Os Xavante e as políticas de desenvolvimento para a Amazônia Legal Brasileira: de símbolo da brasilidade a obstáculo ao progresso

Abstract

This article aims to discuss the development policies for the Brazilian Legal Amazon and its reflexes for the indigenous groups that already occupied the space before the arrival of the expansion fronts, bringing as an analyzed case the Xavante, ethnic group located in the northeast of Mato Grosso. This region has as its initial landmark of occupation policies the March to the West, a guideline created by Vargas that foresaw the occupation of "empty spaces". This highlighted the Xavante as the authentic Brazilian Indians. During the military dictatorship, the government again made use of colonization policies for that region, now to promote large-scale agriculture. In this context, clashes between the Xavante and the ruralists occur and the indigenous lands begin to be demarcated, in the smallest possible space. In addition, the government creates the Xavante Project to transform the Xavante into rice farmers.