiros .............................................................................................. 64 The Ibirajara ..................................................................................................... 67 The Bilreiros ..................................................................................................... 71 The Ibirajara, Bilreiros, and Caiapó: Analysis ......................................................... 77 Conclusion .............................................................................................................. 85 3 TERRITORY, VILLAGES, WAR, AND CAPTIVES ................................................. 90 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 90 Caiapó Territory and Colonial Image .....................................................................