New Standard of Migration Among Family Farmers Resettled in Alto Jequitinhonha, MG

Abstract

In Alto Jequitinhonha, Minas Gerais, seasonal migration is one of the important strategies of social reproduction designed by the farming families, and it is linked not only to the possibility of extra cash income, but also to the symbolic meanings, so that environment and family are practically inseparable categories to understand it. This paper investigates the situation of farmers in rural communities from Alto Jequitinhonha who were forcibly relocated from their places of origin, due to the construction of the Irapé Hydroelectric. Analyzes the relation between migration and resettlement and investigates how economic inclusion into new bases eliminates the seasonal migration and causes changes in the migratory behavior of these laborers. The methodology used was qualitative, collecting data through interviews, conversations and map drawing. The results indicate that the new patterns of migration continue to be permeated by environmental conditions and are closely linked to the land use strategies in long term and to the stock of natural and heritage resources available, as well as the rites of passage and the individual demands for education and consumer goods.