On November 14, Brazil celebrates the Girl Guide. The bandeirante is one of the most emblematic and complex figures of the colonial period in Brazil, given his decisive role in the exploration of the interior of the country and in other activities, such as the imprisonment of indigenous populations and the fight against quilombos built by runaway slaves, like the Palmares, destroyed by the pioneer Domingos Jorge Velho. But why is Girl Scout Day celebrated on November 14th?
The choice of this date is due to the creation of the city of Santana de Parnaíba, on the banks of the Tietê River, in the interior of the state of São Paulo, in 1580. At the time, Santana de Parnaíba was just a village, created by settlers linked to the governor-general Mem de Sa. It was named after a chapel built on the site in honor of Santa Ana, mother of the Virgin Mary. Between the second half of the 16th century and the first half of the 17th century, Santana de Paranaíba became wider until it reached the status of a village, on November 14, 1625.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, the village of Santana de Parnaíba became the main departure center for the São Paulo flags. The pioneers, coming from São Vicente, São Paulo and other towns, prepared their expeditions to Santana, where they stocked up on supplies and other resources, such as animals, clothing, etc. The Bandeiras movement was essentially from São Paulo. From the captaincy of São Paulo departed the delegations that went into the four corners of the hinterland. The mining period of the 18th century is largely due to the pioneering action of the pioneers, who made viable the occupation of regions such as the current cities of Ouro Preto, Diamantina and Goiás (former Vila Good).
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Among the main scouts were Manuel Borba Cat, foxTavares,FerdinandDias Paes Leme, Bartolomeu Bueno da Silva (O Anhanguera) and the aforementioned Domingos Jorge Velho. The latter, in addition to having fought against the Quilombo dos Palmares in the service of the Captaincy of Pernambuco, was also distinguished for having opened up the territory of the current state of Piauí, reaching the extreme point of the river delta Parnaiba.
The actions of the bandeirantes were sometimes in conflict with those of the Jesuits (see this text: Jesuits x Bandeirantes), given that the latter had a different perception of the indigenous peoples, who were captured and made slaves by the bandeiras. The Jesuits, very active in Brazil Colony, did not agree with the position adopted by the bandeirantes.
Despite the discussions and controversies inherent to the actions of the pioneers in the colonial period, the date in their honor brings a opportunity to reflect on the importance of their performance, as well as on the most delicate issues involving the historical context of the era.
By Me. Cláudio Fernandes
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
FERNANDES, Claudio. "November 14th – Bandeirante Day"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/datas-comemorativas/dia-do-bandeirante.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
