Kaingang people, territorialization process and colonial/modern capitalism in Alto Uruguay (1941-1977)

Abstract The paper intends to analyze the main modalities of the Indian Protection Service’s (SPI) activities in Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil) among the Kaingang population from Alto Uruguai, more specifically in Votouro region, between 1941 and 1977. This work uses several secondary sources and historical memory gathered along with Kaingang people in various ethnographic works, in order to reconstruct and analyze the most important historical processes occurred in the relationships among Kaingang people, the SPI and agricultural expansion front of peripheral capitalism. The analysis focuses on dynamics and processes managed by SPI in order to subordinate and exploit Kaingang population with purposes connected to capital accumulation. In this way, the paper examines particularities of domination and exploitation relationships and conflict developed in the context of colonial/modern capitalism. We approach the panelão system as a specific expression of this modality of capitalism in the region and we detail the articulation between colonial/modern capitalism and formal subsumption of work between Kaingang people.