Land belongs to no one! The occupation by posseiros in the Fortaleza Brazil nut grove - São Geraldo do Araguaia/PA – (1980-1990)

Abstract

This paper addresses the changes that took place in the castanhal Fortaleza, located in the municipality of São Geraldo do Araguaia, in the southeastern region of Pará. In the Amazonian context, a castanhal refers to an area of upland forest with a high concentration of Brazil nut trees (Bertholletia excelsa), the tree that produces Brazil nuts; such an area may therefore become a site for collecting Brazil nut pods. "The posseiros were the occupants, lacking land titles, of large areas of ranches or Brazil nut groves (castanhais) considered irregular or unproductive. This research analyzed the spatial dynamics focusing on the occupation by squatters in the Fortaleza Brazil nut grove. Specifically, it aimed to understand how the transition began with the squatters' occupation, focusing on landscape elements, spatial configuration, and social dynamics; and to verify how the demarcation and creation of the Settlement Project (P.A.) occurred in the Fortaleza grove. The analysis is grounded in the concepts of spatial configuration, landscape, and social dynamics, based on the notions of transition and geographical situation. Regarding materials and methods, after the literature review, a participatory field study was conducted through semi-structured interviews carried out between July 2022 and July 2023. In addition to the interviews, photographic records of the landscape were produced, and thematic cartography was employed. Fieldwork conducted with the residents of the current Fortaleza Brazil nut grove area raised pertinent questions about the Amazon, which continues to suffer from deforestation.