The Northeastern presence in Maringá

The history of Maringá, located in northern Paraná, bears similarities to much of Brazilian historiography. A history told by the ’victors,’ by the settlement companies and by the large colonising enterprises. The primary objective of this work is to bring to light the history of the ’vanquished,’ especially the migrants from the northeast, who were fundamental agents in the historical and social ’construction’ of this region and of much of Brazil. Valuing the trajectory of pioneers whose names were not recorded in tributes by local oligarchies, and who remained ’anonymous’ and historically ’invisible,’ is crucial to understanding our social and cultural formation in a country with continental dimensions and unparalleled cultural plurality. Valuing the rich trajectories and narratives of these ’illustrious unknowns’ who built cities provides us with a sociological craft that merges memories and life experiences with so-called ’official history.’ It is an exercise in intellectual honesty to understand the complexity not only of Maringá and Paraná, but also of our national formation, still in dispute and under construction in official narratives.