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A mística do Contestado: a mensagem de João Maria na experiência religiosa do Contestado e dos seus descendentes

2016; Volume: 20; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Português

10.46525/ret.v20i3.415

2525-846X

Gilberto Tomazi,

Religious and Theological Studies

O autor apresenta aqui uma síntese da sua dissertação de Mestradoem Ciências da Religião (PUC/SP, 2005). Parte de uma contextualização doContestado, na disputa dos limites territoriais entre os Estados de Santa Catarinae Paraná (1912-1916). Nesse contexto, surgiu o chamado “movimento populardo Contestado”, um movimento marcado pelas tradições culturais e religiosasdos caboclos moradores na área do conflito. Esse movimento caracterizou-sepor uma mística própria, enraizada na mensagem de “monges populares” (dentreos quais destaca-se João Maria), no espírito de irmandade, numa religiãoguerreira. Tal fato constitui para os habitantes da região do Contestado umuniverso simbólico próprio.Abstract: The author presents a synthesis of his Master’s Thesis in the GraduateSchool for the degree of Master of Arts in the field of Science of Religion at thePUC/SP, 2005. At the outset he gives a lucid account of the territory of theContestado whose boundaries were in dispute in the States of Santa Catarinaand Paraná, during the years 1912 to 1916. The leaders of a popular uprisingagainst military detachments engaged in combat were disguised as “monks”,as for instance João Maria and others, simulating a prophetic role, analogousto that of the prophets in ancient Israel so as to gain ascendancy over theimpoverished dwellers of the land. Their leadership was skillfully masked bypious motifs and threats of punishments inflicted upon renegades and opponents.To cover up their own background as foreigners they claimed to be migrantprophets chosen as representative figures of a belligerent religion practiced bythe faithful united by the bonds of brotherhood. Within that mystified historicalbackground of a segment of the local population it was a difficult task of thegovernment and the armed forces to demobilize the insurgents and securenormalized conditions among the people.