Caboclo Women In The Contested War
The Contested War brings with it a very important trajectory marked by caboclo women who defended their lands, whether in acts of war, blessing peoples, caring for homes, or even for seizures. In a way, they all had fundamental roles and deserve due recognition in history. Because it was considered a holy war due to messianism and religious fanaticism, some women considered “virgins” by the leaders of the strongholds and by the Monk José Maria, had a great influence on the people of the sertanejo. These women continued with the monk practicing benedictions, psychic powers and helping in prayer.
The women were considered ‘virgins’ when they stood out in the purity of the soul and not necessarily biologically virgins, because there were married women among them. But the ones who stood out the most were the teenagers. Among the women who stood out for their acts were: Maria Rosa, Chica Pelega, Nega Jacinta and the virgin Teodora, each with their own particularities and stories.
Maria Rosa was the most prominent female figure at the time of the strongholds, due to her qualities attributed to her as commander and seer. At the age of fifteen, she was speaking with the monk José Maria in the midst of prayers. In trances, she had visions of battles. Because of these facts, she was the one who organized the group’s behavior through the orders received by the monk’s spirit. In 1913, Maria Rosa became the military chief leading the strategic retreat to the new stronghold of Caraguatá, after the first battle in Taquaruçu.
She commanded not only the redoubt in which she lived but also nearby redoubts by means of expeditions, designating who would be her commanders. He distinguished himself from others by his leadership, as a warrior, saint, leader, heroine and guide of caboclo people, and should be historically remembered for his dedication to Contested.
Image of Maria Rosa
Another great influence in history was Chica Pelega, who since she was a little girl demonstrated her skills with herbs and animal care. Such abilities were understood as gifts given by the monk. The story tells that his family came from Rio Grande do Sul and that Chica’s mother could not get pregnant for unknown reasons, until her father found ashes supposedly from a fire made by the monk João Maria, and with the ash he sewed two bundles of cloth making two amulets, one for him and one for Chiquinha, Chica Pelega’s mother. After that, even the harvests improved greatly, both multiplied in faith and Chiquinha got pregnant.
Due to this fact that there was so much relationship between Chica Pelega and the monk. After the tragic episode of seeing her father, her uncle and the family of her future fiancé all killed by jagunços, Francisca Roberta (this is believed to be the real name of Chica Pelega) and her mother go to Taquaruçu.Soon Chica gained admiration for taking care of the sick and children. After years of fighting for justice, Chica Pelega dies in a conflict against government troops that attacked the strongholds of Taquaruçu.
Nega Jacinta was already known and called a saint for taking care of the sick, giving births, praying and blessings. There are not many bibliographical records, but from what is known she lived in a cave known today as Santa Emídia, a locality of Rio do Tigre, in the city of Três Barras – SC. It is said that in this same place she sheltered the monk João Maria d’Agostini, thus making it a place much sought after by the faithful. It has become worthy of respect and admiration for the care of people, marking its presence in the history of war.
Another female figure who gained great prominence was the Virgin Theodora, known by the caboclos for her visions, which gave hope to the population. She passed on to the caboclos orders given by the monk in his visions, and they obeyed them with great faith and hope. Theodora was a disciple of Chica Pelega, which also contributed to the increase of her reputation. Among the women who stood out, she was the only one with whom he had contact for research and interviews.
When interviewed by Mauricio Vinhas de Queiros, Teodora said that her visions of the monk were nothing more than the inventions of her grandfather Eusebio and other leaders who did this as a way to convince the people, legitimize their decisions and direct them. Teodora got married twice, had eight children and finally in 1979 died at 78 in the city of Curitiba – PR.
Image of the Virgin Teodora
Text by Alexandre Lima de Oliveira
References
GRIMES, Suelen Ramos. Jornalismo e questões de gênero: um olhar sobre a invisibilidade das mulheres na guerra do contestado. p 11-57, Criciúma, 2016. Disponível em: <http://site.satc.edu.br/admin/arquivos/30070/Seuelen_Grimes.pdf>. Acesso em: 25 jun. 2020.
TRENTO, Aline Eloíse, et al. Guerreiras imortais do contestado, as que tudo viam e faziam durante a guerra de extermínio. p 276-290, Londrina, 2014. Disponível em: <http://www.uel.br/revistas/uel/index.php/Geographia/article/view/20295>. Acesso em: 25 jun. 2020.
Guerra do Contestado. Os reflexos cem anos depois. Entrevista especial com Paulo Pinheiro Machado. Instituto Humanitas Unissinos, 2012. Disponível em: <http://www.ihu.unisinos.br/entrevistas/514385-guerra-do-contestado-os-reflexos-cem-anos-depois-entrevista-especial-com-paulo-pinheiro-machado> Acesso em: 23 jun. 2020.
