Reflexões sobre colonização e interação cultural no Brasil e na América do Norte

Abstract

The article discusses the contact between Europeans and indigenous populations in the first century of the colonization of Brazil, taking as reference the work of ethnohistorians in North America. It adresses, among other aspects, the importance of attempting to recapture the options that existed and the choices that were made by the history's actors in a period in which the denouement of the encounter was not yet defined. It focuses upon the multi-lateral nature of the contact, although recognizing that it was not a symmetrical one. The Indian's role as historical agents is thrown into relief by seeking to understand their views and attitudes regarding the events of that period.