O poder das águas: a Bacia do Rio do Peixe e a formação do município de Sousa - PB.

Abstract

Rivers in their history have a relevant importance for the process of emergence of many cities, which, on their banks, grew and developed. However, over time, many of these sources that gave "life" where only 'emptiness' existed, were being denied, degenerated, indiscriminately marginalized, with nothing to justify such neglect, causing their identities and the memories and legacies left behind. for the time of yore and civilizations were completely erased. In this study, the general objective revolves around analyzing the importance of Rio do Peixe in the formation of the municipality of Sousa-PB and whether it, today, has still played a fundamental role for the city and its residents. The specific objectives consist of identifying the historiographical aspects of the Rio do Peixe basin and its transformations over time; describe the influence of the Rio do Peixe on the social, cultural and economic aspects of the municipality of Sousa-PB in the period of the municipality's founding and in the last ten years (2012 to 2022) and, finally, identify the current situation of the river basin of fish, more precisely the part that comprises the municipality of Sousa-PB. Therefore, to achieve the proposed objectives, a historiographical reconstruction was necessary starting from the period of colonization of Brazilian territory, reaching the territory of Paraíba and, more specifically, the territory of Sousense, where it was possible to verify that there were many struggles fought between colonizers and native peoples, culminating in a high number of extermination of many indigenous people and, after this journey, the importance of rivers in this process of settlement and formation of the city was outlined. In the end, it is concluded that the Rio do Peixe had a preponderant role in the formation of the municipality of Sousa-PB, but that over time, this river was marginalized and today, it lives restricted, silted up, filled with land, illegible in front of everyone. your legacy.