In São Miguel das Missões, Brazil, the 17th Century Is Alive in the Ruins

São Miguel das MissõesIt’s a small, silent town. It is called São Miguel das Missões and is in the Northeast of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil’s southernmost state. In a more detailed examination of the streets, surrounded by vegetation and crops, however, it is possible to hear people speaking English, French and Spanish, and sometimes even Japanese.

The peaceful São Miguel houses one of UNESCO’s World Heritage sites, the ruins of São Miguel, an archaeological site of a Jesuit priest and Indian community that existed there in the XVII century, Redução de São Miguel Arcanjo.

The site attracts tourists from all over Brazil and abroad, mainly from Latin America and Europe. According to the head of the technical office of the Institute for National Artistic and Historical Heritage (Iphan), Candice Ballester, the ruins of São Miguel receive some 60,000 visitors a year.

Recent research shows that 25% of the visitors are foreign. The historic connection of the site with Europe and Latin America makes these regions mostly responsible for the tourists visiting the sites. “They are tourists seeking information while traveling,” said Candice.

She explains that Europeans are frequent visitors as the ruins end up being promoted by the office of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), in Paris, France.

The site was declared World Heritage by UNESCO in 1983. “Several of the tourists focus on the cultural area, working with preservation – they are historians. But there are also people like an Argentinean who is riding his bicycle around America,” explained Candice.

Despite attracting tourists for its historic value, the archaeological site of the ancient Jesuit mission enchants due to its natural beauty. The ruins are in the midst of a broad lawn, in a quiet city, and it is possible to hear birds and the sound of distant chats.

The most preserved building at the site is the ancient church of the community. There are also many remnants, like the walls of the houses of priests, of workshops and of the school. In the orchard, plants that were cultivated in the seventeenth century were planted.

The formation of the community took place in the context of the Jesuit missions, when the Catholic Church’s Society of Jesus, from Spain, decided to send members to evangelize the Indians who lived in America.

The community of São Miguel Arcanjo was established in 1687, as part of the Seven People of the Missions, which are the seven Jesuit settlements in the region at the time, in an area that is currently in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, but that then belonged to the Spanish.

The priests also set up communities in Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay, also in the area under Spanish domain, and then decided to cross the Uruguay River.

São Miguel settlement operated for several years, mixing the social model of the Guarani Indians with that of the Jesuits. In 1750, however, the Treaty of Madrid resulted in a revision of the Treaty of Tordesillas and the governments of Portugal and Spain redefined their possessions in the region.

The Seven Settlements of the Missions were granted to the Portuguese and the Indians would have to cross over to the other bank. This resulted in a revolution, the Guarani War, between 1754 and 1756.

To control the situation, Portugal and Spain joined forces against the Indians. At the time a fierce warrior became very famous, due to his leadership in the fight, chief Sepé Tiaraju.

A new treaty resulted in everything returning to how it was before. But the Jesuits were expelled from their missions and then, in the early 18th century, when Portugal took command of the region once again, the communities had already dissipated and spread to other areas.

In the ruins of São Miguel, every evening there is a light and music spectacle, as well as a play telling the story of the region, with special attention to the Indian warrior.

At the archaeological site, there is also a museum, created by urbanist Lúcio Costa, who designed Brasília. It includes 120 religious images, of saints and angels, among others, which were carved by priests and Indians – mainly Indians – in the XVII Century.

The community of Indians was made up mainly of Guaranis. Currently, a family of Mbyá Guarani Indians, one of the Guarani lines, lives in São Miguel das Missões and sells handicraft in the archaeological site.

Service

São Miguel Ruins
São Miguel das Missões – Rio Grande do Sul
Further information: (+55 55) 3381 1300
Site: www.saomiguel-rs.com.br/Turismo

Anba

Tags:

You May Also Like

Brazil and US: A Pledge of Allegiance

"Reaffirming our commitment to advance common values, we will continue to work together to ...

Brazil’s Petrobras to Invest US$ 1.5 Billion in the US

As part of the consolidation of its presence in petroleum exploration and production in ...

Iran Repays Brazil’s Backing Becoming Top Buyer of Brazilian Beef

Russians have lost to the Iranians the top post as Brazil’s largest buyer of ...

Bossa Nova Is Samba. No, It’s Not.

João Gilberto, considered the pope of bossa nova, receives in Walter Garcia’s book Bim ...

New US Study Shows Brazil as Agressive Foreign Investor

A new survey released this Monday, December 3, by the Columbia Program on International Investment ...

Coffee Growing Is Three-Year College Course in Brazil

Since August last year there is in the city of Machado, in southeastern Brazilian ...

The Euro, Now

With Lula almost certain to be Brazil’s next President the only way to avoid ...

Brazil Tiles and Stones Find Place in the World

The 3rd Revestir, International Tiles and Stones Trade Fair, will gather 130 companies and ...

Brazil’s Via Campesina Says Charges Against It Were Result of Media Pressure

Brazil’s Via Campesina from Rio Grande do Sul, which is part of the international ...

Brazil Vows to Spend 1.5% of Its GDP, About US$ 22 Billion, in Science

Brazil has just announced that it will invest approximately 1.5% of its Gross Domestic ...