Abstract
In this paper, we focus on the trajectory of João Paes, who lived on the southern frontier of the Brazilian Empire in the nineteenth century, and investigate the importance of the relations between people and families and how they intertwined with economy and institutions of political life. João, in his own words, was the son of an Indian, then, a free man. However, according to Mariano Teixeira, João was a runaway slave. By exploring this case, we analyze (re)enslavement and freedom practices, reciprocal relations and social protection mechanisms and also map the social space of the southern border of Brazil. We pay attention to vertical and horizontal reciprocity relationships, specially the one that involved landlords and aggregates (agregados). This was, however, only a part of a more complex configuration of forms of aid and protection. Neighborhood, war, and family relationships emerged as other effective fields for the generation of such relationships.
Keywords
Brazil; reciprocal relationships; slavery and freedom