Os incômodos da cor parda no Pernambuco colonial: olhares sobre a festa de homenagem a São Gonçalo Garcia.

Abstract

The present research tries to understand the brownish human being during the colonial period taking the perspective of the cultural story involving the celebration in honor to Saint Gonçalo Garcia, that happened in 1745. We can note the diversity of places where the mulattos lived and ways of their social insertion taking the context of that celebration. The festivity dedicated to Saint Gonçalo Garcia was organized by the religious brotherhoods from the churches of Nossa Senhora do Livramento and Nossa Senhora de Guadalupe, in the cities of Recife and Olinda, respectively. Observing that event, we can see it was not only a demonstration of faith dedicated to the brownish Saint, but also a subtle way of those people show their conquests and victories. The space of that festivity to homage Saint Gonçalo Garcia is a rich opportunity of analysis and comprehension about that colonial society developed in the Portuguese America. By the observation of how they organized that homage with their probable objectives, as well the comprehension of the social and cultural meanings involving colonial festivities, we can understand the ways of sociability and religious practices during the colonial period.