Terra e honra: conflitos entre os camponeses numa região de colonização alemã no sul do Brasil (Vila de São João de Santa Cruz, RS, 1878-1905)

Abstract

In this paper, it was studied the notions of justice, rationalities and strategies among the emigrating peasants from Germany settled in the Vila de São João de Santa Cruz in the years 1879-1905. Through criminal documentation analyzed with sources such as notary’s office and parochial books, it was tried to map the crime situation, where the criminal land disputes and crimes against honor through verbal abuse were highlighted. For that, two families were considered to find specific answers to general questions about the peasant universe. In analyzing the conflicts over property and land market, it was observed the families' choices and strategies to avoid fragmentation of property, their network reciprocity, values and agreements present in commercial transactions and the internal organization group. From the other family, it was observed the peasant understanding of honor and justice through a case of infanticide; the pressure of the relationship networks, the strategies assumed to hide dishonor and, finally, the uses of justice that these people made through the crimes of injury and slander. Through this investigation, it was verified the existence of moral and private agreements in land market, the rationalities, values and habits that were present in this German colonization society settled in the central region of Rio Grande do Sul.