São Gabriel da Cachoeira: a cidade mais indígena das terras brasis que não possui nomenclatura indígena

Abstract

This study aims to examine the origin of the city of São Gabriel da Cachoeira through popular narratives, seeking to construct a mythopoetic reflection on the reverberations of the popular vision of the city. The research focuses on the city's name based on the narrative that circulates among the local population. It is a study that points to the ways in which the origin of the name São Gabriel da Cachoeira is linked to the colonization project, especially the process of spiritual conquest by the Judeo-Christian doctrine. The rejection of the indigenous name is discussed. This investigation intertwines the threads of interdisciplinarity in a dialogue between Anthropology, Philosophy, and Art. The research locus is the city of São Gabriel da Cachoeira in the state of Amazonas, geographically located in the Alto Rio Negro region. This location is home to the territory of 24 indigenous ethnic groups, which share the city of São Gabriel da Cachoeira but maintain their distinct identities despite living in the same place. This research follows qualitative approaches while incorporating quantitative aspects, based on data collection using in-depth interview techniques. It is inspired by phenomenology, aiming to value the manifestations of the social imaginary, particularly regarding narratives about the city's origin. The study seeks to adopt a perspective that questions, inquires, and explores new angles, perspectives, and aspects of already seen and established landscapes, shaping the body of work Among the multiple findings, it became evident that the angel's footprint marked on the rock holds significance in popular narratives as a social marker of the city's name, but it is associated with Porominaré. From this, it is concluded that the most indigenous city in Brazil does not bear an indigenous name. Instead, it carries a Westernized, Judeo-Christian name that does not represent the cultures and cosmologies of the Rio Negro peoples. Keywords: São Gabriel da Cachoeira, City Nomenclature, Popular Narratives. High black river