Stories of Paraná - White Slaves

Stories of Paraná - White Slaves

White slave
Marina Martins Gouveia

For many years, a wide range of dense forest on the western border of the state, between the rivers Parana and Piquiri, was the scene of one of the most shameful pages of our history.
In this region then inhabited by Brazilians, two large Argentine companies exploiting our yerba mate spread their tentacles and underwent hundreds of workers in the first two decades of the century, an infamous white slavery.
Rabbit Junior, frontiersman, surveyor and writer Curitiba, participated in a pioneering expedition to the region in 1911, led by Edmundo sertanista Mercer, who edited a book years later, Bunny Junior describes indignantly what he saw then.
Argentine companies and Alica Orange Mate Company were, in fact, the ladies of the area.
Sixty miles downstream from Seven Falls, the last navigable point of the Paraná River in the State of Paraná, coming from the south, each company had its private port - Port and Porto Mendes Alica - where they boarded their productions mate to Argentina and Uruguay.
A particular station 60 km inland ports connected to a central office and warehouses near Guaira.
Also Guaira came the precarious road that led to the production area of ​​the company or Alica Artaza, a hundred miles into the forest, in a place called "Pensamiento". Thither were brought white slaves.
Almost all Paraguayans, workers made slaves - so-called "mensus" - were lured in Posadas, Argentina city on the banks of the Paraná River, much sought after by the Paraguayans unemployed. The method used by recruiters from companies was infallible: they spoke of a true "Eldorado" upriver, great salary, commissions for manufacturing, accommodation and food for free ... and many beautiful women.
As a clincher, made a fat cash advance. The trap was armed.
That same night, the Paraguayan was dragged for a night in gambling houses and prostitution, which irremediably only left after relieved, literally, the last "weight." Penniless and in debt, the Paraguayan had no choice to follow with the company to the mysterious forests of Parana.
The trip to Guaira - in friendly vapors and railroad - until it was nice. The excitement increased with the prom promoted in the warehouses of the company, where the girls were staying contracted.
It was the last party at the end of which the "measurable" had the right - and duty - to choose a woman to her companion in herbal.
Paraguay were also very young, almost children.
The next day, very early, with a trip to the herbal, began to "measurable" white slave life.
The routine, from then on, would work every day from before sunrise until after sunset.
Food always the same: An swill cooked corn and "tererê," the mate cold.
To sleep, poor ranches, cold and damp.
Money, no - debt contrída in Posadas, instead of decreasing, increasing every day.
Even in the middle of the jungle, the companions of Paraguayans were induced by the foremen of the company to buy silk dresses and French perfumes, spun. And then there was the discount ranch, food, tools ...
Escape? In the east, a hundred miles of woods separated the
Herbal settlement nearest the source Campo Mourao.
In the other direction, there was only the road coming monitored throughout its length by armed guards of the company, "perros" (dogs), who did not think twice before shooting at fleeing. "There are few human skeletons found by the surroundings," wrote Coelho Junior.
Despite the complaints made by the explorers back to Curitiba in 1911, that inhuman situation lasted until 1923, when the white slaves - two thousand in the company Alica - were released by the revolutionary forces of General Isidoro Dias Lopes.

Marina Martins Gouveia de Toledo, a retired teacher and researcher.


Source: Stories of Paraná, Brasil.