Title: A 'recomendação das almas' na comunidade remanescente de Quilombo de Pedro Cubas
Abstract: The region between the rivers Pilões and Pedro Cubas had the richest gold mines of Eldorado (Sao Paulo), and it was there that were introduced the first slaves in the region.After the decline of the mining cycle, at the end of the XVIIIth century, many slaves were let by themselves or alforriados, and became peasants, with great autonomy concerning their economic and religious life.The local religious life was practically independent of the official clergy, and was administered by lay people.In this way, the local communities developed a popular Catholicism quite different from the Roman Catholicism, full of African influence, and the "Recomendação das Almas" was one of its practices.However, since the 1950's the traditional way of life of the black people of the region, characterized by the autonomy, begun to suffer impact caused by changes the illegal palm heart extraction, by the construction of the road, by the implantation of the conservation unities and by the threat of the dam constructions along the Ribeira River.At the same time, many practices of the popular Catholicism declined and the "Recomendação das Almas" continues to be realized only in the region of Pedro Cubas.Nevertheless, the black communities of the region organized themselves against adversities and recognized themselves as a former quilombo, and originated the communities of Pedro Cubas, Pedro Cubas de Cima, Sapatu, Nhunguara, São Pedro, Galvão, Ivaporunduva, André Lopes, Pilões and Maria Rosa.In this way, they fight against the dam, for the right of planting and for the land property of their territory.