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Go-betweens and the Colonization of Brazil: 1500–1600
Doña Marina (La Malinche) ...Pocahontas ...Sacagawea—their names live on in historical memory because these women bridged the indigenous American and European worlds, opening the way for the cultural encounters, collisions, and fusions that shaped the social and even physical landscape of the modern Americas. But these famous individuals were only a few of the many thousands of people who, intentionally or otherwise, served as "go-betweens" as Europeans explored and colonized the New World. In this innovative history, Alida Metcalf thoroughly investigates the many roles played by go-betweens in the colonization of sixteenth-century Brazil. She finds that many individuals created physical links among Europe, Africa, and Brazil—explorers, traders, settlers, and slaves circulated goods, plants, animals, and diseases. Intercultural liaisons produced mixed-race children. At the cultural level, Jesuit priests and African slaves infused native Brazilian traditions with their own religious practices, while translators became influential go-betweens, negotiating the terms of trade, interaction, and exchange. Most powerful of all, as Metcalf shows, were those go-betweens who interpreted or represented new lands and peoples through writings, maps, religion, and the oral tradition. Metcalf's convincing demonstration that colonization is always mediated by third parties has relevance far beyond the Brazilian case, even as it opens a revealing new window on the first century of Brazilian history.
391 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
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August 17, 2015
ALIDA C. METCALF.
Go-Betweens and the Colonization of Brazil, 1500-1600. Austin: U of Texas P, 2005. Pp xix, 375. $34.50 (US).
Go-Betweens and the Colonization of Brazil,1500-1600, by Alida C. Metcalf, argues that it was the physical, transactional, and representational go-betweens, that made the conquest of Brazil successful. Go-betweens, Metcalf explains, are the figures that influence history by mediating dyadic encounters.
The twelve chapters of her book focus on Portuguese colonization of Indigenous Brazilians and imported West African slaves, and the creation of religious syncretism between Indigenous religions and Catholicism. Starting with Pedro Alvares Cabral’s contact with the Brazilian population in 1500, Metcalf moves chronologically from the early encounters of Europeans with Indigenous, to colonization through religious conversion by the Jesuits and cultural conversion by the mamelucos, and enslavement of Indigenous and Africans by the Portuguese settlers. Her study focuses on the social revolution of Brazil as the Portuguese colonizers transformed the landscape by unsustainably harvesting brazilwood forests and establishing Jesuit missions and colonies. Metcalf draws attention to figures such as Henry the Navigator, Antônio, Fernão Cabral, and Heitor Furtado de Mendonҫa.
In the introduction of Go-Betweens, Metcalf outlines her purpose to elucidate Brazilian history and its forgotten go-betweens, and examine the reasons why the Portuguese won Brazil through the agency of these liminal figures. Her first two goals were easily met through surface reading. She examines important moments in Latin American history such as the Columbian Exchange, as defined by Alfred Crosby, enslavement of Indigenous and imported West Africans, and the resistance efforts of Indigenous to colonization, namely through establishing Santidades and warring against settlers. The third objective is not explicitly explained by the author other than discussing individuals affecting other individuals. Rather, Metcalf leaves the assessment of the go-between’s overall value to the success of the conquest up to the reader. The chapter titles reflect topics that she discusses in great detail; “Go-betweens,” “Encounter,” “Possession,” “Conversion,” “Biology,” “Slavery,” “Resistance,” and “Power” all look at the effects of go-betweens in Brazil. The formatting of the chapters leads the reader through mostly Portuguese perspectives but occasionally Indigenous (especially in regard to “Resistance”).
The chapter on slavery was especially effective in its descriptions of the process of ‘descending’ Indigenous from the sertão to the colonies and the conflicts this created between mamelucos and Jesuit missionaries. The last three chapters — “Slavery,” “Resistance,” and “Power” — were the most valuable in terms of discussing the large scale and broad zone of impact of the Portuguese colonization of Brazil. “Slavery” discusses the economy of the Brazilian conquest,”Power” the politics and law of the colony, and “Resistance” the refusal by Indigenous to accept European culture in their homeland. Through all chapters, Metcalf focuses on the go-betweens who are little remembered in history books. One example of a go-between causing success of the conquest is João Ramalho, a Portuguese man ‘gone native’ and serving as a transactional go-between, negotiating peace between the Tupinikim and the residents of São Vicente, the first established town of Brazil. As a result of his influence, São Vicente became a stronghold for the Portuguese Empire. It is the inclusion of go-betweens like Ramalho that persuade the reader to believe Metcalf’s argument.
Metcalf uses primary documents such as Hans Staden, Zurara, and Inquisition court records to collect intelligence from those involved in sixteenth-century Brazilian colonial relations. She uses Stephen Greenblatt’s social assimilation argument, Alfred Crosby’s Columbian Exchange hypothesis, and David Goldenberg’s discussion of Portuguese rationalization of enslavement of non-European peoples. “Slavery” and “Resistance” are Metcalf’s most successful chapters because she gives Indigenous, Portuguese, and secondary perspectives. By consulting these perspectives, she finds the balance between the tales, giving a more inclusive and convincing narrative of history.
However, in the chapters “Power” and “Encounter,” Metcalf fails to present a balanced representation of historical events. These chapters are Portuguese in perspective, considering little the Indigenous sources that could have been utilised. Another shortcoming of Metcalf’s argument is that it often feels misguided. Too much of the information provided in Go-Betweens is focused on West African/Portuguese relations and the go-between culture that was created through this colonial relationship. While these events are important, they feel disconnected from Brazilian history. In exchange for these off-topic moments in the text, an examination of Brazilian colonial history more inclusive of Indigenous narratives would have been more valuable to her argument. Metcalf needs to give more credit to the Indigenous’ ability to describe events and express cultural and religious assimilation. It seems an odd choice of Metcalf’s to give so much focus on the early colonization efforts of the Portuguese in Africa and Southeast Asia when Indigenous perspectives could have lent themselves more effectively to the narrative of Brazilian history.
Despite Metcalf’s partial dismissal of Indigenous history, she succeeds in her purposeful inclusions of influential and impactful women on the history of Brazil. Go-Betweens has better gender representation than most narratives of Latin American history; Mãe de Deus, resident of the Santidade of Jaguaripe as a figure of resistance, and Álvaro Rodrigues’ slave, Margarida, as a go-between with the Aimoré. Women are all too often ignored in history, but Metcalf introduces these influential women to the reader and shows their significance in the Brazilian conquest and the Indigenous resistance movements.
Within the field of Latin American history, Metcalf's book focuses on a mostly forgotten group of influenza during the conquest of Brazil. Go-betweens have not been given exclusive attention by other authors to the extent that Metcalf's study does. This book contains useful information for students and scholars of Latin American colonial history, Portuguese history, and Brazilian resistance narratives.
Alida C. Metcalf’s Go-Betweens and the Colonization of Brazil, 1500-1600 studies the individuals who changed the outcome of colonization through biological contact, translating and trading between Portuguese and Indigenous peoples, and changing the respective groups’ opinions of each other. Using primary and secondary sources, the author’s study is compelling and convincing, choosing to examine the conquest of the New World through the eyes of those who have been ignored in the field of colonial history.
Carolyn Klassen, University of British Columbia.
Go-Betweens and the Colonization of Brazil, 1500-1600. Austin: U of Texas P, 2005. Pp xix, 375. $34.50 (US).
Go-Betweens and the Colonization of Brazil,1500-1600, by Alida C. Metcalf, argues that it was the physical, transactional, and representational go-betweens, that made the conquest of Brazil successful. Go-betweens, Metcalf explains, are the figures that influence history by mediating dyadic encounters.
The twelve chapters of her book focus on Portuguese colonization of Indigenous Brazilians and imported West African slaves, and the creation of religious syncretism between Indigenous religions and Catholicism. Starting with Pedro Alvares Cabral’s contact with the Brazilian population in 1500, Metcalf moves chronologically from the early encounters of Europeans with Indigenous, to colonization through religious conversion by the Jesuits and cultural conversion by the mamelucos, and enslavement of Indigenous and Africans by the Portuguese settlers. Her study focuses on the social revolution of Brazil as the Portuguese colonizers transformed the landscape by unsustainably harvesting brazilwood forests and establishing Jesuit missions and colonies. Metcalf draws attention to figures such as Henry the Navigator, Antônio, Fernão Cabral, and Heitor Furtado de Mendonҫa.
In the introduction of Go-Betweens, Metcalf outlines her purpose to elucidate Brazilian history and its forgotten go-betweens, and examine the reasons why the Portuguese won Brazil through the agency of these liminal figures. Her first two goals were easily met through surface reading. She examines important moments in Latin American history such as the Columbian Exchange, as defined by Alfred Crosby, enslavement of Indigenous and imported West Africans, and the resistance efforts of Indigenous to colonization, namely through establishing Santidades and warring against settlers. The third objective is not explicitly explained by the author other than discussing individuals affecting other individuals. Rather, Metcalf leaves the assessment of the go-between’s overall value to the success of the conquest up to the reader. The chapter titles reflect topics that she discusses in great detail; “Go-betweens,” “Encounter,” “Possession,” “Conversion,” “Biology,” “Slavery,” “Resistance,” and “Power” all look at the effects of go-betweens in Brazil. The formatting of the chapters leads the reader through mostly Portuguese perspectives but occasionally Indigenous (especially in regard to “Resistance”).
The chapter on slavery was especially effective in its descriptions of the process of ‘descending’ Indigenous from the sertão to the colonies and the conflicts this created between mamelucos and Jesuit missionaries. The last three chapters — “Slavery,” “Resistance,” and “Power” — were the most valuable in terms of discussing the large scale and broad zone of impact of the Portuguese colonization of Brazil. “Slavery” discusses the economy of the Brazilian conquest,”Power” the politics and law of the colony, and “Resistance” the refusal by Indigenous to accept European culture in their homeland. Through all chapters, Metcalf focuses on the go-betweens who are little remembered in history books. One example of a go-between causing success of the conquest is João Ramalho, a Portuguese man ‘gone native’ and serving as a transactional go-between, negotiating peace between the Tupinikim and the residents of São Vicente, the first established town of Brazil. As a result of his influence, São Vicente became a stronghold for the Portuguese Empire. It is the inclusion of go-betweens like Ramalho that persuade the reader to believe Metcalf’s argument.
Metcalf uses primary documents such as Hans Staden, Zurara, and Inquisition court records to collect intelligence from those involved in sixteenth-century Brazilian colonial relations. She uses Stephen Greenblatt’s social assimilation argument, Alfred Crosby’s Columbian Exchange hypothesis, and David Goldenberg’s discussion of Portuguese rationalization of enslavement of non-European peoples. “Slavery” and “Resistance” are Metcalf’s most successful chapters because she gives Indigenous, Portuguese, and secondary perspectives. By consulting these perspectives, she finds the balance between the tales, giving a more inclusive and convincing narrative of history.
However, in the chapters “Power” and “Encounter,” Metcalf fails to present a balanced representation of historical events. These chapters are Portuguese in perspective, considering little the Indigenous sources that could have been utilised. Another shortcoming of Metcalf’s argument is that it often feels misguided. Too much of the information provided in Go-Betweens is focused on West African/Portuguese relations and the go-between culture that was created through this colonial relationship. While these events are important, they feel disconnected from Brazilian history. In exchange for these off-topic moments in the text, an examination of Brazilian colonial history more inclusive of Indigenous narratives would have been more valuable to her argument. Metcalf needs to give more credit to the Indigenous’ ability to describe events and express cultural and religious assimilation. It seems an odd choice of Metcalf’s to give so much focus on the early colonization efforts of the Portuguese in Africa and Southeast Asia when Indigenous perspectives could have lent themselves more effectively to the narrative of Brazilian history.
Despite Metcalf’s partial dismissal of Indigenous history, she succeeds in her purposeful inclusions of influential and impactful women on the history of Brazil. Go-Betweens has better gender representation than most narratives of Latin American history; Mãe de Deus, resident of the Santidade of Jaguaripe as a figure of resistance, and Álvaro Rodrigues’ slave, Margarida, as a go-between with the Aimoré. Women are all too often ignored in history, but Metcalf introduces these influential women to the reader and shows their significance in the Brazilian conquest and the Indigenous resistance movements.
Within the field of Latin American history, Metcalf's book focuses on a mostly forgotten group of influenza during the conquest of Brazil. Go-betweens have not been given exclusive attention by other authors to the extent that Metcalf's study does. This book contains useful information for students and scholars of Latin American colonial history, Portuguese history, and Brazilian resistance narratives.
Alida C. Metcalf’s Go-Betweens and the Colonization of Brazil, 1500-1600 studies the individuals who changed the outcome of colonization through biological contact, translating and trading between Portuguese and Indigenous peoples, and changing the respective groups’ opinions of each other. Using primary and secondary sources, the author’s study is compelling and convincing, choosing to examine the conquest of the New World through the eyes of those who have been ignored in the field of colonial history.
Carolyn Klassen, University of British Columbia.
September 10, 2025
Fantasic book that examines the various kinds of interactions and methods of colonization in Brazil. The author's research is of the best quality and the book is a surprising easy read for a dense topic like this.
September 26, 2019
The book has a strong background on some classic authors, who notewithsanting are not referenced at all, such as Phillip D. Curtin and John. K. Thornton.
However, is a rare book in that is presents a scientific foundation for the data it presents about this topic. That is not surprising, since the author is a doctor.
There are a few unfortunate accusations to the first portuguese colons and particularly the jesuits, very common in brasilian works but which are unfair.
However, is a rare book in that is presents a scientific foundation for the data it presents about this topic. That is not surprising, since the author is a doctor.
There are a few unfortunate accusations to the first portuguese colons and particularly the jesuits, very common in brasilian works but which are unfair.
February 22, 2024
we’re all modern go-betweens?? i think she could explain the different types more and defend them a little bit better but ok nice
October 21, 2013
This is an excellent book to learn about the roots of Brazilian colonization. A fantastic approach on the "curse of Ham" and the ( forced) biblical parallels between skin color and slavery that crossed the ocean with afro-descendants on the continent.
Actually these topics interested me much. In the future I will read Goldenberg which deals specifically about the issue.
I recommend.
Actually these topics interested me much. In the future I will read Goldenberg which deals specifically about the issue.
I recommend.
March 15, 2019
Required for Atlantic History reading seminar P.h.D. course
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews