O Manejo das Caiçaras Indígenas: Uma prática agropecuária no Lavrado de Roraima, Amazônia brasileira.

Abstract

ResumoEsse artigo tem o objetivo relatar aspectos da introdução da pecuária entre os povos indígenas que habitam a região do Lavrado no Estado de Roraima, Amazônia brasileira. Mais especificamente, a partir dos povos Macuxi e Wapixana da Comunidade Aningal, entre os quais situa o relato etnográfico analítico sobre suas atuais formas do manejo do gado, associadas à prática da Caiçara. A pecuária foi introduzida na região no século XVIII, levando muitos grupos indígenas a transformações estruturais em suas formas de organização social, estimulando jovens e adultos a trabalharem na pecuária, manejando o gado e "domesticando" à ocupação extensiva do Lavrado. As comunidades indígenas absorveram a pecuária e adaptaram à sua realidade, revelando um interessante processo de adaptação e controle das relações que os envolviam em contexto interétnico. Na comunidade Aningal, onde o presente estudo foi realizado, houve a criação de Retiros (fazendas) indígenas, construídas em ajuri (trabalhos coletivos), onde o gado é manejado por um "vaqueiro" designado em Assembleias. Os animais são mantidos livres ao longo do dia e confinados à noite em caiçaras, o esterco produzido e acumulado escoa para as partes mais baixas do terreno adubando o solo e possibilitando a utilização das áreas adjacentes às caiçaras onde são cultivadas diversas espécies, com destaque para banana. O manejo das caiçaras evidencia o conhecimento dos indígenas sobre os efeitos do esterco como fertilizante e a prática das caiçaras caracteriza um sistema agropastoril do tipo temporal.Palavras chave: agropecuária indígena; sistemas agroflorestais. AbstractThis article has the objective of reporting aspects of the introduction of livestock among the indigenous peoples who live in the region of Lavrado in the State of Roraima, Brazilian Amazonia. More specifically, from the Macuxi and Wapixana peoples of the Aningal Community, among which is the analytical ethnographic account of their current forms of cattle management associated with the practice of Caiçara. Livestock farming was introduced in the region in the eighteenth century, leading many indigenous groups to structural transformations in their forms of social organization, encouraging young people and adults to work in livestock, handling livestock and "domesticating" the extensive occupation of Lavrado. The indigenous communities absorbed livestock and adapted to their reality, revealing an interesting process of adaptation and control of the relationships that involved them in an interethnic context. In the Aningal community, where the present study was carried out, the creation of Indigenous retreats (farms), built in ajuri (collective works), where cattle are handled by a "cowboy" appointed in Assemblies. The animals are kept free throughout the day and confined at night in Caiçaras, the manure produced and accumulated flows to the lower parts of the land by fertilizing the soil and making it possible to use the areas adjacent to the Caiçaras where several species are cultivated, banana. The management o...

Influence of the Caiçaras on Soil Properties in the Savanna Region of Roraima, Northern Amazon

“…These areas are mostly represented by semidecidous forest "islands" and are also used for logging, hunting, and other livelihood activities [10]. However, the non-forested Lavrado, although less diverse and with less fertile soils, is also widely managed by the local indigenous population, such as for agroforestry in homegardens [11] and, more recently, extensive livestock ranching [12,13].…”

“…At the end of the decade of the 1970s, with the initial support of the Diocese of Roraima (the organization of the Catholic church) and later other organizations, the indigenous peoples themselves introduced cattle raising into their communities. This was to guarantee the ownership of their original lands that were being taken by the livestock ranchers and also to support their own local economies [13]. As a result, indigenous peoples of the Lavrado (savanna region) became extensive cattle ranchers, a practice that goes on today, with adaptations to the indigenous context [12].…”

“…As a result, indigenous peoples of the Lavrado (savanna region) became extensive cattle ranchers, a practice that goes on today, with adaptations to the indigenous context [12]. More detailed aspects of the introduction of livestock among the indigenous peoples of the Lavrado have been well-described by other authors [13,15,16].…”

“…In the indigenous communities in the Lavrado, the caiçaras are also corrals, but used to hold cattle. Caiçara management is a practice inherited from the colonizers and used to hold cattle that are gathered every night for a few months, providing an accumulation of manure and, consequently, soil enrichment [9,13] As with other itinerant corral systems observed in diverse pastoralist settings [19,20], when the caiçara is no longer used for livestock holding, the indigenous people take advantage of the enriched soil for planting various fruit and agricultural species. In addition to the production of manure as a fertilizer that can be transported and used in other production areas, crops grown in the caiçaras are important for food security in a system that has the advantage of not demanding the transport of manure [13].…”

“…In the Aningal community specifically, where the research was carried out, the caiçara system receives yet another adaptation [13]. The caiçaras are installed in areas of slightly inclined terrain, causing part of the manure to run off to an area adjacent to the caiçara; it is in this adjacent area where planting is carried out.…”