Pretos e Pretas de Nação: tecendo vínculos e reconstruindo vidas na diáspora, Desterro, 1850/1880

Abstract

This article demonstrates the presence of African people, the so-called Pretos de Nação, in the context of the city of Desterro in the second half of the nineteenth century. Through the analysis of their work and solidarity relations, this study aims to understand the properties of their identities. We assume that these properties go through constant reinvention and construction processes from established strategies for these subjects to survive in the context of diaspora. This study confronted historical sources such as newspaper reports, criminal and notarial offices. The evidence shows that these African men and women in order to develop its work in the city eventually established many ties of solidarity. It indicates that these people created opportunities of choices and dealt with the uncertainty of their existence in a way that may seem ambiguous, but intrinsic to their experiences within a context and time of a harbor town in southern Brazil.