From land to water: Geraizeiros towards Commons (MG)
Abstract
This article uses the theoretical debate on the commons to shed light on the recent history of the Geraizeiros in the municipality of Rio Pardo de Minas (MG), a history that has been shaped by the introduction of eucalyptus plantations. This semi-arid region in the north of the state of Minas Gerais is characterised by plateaus (known as “chapadas”) and valleys (“veredas”), which were once abundant sources of water. Prior to the 1960s, the chapada lands were used communally as open pastures for extensive cattle rearing within the native Cerrado vegetation. However, the destruction of this biome by the State for the establishment of eucalyptus monoculture plantations put an end to this common good and profoundly altered the lives of the Geraizeiros. They organised themselves in defence of their territory, and today they collectively manage water, a scarce resource in the veredas, providing an illustration of Elinor Ostrom's proposal regarding commons governance. Drawing on bibliographic sources and ethnographic research, this article offers a renewed interpretation of this history. While the formation of communities and associations — as well as the Geraizeiro Movement — was encouraged by external actors, the thesis defended in this article is that the culture of the common good has been rooted in Geraizeiro identity since the old days of the “soltas”, and has been continually renewed through religious communities.
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BibTeX
@article{carcelle2026from,
title = {{From land to water: Geraizeiros towards Commons (MG)}},
author = {Sebastien Carcelle},
journal = {Anuário Antropológico},
year = {2026},
month = jun,
doi = {10.4000/16d6v},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05761920v1},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - From land to water: Geraizeiros towards Commons (MG)
AU - Sebastien Carcelle
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/06/14
JO - Anuário Antropológico
DO - 10.4000/16d6v
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05761920v1
AB - This article uses the theoretical debate on the commons to shed light on the recent history of the Geraizeiros in the municipality of Rio Pardo de Minas (MG), a history that has been shaped by the introduction of eucalyptus plantations. This semi-arid region in the north of the state of Minas Gerais is characterised by plateaus (known as “chapadas”) and valleys (“veredas”), which were once abundant sources of water. Prior to the 1960s, the chapada lands were used communally as open pastures for extensive cattle rearing within the native Cerrado vegetation. However, the destruction of this biome by the State for the establishment of eucalyptus monoculture plantations put an end to this common good and profoundly altered the lives of the Geraizeiros. They organised themselves in defence of their territory, and today they collectively manage water, a scarce resource in the veredas, providing an illustration of Elinor Ostrom's proposal regarding commons governance. Drawing on bibliographic sources and ethnographic research, this article offers a renewed interpretation of this history. While the formation of communities and associations — as well as the Geraizeiro Movement — was encouraged by external actors, the thesis defended in this article is that the culture of the common good has been rooted in Geraizeiro identity since the old days of the “soltas”, and has been continually renewed through religious communities.
SN - 0102-4302
SN - 2357-738X
ER -