Based on civil, judicial and ecclesiastical sources that exist in Natal, Acari, and Caicó, the article argues the existence of Indian slaves in the remote hinterland of Rio Grande do Norte Captaincy and their relation to the economic activities in this territory: livestock raising and sustainable agriculture. It examines in detail the region of the Parish of Gloriosa Senhora Santa Ana do Seridó, which included areas from the Captaincies of Rio Grande do Norte and Paraíba.
indigenous slavery; Captaincy of Rio Grande; hinterland