APPROPRIATION OF TERRITORY BY THE GUARANI PEOPLE: AN INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDY OF SOCIOSPATIAL INTERACTIONS AND AMERINDIAN PERSPECTIVISM

Abstract

The objective of the study is to map and understand how the Guarani people of western Paraná appropriate their territory, Tekoha Añetete and Tekoha Itamarã in Diamante D’Oeste, considering socio-spatial interactions and Amerindian perspectivism. This is interdisciplinary, qualitative, and descriptive research. Social research methods—interviews and simple observation—were combined with agrarian research methods, such as Geographic Information System (GIS) applications. Qualitative data were processed using Iramuteq, employing hierarchical descending analysis and similarity analysis, which allowed the identification of themes within the qualitative data. Subsequently, these data were subjected to Bardin's (2011) content analysis. Geo-referenced analysis was applied every five years, starting from the settlement of the villages in the 1990s up to 2023. The research revealed that the Guarani employ sustainable practices that promote environmental recovery and integrate spirituality, culture, and subsistence into their relationship with the land. However, external pressures, such as land leasing, threaten their traditional ways of life and intensify cultural erosion. The results highlight the importance of land demarcation to preserve both the environment and indigenous values. The study serves as a basis for future research and raises awareness of the pressures faced by demarcated lands, contributing to the ongoing threat to indigenous culture.