Indigenous history in the Taquari Valley, Rio Grande do Sul

Abstract

Archaeological studies and historical documents indicate that Indigenous presence in the Taquari Valley region predates European immigration, with documented interactions between settlers and native populations. However, the way this history is narrated in schools, public discourse, and local collective memory reveals a disconnection between the present and the Indigenous past. This article investigates how the marginalization of Indigenous history is reproduced in the official narratives of municipal websites, despite the legal requirement to include Indigenous history and culture in the school curriculum (Law 10.639/2003). The study adopts a qualitative and analytical approach, conducting a systematic content analysis of the official websites of the 36 municipalities in the Taquari Valley, southern Brazil. The methodology combines empirical analysis of public documents with historiographical, archaeological, and critical literature on historical erasure and memory politics. Data were categorized according to four analytical dimensions: power, information, negation, and representativeness. The results indicate significant conceptual gaps, superficial narratives, and widespread omission of the region’s Indigenous history, particularly regarding Jê and Guarani groups who occupied the area from the 9th to the 19th centuries. These omissions are reinforced by an emphasis on Eurocentric colonization narratives, limited use of academic references, and a lack of compliance with legal educational frameworks. The research demonstrates that municipal digital platforms act as tools that reinforce historical silencing, and it proposes strategies for reconstructing more accurate, inclusive, and scientifically grounded representations of Indigenous heritage in the Taquari Valley.