ALDEINHA: THE LEFT BANK OF THE AQUIDAUANA RIVER

Abstract

This article offers an alternative approach to the history of the left bank of the Aquidauana River, in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul. The protagonists of this other history are the Terena Indians who, in 1933, founded a community known as Aldeinha. The official history of the municipality recounts that its first resident was an Italian, Vicente Anastácio. At no point does the narrative mention the existence of indigenous peoples, thus ignoring the fundamental role of the Terena as workers in the economic development of the region. The purpose of this article is to present an overview of the history of the Terena people, demonstrating the process that led to the gradual shrinking of the village’s area as urbanization and the surrounding society advanced over the past 50 years.

Keywords:
Terena Indians; Aldeinha; land rights; indigenous peoples; Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil