REGIME DE CERCAS: TRANSFORMAÇÕES NO FAXINAL DA CACHOEIRINHA - IMBITUVA/PR (1930-1980)

Abstract

This dissertation is concerned with the analysis of transformations that occurred in the practices of the "faxinalenses," developed by the residents of Faxinal da Cachoeirinha, in the municipality of Imbituva, Paraná, Brazil. The analyzed temporal scope consists of the period between the 1930s and 1980s of the 20th century. This period allows for an understanding of how the everyday life of the "faxinalenses" was constituted through traditional practices related to their way of life in the "faxinais" (traditional rural settlements). These practices underwent progressive changes that profoundly altered the existing economic, social, and cultural dynamics of the region. The transformations, mainly starting from the 1970s due to structural issues and internal factors within the "faxinal," led to the disintegration of its traditional elements, putting an end to typical practices and prompting the "faxinalenses" to redefine them over time. We understand that the analyzed traditional practices constitute the everyday life of the "faxinalenses" since they persisted for a long time in the space. We conceive everyday life as a field of analysis of reality, and thus, our main concern is with the transformations and continuities in daily life, which are related to agricultural and animal husbandry practices developed by the residents of the "faxinal" as a means of survival and social reproduction. These everyday practices, their changes and continuities, reveal a wide network of representations that enable the perception of various cultural relationships, social conflicts, resistances, and resignifications. The conceptual basis for this study is grounded in academic discussions about "faxinais," traditional communities existing in Paraná, Brazil, which have a unique communal logic and their own culture. In this sense, Faxinal da Cachoeirinha is understood in relation to various processes in which "faxinais" and "faxinalenses" are involved, such as typical economic activities like free-range animal husbandry and subsistence agriculture, as well as identifying the factors that contributed to the disintegration of the "faxinal" system and its characteristics. This research utilizes oral sources, written documents, and photographs, each with its specific methodology. It is worth noting the use of oral history methodology, which allowed us to approach the representations and individual and collective memory of the subjects through interviews conducted with residents of the "faxinal.