THE INDIGENOUS IN THE OCCUPATION OF THE NORTH OF PARANÁ: THE MYTH OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC EMPTINESS

Abstract

The following article highlights the performance and way of life of indigenous groups - Guarani, Kaingáng and Xetá - who inhabited the region north of the present state of Paraná and the policies addressed to them by the governments. What is justified by the fact that most of the research on the colonization of the North of Paraná, propagate a discourse that omits or disqualifies the presence of the Indian, when they affirm that the North of Paraná was an "unknown hinterland" and that it constituted a " empty demographic ", ready to be occupied by the pioneers. The objective of this work is to demonstrate that the history of Northern Paraná did not begin in the 20th century, with the arrival of pioneers and colonizing companies. Since the territory was already occupied by historical societies with a complex social, economic, political and religious organization, where the various peoples interacted with each other in a friendly and conflictive way. And much less was it an unknown region, as evidenced by the expeditions carried out by the Portuguese, the Spaniards, the bandeirantes of the state of São Paulo and the paranaenses of the general camps from the 16th to the 19th centuries.