Abstract: In São Gabriel: Memory and Remembrances, Cecília Machado re-edits testimonies and re-edits genealogies for the history of this municipality in the center-north of the state of Bahia.
Keywords: Municipality of São Gabriel-BA, Memory, Local History.
São Gabriel: Memory and Remembrances is the most recent release by writer Cecília Machado. Eighteen years after the first edition, in 2004, the work was revised and updated with the aim of meeting popular demand, that is, narrating the formation of the territory, rescuing the memory of its inhabitants. The book addresses the territorial formation of the municipality of São Gabriel and has a structure of 15 chapters spread over 68 pages.
The author, with a degree in Biological Sciences and a postgraduate degree in Environmental Education for Sustainability and Agroecology, is a teacher in the public school system. In addition, she resides in the territory in question, which possibly influenced the design of the work. Cecília Machado has a direct connection with some of the first families.
The first edition of the book was published in a period with little research focused on local memory, which highlights the tradition of the work for the community and justifies the need for new copies. The differences between the two editions start with the cover. The first features a photograph of children on the shore of a lake, probably the “Baixão”, with two photos of descendants from the municipality of Canabrava (Uibaí), including the writer’s grandmother. In addition, data was updated in chapter eight. The second one has cover and back cover illustrated by José William S. Prado, showing images of parts of the city covered by vegetation.
The first chapter situates the reader in terms of the geographical position of the territory, the climate, vegetation, soil and population. In addition, it traces a brief history of territorial expansion, indicating the direction of exploration according to the cardinal points.
The second chapter presents “The Prehistoric Man”, highlighting the research work carried out in the Gruta dos Brejões, which belongs to the municipalities of São Gabriel and Morro do Chapéu.
Cave of Brejões. São Gabriel-BA | Image: Wikipédia
The author mentions the finding of fossils by the team of Carlos Castro Cartelle, available at the Museum of Natural History of the Catholic University of Minas Gerais. The writer also recounts her personal experience of witnessing the discovery of a skull in the “Arrecife de Bião” (altitude of 632 m) and highlights the cave paintings in the Cave, especially those that refer to the stars.
In the third chapter, the author highlights the historical process of exploration of the northeastern sertão for raising cattle. The reader is taken to the 16th century, where the colonization of a region inhabited by indigenous groups, slaves and quilombos begins.
The fourth chapter, “The ranchers and those inherent in the São Rafael farm”, deals with the situation that followed what happened in São Gabriel. At first, the place was known as a “farm” and was inhabited by a family from Cana Brava (now Uibaí). At this point, the factors that explain the creation of the municipality become evident, among which are: marriage consolidations and the search for fertile land. After the settlement, the site developed with extensive farming, flour mills and mills. As time went by and the population increased, teachers from other cities arrived. In this excerpt, the author presents a list with names and dates of arrival of teachers who lived on the farm. The author also emphasizes the replacement of São Rafael by Gabriel, a slave who, according to her, helped in the construction of Fazenda São Rafael. Subsequently, there was a process of whitening the origin of the name of the municipality, which began to honor the religious entity São Gabriel.
In the chapters that follow, the author highlights the village’s subsistence agriculture. In the sixth chapter, the government incentive for the implementation of machinery and agricultural expansion is discussed, as well as the environmental impacts, from the 1960s onwards. In the last chapters, the author emphasizes the influence of the government linked to popular desires for local development, which underwent changes in management, moving from polyculture to monoculture, lasting until the present day. The eighth section briefly describes the emancipation of São Gabriel in 1985, along with the names of the mayors of the municipality.
Another part of the work is focused on cultural issues and genealogy of the inhabitants. Chapter nine merges indigenous legacies with regional habits, ranging from cuisine to medicinal practices, architecture, among others. In number ten, “Parties, crafts and cuisine”, Portuguese and African collaborations in various fields are available on the list. In contrast, in chapter eleven, the book describes how changes in culture are caused by external influences (globalization).
Chapter eleven presents the ancestors and founders of Cana Brava (Uibaí)”, portraying the lineage of the local population with rich details, names and surnames, reconstructing the genealogy of the first inhabitants of the municipality.
Still on the lineage of the Gabrielenses, chapter thirteen discusses new marriages and the roles played by families in society. This text allows the reader to perceive the author’s connection with the previously mentioned characters.
The last two chapters, “Other families that arrived later and accepted for the formation of São Gabriel” and “São Gabriel — some important data and events”, describe the names of the family groups and the festive dates of the city.
The book follows the chronology of the events that originated the municipality, with migration as the main factor for the occupation of new lands. The work stimulates the reader’s memory, emphasizing socio-environmental transformations. Initially, there was sustainable agriculture, but the scenario has changed with population growth and public policies to encourage agricultural production.
São Gabriel:Memory and Remembrances is an easy-to-understand book, with concise chapters that do not exceed seven pages each. from this panorama, it is possible to observe the relationship between man and nature, the impact caused by this occupation in the biome where the municipality is inserted and the scenario that was established in the Northeast from the 19th century onwards, with the colonization of the hinterland through animal husbandry . The author concludes that the implemented agricultural policies, out of context with the reality of the semi-arid climate, and the exploitation of resources, caused the impoverishment of the municipality.
The work was built from the memory of local residents, with the aid of statistical data and bibliographic documents. In some passages, there are gaps in expressions. Despite being an instrument to deal with the history of the place, the book does not deepen knowledge about the rural area of the city, formed by several villages and with an area of 1,172 km². Between the two editions, the update was minimal, without the inclusion of new research.
However, and considering that orality is a challenging means for building credible testimonies, the effort to transcribe residents’ memories is noticeable, highlighting the transcription of the local dialect. It is worth emphasizing the importance of the work, especially for the regional memory, which could be lost over time, leaving a little poorer local history. .
Thus, despite the problematic points listed above, we can say that the author understands her initial proposal of reporting the formation of the territory, evoking the memory of its residents. I recommend the book for people from Gabriel and for everyone who wants to know the history of São Gabriel. It serves as a tool for future studies and is a basis for reconstructing the genealogy of the current generation.
Summary of São Gabriel: Memory and Remembrances
O homem pré-histórico em São Gabriel
A expansão capitalista
Os pecuaristas e os ambientais da Fazenda São Rafael
Agricultores artesanais
A era dos tratores, o fim da pecuária
A crise econômica e a “era da irrigação”
Depois de séculos de existência, a emancipação
Contribuição de conhecimentos africanos, indígenas e portugueses para formação cultural
Festas Artesanatos e Culinárias
Massificação cultural, o que se perdeu e o que tem adquirido?
Genealogia do povo de São Gabriel que tem como ancestrais diretos os fundadores Canabrava (Uibaí)
E, qual foi a contribuição de cada filho deste fundador?
Outras famílias que chegaram depois e desejavam para a formação de São Gabriel
MACHADO, Cecília. São Gabriel: memórias e Lembranças . 2ed. Ibicaraí: Via Litterarum, 2022. 68p. Review by: SENA, Ana Carolina Pereira Primo. Local history. Crítica Historiográfica . Natal, v. 3, n.11, May/June, 2023. Avalilable in <https://www.criticahistoriografica.com.br/en/local-stories-review-by-ana-carolina-pereira-p-sena-on-the-book-sao-gabriel-memoria-e-memorias-by-cecilia-machado/>. DOI:
Abstract: In São Gabriel: Memory and Remembrances, Cecília Machado re-edits testimonies and re-edits genealogies for the history of this municipality in the center-north of the state of Bahia.
Keywords: Municipality of São Gabriel-BA, Memory, Local History.
São Gabriel: Memory and Remembrances is the most recent release by writer Cecília Machado. Eighteen years after the first edition, in 2004, the work was revised and updated with the aim of meeting popular demand, that is, narrating the formation of the territory, rescuing the memory of its inhabitants. The book addresses the territorial formation of the municipality of São Gabriel and has a structure of 15 chapters spread over 68 pages.
The author, with a degree in Biological Sciences and a postgraduate degree in Environmental Education for Sustainability and Agroecology, is a teacher in the public school system. In addition, she resides in the territory in question, which possibly influenced the design of the work. Cecília Machado has a direct connection with some of the first families.
The first edition of the book was published in a period with little research focused on local memory, which highlights the tradition of the work for the community and justifies the need for new copies. The differences between the two editions start with the cover. The first features a photograph of children on the shore of a lake, probably the “Baixão”, with two photos of descendants from the municipality of Canabrava (Uibaí), including the writer’s grandmother. In addition, data was updated in chapter eight. The second one has cover and back cover illustrated by José William S. Prado, showing images of parts of the city covered by vegetation.
The first chapter situates the reader in terms of the geographical position of the territory, the climate, vegetation, soil and population. In addition, it traces a brief history of territorial expansion, indicating the direction of exploration according to the cardinal points.
The second chapter presents “The Prehistoric Man”, highlighting the research work carried out in the Gruta dos Brejões, which belongs to the municipalities of São Gabriel and Morro do Chapéu.
Cave of Brejões. São Gabriel-BA | Image: Wikipédia
The author mentions the finding of fossils by the team of Carlos Castro Cartelle, available at the Museum of Natural History of the Catholic University of Minas Gerais. The writer also recounts her personal experience of witnessing the discovery of a skull in the “Arrecife de Bião” (altitude of 632 m) and highlights the cave paintings in the Cave, especially those that refer to the stars.
In the third chapter, the author highlights the historical process of exploration of the northeastern sertão for raising cattle. The reader is taken to the 16th century, where the colonization of a region inhabited by indigenous groups, slaves and quilombos begins.
The fourth chapter, “The ranchers and those inherent in the São Rafael farm”, deals with the situation that followed what happened in São Gabriel. At first, the place was known as a “farm” and was inhabited by a family from Cana Brava (now Uibaí). At this point, the factors that explain the creation of the municipality become evident, among which are: marriage consolidations and the search for fertile land. After the settlement, the site developed with extensive farming, flour mills and mills. As time went by and the population increased, teachers from other cities arrived. In this excerpt, the author presents a list with names and dates of arrival of teachers who lived on the farm. The author also emphasizes the replacement of São Rafael by Gabriel, a slave who, according to her, helped in the construction of Fazenda São Rafael. Subsequently, there was a process of whitening the origin of the name of the municipality, which began to honor the religious entity São Gabriel.
In the chapters that follow, the author highlights the village’s subsistence agriculture. In the sixth chapter, the government incentive for the implementation of machinery and agricultural expansion is discussed, as well as the environmental impacts, from the 1960s onwards. In the last chapters, the author emphasizes the influence of the government linked to popular desires for local development, which underwent changes in management, moving from polyculture to monoculture, lasting until the present day. The eighth section briefly describes the emancipation of São Gabriel in 1985, along with the names of the mayors of the municipality.
Another part of the work is focused on cultural issues and genealogy of the inhabitants. Chapter nine merges indigenous legacies with regional habits, ranging from cuisine to medicinal practices, architecture, among others. In number ten, “Parties, crafts and cuisine”, Portuguese and African collaborations in various fields are available on the list. In contrast, in chapter eleven, the book describes how changes in culture are caused by external influences (globalization).
Chapter eleven presents the ancestors and founders of Cana Brava (Uibaí)”, portraying the lineage of the local population with rich details, names and surnames, reconstructing the genealogy of the first inhabitants of the municipality.
Still on the lineage of the Gabrielenses, chapter thirteen discusses new marriages and the roles played by families in society. This text allows the reader to perceive the author’s connection with the previously mentioned characters.
The last two chapters, “Other families that arrived later and accepted for the formation of São Gabriel” and “São Gabriel — some important data and events”, describe the names of the family groups and the festive dates of the city.
The book follows the chronology of the events that originated the municipality, with migration as the main factor for the occupation of new lands. The work stimulates the reader’s memory, emphasizing socio-environmental transformations. Initially, there was sustainable agriculture, but the scenario has changed with population growth and public policies to encourage agricultural production.
São Gabriel:Memory and Remembrances is an easy-to-understand book, with concise chapters that do not exceed seven pages each. from this panorama, it is possible to observe the relationship between man and nature, the impact caused by this occupation in the biome where the municipality is inserted and the scenario that was established in the Northeast from the 19th century onwards, with the colonization of the hinterland through animal husbandry . The author concludes that the implemented agricultural policies, out of context with the reality of the semi-arid climate, and the exploitation of resources, caused the impoverishment of the municipality.
The work was built from the memory of local residents, with the aid of statistical data and bibliographic documents. In some passages, there are gaps in expressions. Despite being an instrument to deal with the history of the place, the book does not deepen knowledge about the rural area of the city, formed by several villages and with an area of 1,172 km². Between the two editions, the update was minimal, without the inclusion of new research.
However, and considering that orality is a challenging means for building credible testimonies, the effort to transcribe residents’ memories is noticeable, highlighting the transcription of the local dialect. It is worth emphasizing the importance of the work, especially for the regional memory, which could be lost over time, leaving a little poorer local history. .
Thus, despite the problematic points listed above, we can say that the author understands her initial proposal of reporting the formation of the territory, evoking the memory of its residents. I recommend the book for people from Gabriel and for everyone who wants to know the history of São Gabriel. It serves as a tool for future studies and is a basis for reconstructing the genealogy of the current generation.
Summary of São Gabriel: Memory and Remembrances
O homem pré-histórico em São Gabriel
A expansão capitalista
Os pecuaristas e os ambientais da Fazenda São Rafael
Agricultores artesanais
A era dos tratores, o fim da pecuária
A crise econômica e a “era da irrigação”
Depois de séculos de existência, a emancipação
Contribuição de conhecimentos africanos, indígenas e portugueses para formação cultural
Festas Artesanatos e Culinárias
Massificação cultural, o que se perdeu e o que tem adquirido?
Genealogia do povo de São Gabriel que tem como ancestrais diretos os fundadores Canabrava (Uibaí)
E, qual foi a contribuição de cada filho deste fundador?
Outras famílias que chegaram depois e desejavam para a formação de São Gabriel
MACHADO, Cecília. São Gabriel: memórias e Lembranças . 2ed. Ibicaraí: Via Litterarum, 2022. 68p. Review by: SENA, Ana Carolina Pereira Primo. Local history. Crítica Historiográfica . Natal, v. 3, n.11, May/June, 2023. Avalilable in <https://www.criticahistoriografica.com.br/en/local-stories-review-by-ana-carolina-pereira-p-sena-on-the-book-sao-gabriel-memoria-e-memorias-by-cecilia-machado/>. DOI:
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The author, with a degree in Biological Sciences and a postgraduate degree in Environmental Education for Sustainability and Agroecology, is a teacher in the public school system. In addition, she resides in the territory in question, which possibly influenced the design of the work. Cecília Machado has a direct connection with some of the first families.
Ana Carolina Pereira Primo Sena – Graduated in History (Bachelor) from Universidade Anhanguera (Uniderp). ID LATTES: http://lattes.cnpq.br/3385045707239031 ; ID ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6429-5296. Redes sociais: carol_sena22; E-mail: anasenna159@gmail.com.
