Traditional communities in environmental preservation areas

between rights and duties to social injustice

Abstract

The colonization process of the Paraná coast was characterized by racial mixing, resulting in the formation of caiçara communities. A significant part of this region has been transformed into environmental protection areas, which has affected the way these communities live. To provide a diagnosis of perceptions in this new scenario, a descriptive exploratory study was carried out with five families, considered as leaders and residents of the Saint-Hilaire/Lange National Park. The study revealed that two aspects need to be considered to mitigate the problems. The first aspect is a knowledge dialogue involving science, public authorities and communities to identify practical solutions to the problems. Meanwhile, the second aspect is that rural communities areas need to have greater organizational capacity, aiming at a development based on strengthening the social network in an associative way. This includes the economy, politics, and self-management, a movement that could transform the individualistic reality into a collective one, supported by a broader vision and knowledgeable of local needs. In addition, pressure must be put on the State to act according to democratic principles, ensuring that these communities have access to their constitutional rights and promoting the social and cultural integration that they represent in the context of the Paraná coast.