Yara Altez Ortega, Mauricio Prieto

Vulnerabilidades del patrón de asentamiento cacaotero en la costa norcentral venezolana, siglos XVIII y XIX

Introduction

Vulnerabilidades del patrón de asentamiento cacaotero en la costa norcentral venezolana, siglos xviii y xix. Explora las vulnerabilidades del asentamiento colonial cacaotero en Caruao, Venezuela (siglos XVIII-XIX). Revela cómo los esclavizados minaron el control espacial y la autoridad.

Abstract

Presentamos resultados de una investigación sobre patrones de asentamiento colonial en la parroquia Caruao, costa norcentral venezolana, ocupada por colonos españoles desde comienzos del siglo XVII, cuando funda ron haciendas de cacao trabajadas por personas esclavizadas de origen africano y sus descendientes. Nuestro objetivo es mostrar que los esclavizados en este lugar vulneraron tanto el control espacial impuesto como el sistema de autoridad en su conjunto. Metodológicamente, nos basamos en fuentes histórico-documentales y en el registro arqueológico efectuado.

Review

This paper, titled "Vulnerabilidades del patrón de asentamiento cacaotero en la costa norcentral venezolana, siglos XVIII y XIX," promises a compelling examination of colonial settlement dynamics. Focusing on the Caruao parish of the north-central Venezuelan coast during the 18th and 19th centuries, the research delves into the establishment of cacao haciendas by Spanish colonists from the early 17th century, sustained by enslaved African populations. The core objective, to demonstrate how enslaved individuals actively undermined imposed spatial control and the broader system of authority, is particularly salient. This approach moves beyond simply describing oppression to highlighting agency and resistance within highly restrictive colonial systems, offering a critical re-evaluation of power structures in a crucial economic region. Methodologically, the authors propose a robust interdisciplinary approach, combining historical-documentary sources with an archaeological record. This dual methodology is a significant strength, as it allows for a more nuanced reconstruction of past realities. Documentary evidence can reveal official policies, economic structures, and legal frameworks, while archaeological findings can uncover the lived experiences, daily practices, and spatial adaptations of enslaved communities that might be absent or distorted in written records. The potential to link material culture with acts of subversion against spatial control and authority is particularly exciting, promising concrete evidence for the paper's central thesis regarding vulnerabilities in the colonial system. Overall, this paper appears poised to make a significant contribution to the fields of colonial history, historical archaeology, and studies of slavery and resistance in Latin America. By centering the agency of enslaved people in actively challenging the very structures designed to contain them, the research offers a fresh perspective on the complexities of colonial power dynamics. The explicit aim to illustrate the "vulnerabilities" of the cacao settlement pattern through the actions of the enslaved suggests an insightful analysis that could reframe our understanding of imperial control and its inherent limitations. I anticipate this will be a valuable and thought-provoking study.

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