Os indígenas nas folhas do Jornal do Commercio (1904-1934): entre práticas e representações

Abstract

This work involves an analysis of the relationships between the practices and representations of indigenous peoples in the state of Amazonas, using articles and reports from the Jornal do Commercio as the primary source. We focus on the period between 1904 and 1933, marking the start of the newspaper's publication and the point at which news related to indigenous peoples significantly decreases. This time frame allows us to capture the nuances of an era of significant socio-cultural and political transformations, where the figure of the indigenous person was frequently at the center of discussions. Often, works on Indigenous History do not engage with periodicals, resulting in a lack of studies dedicated to this theme using this source collectively. This is a crucial aspect of our analysis. Researching these two domains simultaneously not only reiterates the crucial role of periodicals as valuable tools for unveiling and understanding our past but also reveals the intricate mechanisms of production and dissemination of discourses about indigenous peoples. Within the pages of the Jornal do Commercio, we encounter a diversity of narratives, many of which were shaped by the prevailing thoughts, ideologies, and agendas of the time. These narratives do not merely report events but also provide insights into the projects and articulations that sought to influence or control the perception and lives of indigenous peoples. By examining these records, this work seeks to decipher how these discourses, in their various facets, contributed to shaping, reinforcing, or contesting representations of indigenous daily life. In sum, this work not only deepens our understanding of the presence and perception of indigenous peoples in the society of the time but also highlights the press as an active and influential agent in the construction and reconstruction of Indigenous History in Amazonas.