Essa história é nossa!: (re)existências indígenas na historiografia sobre o Piauí (1953-2022)

Abstract

This article addresses the absence/presence of Indigenous peoples in the historiography of Piauí. The main objective is to analyze how the historiography of Piauí, and about Piauí, approaches the Indigenous presence/absence in the state. Specifically, it aims to identify how Indigenous peoples have been represented in these works; investigate how these works deal with the absence/presence of Indigenous peoples in the state; and explore the impact of contemporary Indigenous movements in Piauí. This study is justified by the need to revisit these works, analyzing the historical narratives they present and how they have helped create and sustain the idea of the total extermination of Indigenous peoples in Piauí. During this investigation, we encountered works that introduced new perspectives on these peoples, challenging the paradigm of their total extermination. In this sense, the article contributes to a critical reflection on these narratives by demonstrating, through contemporary examples such as the Itacoatiara Association in Piripiri, the living marks of Indigenous resistance and presence in Piauí.

To achieve the proposed objectives, we surveyed authors who address Piauí's Indigenous peoples in their works, including: Monsenhor Chaves, in his work O índio no solo piauiense (1953); Luiz Mott, author of Piauí Colonial: População, Economia e Sociedade (1985); João Gabriel Baptista, author of Etnohistória Indígena Piauiense (1994); Reginaldo Miranda, in his work São Gonçalo da Regeneração: Marchas e contramarchas de uma comunidade sertaneja: Da aldeia aos tempos atuais (2004); Jóina Freitas Borges, author of A história negada em busca de novos caminhos (2004); Ana Stela de Negreiros Oliveira, author of O Povoamento colonial do Sudeste do Piauí: Indígenas e Colonizadores, Conflitos e Resistência (2007); Juciene Ricarde Apolinário, author of Os Akroá nos sertões coloniais: uma história de guerra e ‘paz’ entre currais e descobertos auríferos (2011); and João Paulo Peixoto Costa, author of A farsa do extermínio: reflexões sobre a historiografia indígena no Piauí (2013).

With a time frame from 1953 to 2022, only specific works within this period were selected. This distinct timeframe demonstrates how the portrayal of Indigenous peoples in these works changes according to the contexts in which they were written. The selection and scrutiny of these works highlight the significant efforts by some authors to challenge the paradigm of total extermination.