Actions of freedom: the justice use by female and male indigenous in the Portuguese Amazon, 18th century

Abstract

Colonial Portuguese Amazon of the 1700s' workforce was mainly indigenous. Until 1755, three ways were predicted by law to the workers' recruitment: just war, ransoms and descimentos (slave raids). Only the formers resulted in enslaved people. In spite of the legislation, illicit slavery was usual. In the Pombalian Period, indigenous slavery was no longer allowed, although native labor would remain predominant. In such a restrictive context, illegally enslaved, Indians mobilized juridical instruments on behalf of their interests to obtain freedom. Petitions, requirements and appeals were presented by Indians - mostly by female Indians - or by their attorneys to general auditors, members of the Juntas das Missões or even to the king, organizing, in this way, an indigenous action field concerning justice, throughout the 18th century. We will investigate such requests trying to understand the circumstances through which indigenous accessed legal procedures and the success obtained by female and male indigenous, as well as multiple agencies underlying lawsuits. In order to do that we will use acts of freedom from São Luís do Maranhão and Belém do Pará as primary sources, as well as some documentation from appealing instances within the kingdom: Casa da Suplicação and the king himself. (AU)