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A Mística do Contestado: a mensagem de João Maria na experiência religiosa do Contestado e dos seus descedentes

2005; Volume: 20; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

2525-846X

Gilberto Tomazi,

Urban Development and Societal Issues

O autor apresenta aqui uma sintese da sua dissertacao de Mestrado em Ciencias da Religiao (PUC/SP, 2005). Parte de uma contextualizacao do Contestado, na disputa dos limites territoriais entre os Estados de Santa Catarina e Parana (1912-1916). Nesse contexto, surgiu o chamado “movimento popular do Contestado”, um movimento marcado pelas tradicoes culturais e religiosas dos caboclos moradores na area do conflito. Esse movimento caracterizou-se por uma mistica propria, enraizada na mensagem de “monges populares” (dentre os quais destaca-se Joao Maria), no espirito de irmandade, numa religiao guerreira. Tal fato constitui para os habitantes da regiao do Contestado um universo simbolico proprio. Abstract: The author presents a synthesis of his Master’s Thesis in the Graduate School for the degree of Master of Arts in the field of Science of Religion at the PUC/SP, 2005. At the outset he gives a lucid account of the territory of the Contestado whose boundaries were in dispute in the States of Santa Catarina and Parana, during the years 1912 to 1916. The leaders of a popular uprising against military detachments engaged in combat were disguised as “monks”, as for instance Joao Maria and others, simulating a prophetic role, analogous to that of the prophets in ancient Israel so as to gain ascendancy over the impoverished dwellers of the land. Their leadership was skillfully masked by pious motifs and threats of punishments inflicted upon renegades and opponents. To cover up their own background as foreigners they claimed to be migrant prophets chosen as representative figures of a belligerent religion practiced by the faithful united by the bonds of brotherhood. Within that mystified historical background of a segment of the local population it was a difficult task of the government and the armed forces to demobilize the insurgents and secure normalized conditions among the people.