Indian
Inhabitants
Old inscriptions and “sambaquis”
(piles of shells mixed with other objects) are signs of pre-historic
life on Santa Catarina Island. They were probably left by
nomads that passed through the island long before the first
steady inhabitants, the Carijós Indians. On
the coast of Campeche Island (south) are 73 of the more than
100 rocks marked with strange inscriptions and spread throughout
the island. Among more than 50 sambaquis, the oldest one is
about 4,500 years old and was found at Pântano do Sul
Beach.
The origin of the Carijós Indians is a sad story. They
may have descended from pre-historic people or may have migrated
from the region that today is Paraguay. In the sixteenth century,
they started to peacefully share what they had with the European
travellers. They were hospitable Indians from the
“Tupiguarani”nation, and used to live in villages
of 30 to 80 houses supported by wood stakes and covered with
palm tree leaves. They slashed canoes on “garapuvu”
trees, and transformed rocks, clay, and vegetable fibers into
useful tools.
However, during the sixteenth century the Europeans began
to capture and enslave the Indians. When they were not sold
as merchandise in São Vicente, São Paulo state,
or in “Bahia de Todos os Santos”, they died of
diseases brought over by the white man.
Foundation
The official settlement of Santa Catarina Island
started in 1673. It began with the agricultural enterprise
of Francisco Dias Velho, who sent one of his sons along with
indians and “mamelucos” to the island. In 1675,
he himself came from São Paulo to look after his business.
He brought his wife, his other sons, an aggregated family,
two priests from the “Companhia de Jesus,” and
500 more indoctrinated Indians. He built a chapel consecrated
to “Our Lady of Desterro,” where the cathedral
is found today.
In the fight to defend his land and his family, Dias Velho’s
life came to a tragic end. Historians disagree about the year
of his death (possibly 1687, 1688, or 1692). Some report that
a Dutch ship coming from Peru with silver was attacked and
defeated with guns and bullets by Dias Velho, who then kept
the shipment. This version has the pirates returning
a year later for retaliation, not only recovering their shipment
but also killing Dias Velho and sexually abusing his three
daughters. Perhaps as a result of this, the family of the
founder and all their companions returned to São Paulo.
Colonization
After the tragic death of Dias Velho, the population
of Santa Catarina Island decreased drastically. In
the beginning of the seventeenth century, there were little
more than 20 residents, most of them coming from São
Francisco do Sul to occupy the regions of Our Lady of Necessities
(Nossa Senhora das Necessidades) in Santo Antônio de
Lisboa. Worrying about the extinction of their domain,
in 1714 the Portuguese elevated Santa Catarina Island to the
level of parish, naming it “Our Lady of Destoerro”
(Nossa Senhora do Desterro”), after the existing chapel.
In 1726, in another effort to rebuild the population started
by Dias Velho, the parish was transformed into a municipal
district.
The Immigrants
From Açores
Constant earthquakes and the overpopulation
of the Madeira Island and of the nine island that form the
Archipelago of Acores stimulated the arrival of about 6,000
immigrants to the “Desterro” and to the Santa
Catarina coast between 1747 and 1756. The immigration
was part of Portugal’s political strategy to take over
the American territory. Therefore, the transformation of the
Santa Catarina Captaincy into a military center and operational
base to occupy the southern part of Brazil was dependent on
a sufficient population.
The first immigrants settled near the church, on a street
adequately named “dos Ilhéus”. Inland,
the first immigration village was founded in 1750 with two
other parishes (São Miguel and Nossa Senhora do Posário
da Enseada do Brito) and was named “Our Lady da Conceicaão
da Lagoa” (Nossa Senhora da conceicão da Lagoa).
In 1755, two more parishes were founded: “Nossa
Senhora das Necessidades”, inland, and “Santo
Antônio de Lisboa”, on the Island. Because ??entrance
to the country was difficult??, the urban center developed
near the continent.
Whales Hunt
Subsistence agriculture was the first activity
developed by the immigrants. They dedicated themselves to
producing cassava, both for their own use and to sell it abroad.
Many four mills and sugarcane alembics were built
and spread around the island. The immigrants also continued
fishing. During the second half of the seventeenth century,
the Portuguese Crown allowed them to hunt whales, and activity
that came easily because they were used to sea fishing.
However, it was the North American and English investors who
really took advantage of the fishing industry. Because almost
all of the production was exported to Portugal, the city itself
gained little in exchange. The largest impact on the
local economy was caused by the necessity to supply the foreign
whale hunters with substinance products like water, clothes,
and food. Besides the whale hunters, the militaries (a more
powerful category) also needed several supplies. They too
provided an important push to the local economy.
A small commercial business, selling food and handcraft products
made by the local inhabitants, started to grow near the harbor.
Observing Distinguished
Visitors
Soon however, whale hunting began to decline
due to the near extinction of the animals as well as to the
substitution of oil (the main by-product of whale hunting)
with kerosene. Although the activity was not economically
profitable, it was practiced until the middle of XIX century
on the east side of the state. Since 1987, however, it has
been prohibited by federal law. As a result, the remaining
whales started to increase in number again. Currently,
they can be found at several beaches, like Pantano do Sul
(south of the island) and Ponta do Papagaio (south of the
city of Florianópolis). These are the best places to
watch the animals between July and October, when the whales
arrive at the Island from the South Pole looking for warmer
waters to reproduce. If you want to whale-watch, it
is important to call first, because the animals move very
quickly from one place to another. The telephone number to
call is 9973 0977, the Baleia Franca project. You will be
told where to observe the whales from the beach using binoculars.
The Name “Florianópolis”
In 1832, Desterro assumed the title of capital
of Santa Catarina. The name was changed to Florianópolis
in October, 1894. This controversial name, given in
honor of Floriano Peixoto, is disliked by some inhabitants
even today. To end the Federalist Revolution that attempted
to depose him from the presidency, Floriano Peixoto ordered
the execution of those revolutionaries considered enemies
of the Republic. More than a hundred people were shot at Anhatomirim
Island.
After the last naval battle in April, 1894, the capital of
the state returned to the “Florianistas” domain
(also named legalists). The victory against the federalists
increased the prestige of the Santa Catarina republicans before
the “Iron Marshal,” as Floriano Peixoto was known.
In order to honor the marshal, the winners changed
the name “Desterro” to his name, who ironically
transformed the place into a death stage during the early
years of the disturbed republic.
Defensive System
Worrying to keep the strategic domain over the
island, the Portuguese Crown, in 1739, named as governor of
the recently installed captaincy the Brigadier José
da Silva Paes. His mission was to build many forts;
to protect Desterro from Spanish invasions. The brigadier
himself projected the first four forts. Three forts protected
the entrance of the North Bay: Santa Cruz, São José
da Ponta Grossa and Santo Antônio. The fort of Nossa
Senhora da Conceição should not allow the entrance
of intruders into the South Bay. Four other forts
desappeared with time: São Luiz and São Francisco
Xavier, on the North Sea Shore, São João, on
the continent, and Nossa Senhora da Conceição,
on the lake with the same name. The forts of Santana and Saint
Barbaras still remain. Four of them were restored and are
open for visitors. Together, they constitute the largest assemblage
of forts in the country.
The Spanish invasion
The army ostented by the Portuguese
was not strong enough to avoid the Spanish invasion of 1777.
More than a hundred ships and 15.000 Spanish soldiers dominated
the Island through the Canasvieiras bay. After sinking their
ships the invaders took three days to domain the fort of São
José da Ponta Grossa. After having cancelled
the crossed opened fire defense system, the Spanish did not
have problems to occupy Desterro, and after a war assembly,
the Portuguese decided to give the Island to the enemy fleet
captain. A year later they took over Desterro by the São
Ildefonso Pact. In this pact the agreement was to return the
place, considering that foreign ships would not be allowed
to use the island as a base. The exclusivity belonged to Spanish
ships.
Santa Cruz de
Anhatomirim
The construction of the largest fort
in southern Brazil, built first to protect Destorro, took
five years. Santa Cruz was built on Anhoatormirim Island,
at the entrance of the north bay, and was completed in 1744.
Within its 2,678 square meters, 57 cannons were installed.
After one and a half centuries, during the Federalist Revolution
of 1894, political opponents of Floriano Peixoto were commonly
arrested or executed here.
After the times of terror and reform passed, the rare
beauty of the captain’s two-story colonial house remained.
This house, delimited by majestic portico and characterized
by its oriental design, served as the gunpowder and the troops’
headquarters. Lime and wood, as well as marble brought
from Portugal, were used in the construction. Currently Santa
Cruz de Anhatomirim is under the care of Universidade Federal
de Santa Catarina (UFSC). There are a number of ways to visit
the fort. You can rent a boat in the north beaches or take
a schooner that leaves from either the north shore bay piers
or from under Hercilio Luz Bridge. Visiting hours can be obtained
at the Support Extension Department at UFSC by calling 331-9344.
Economy
Tourism and Industry
Tourism, a fundamental activity in
the summer, generates millions of Reais in the city each year.
The industrial sector focuses on civil construction, editorial
and graphic areas, and in the manufacture of electric, electronic,
and communication goods.
The current growth of the electric, electronic, computer,
and communication industries was stimulated in 1991, when
the governor created the computing area in Saco Grande district.
These non-polluting activities have little negative impact
on the environment.
Work Market
The informal work market has grown in Florianópolis
as it has around the rest of Brazil. It is comprised
of the street market workers that populate the streets of
the city all year round and by those who take advantage of
the tourism during the summer. This includes the
street peddlers, the homeowners who rent their houses and
apartments, and the people who spend the day on the beach
waiting for those who want to have a ride on jet skis, canoes,
banana boats, bikes, schooners, or sandboards.
Fishing
Even though the fishing sector has only a minor
impact on the economy of the city, it a very important activity
from a social standpoint. It includes the individual fishermen
that are losing space in the market due to both the growth
of industrial fishing and to their own gradual extinction
as new generations are choosing other activities. To
overcome the crisis, many fishermen have dedicated themselves
to the breeding of oysters and mussels in a partnership with
the Breeding Laboratory of Shellfish of UFSC. Selling their
products mainly in the local market, these breeders are located
in the communities of Santo Antonio de Lisboa and Sambaqui
(north bay) and Ribeirão da II, Costeira do Ribeirão
and Caieira da Barra Sul (South Bay).
Florianópolis
Today
According to the UN, the almost 300,000 people
that live in Florianópolis have the best quality of
life in the country. In Florianópolis, all
the facilities of a cosmopolitan city and the peculiarities
of a provincial town live in harmony. Many trails leading
to isolated communities can only be reached by foot or by
boat, as contrasted with highway SC401. Indifferent
to the rigors of modern life and to the contrasts of the city,
many just want to enjoy the natural beauties of this island
with more than 40 beaches.
Tourists
In the summer, Florianópolis
is transformed by the arrival of hundreds of thousands of
tourists. The population almost triples during this season.
During the 1998 season almost half a million tourists arrived
on the island—63.5% from other parts of Brazil, and
36.5% from abroad. Among the Brazilian tourists,
43& were from Rio Grande do Sul state (“gaúchos”),
20% from São Paulo state (“paulistas”),
15% from Paraná state (“paranaenses”),
and 7.5% were from Rio de Janeiro state (“cariocas”).
Regarding visitors from abroad, the tourists from Argentina,
Uruguay, Paraguay, and Chile comprise 84.5% of the foreigners
visiting the island.
The city of Florianópolis occupies part of the island
and an area of the continent. In the city there is one car
for every three inhabitants, as well as a variety of other
facilities and services that provide for all needs.
It is possible to arrive or leave the island by car,
airplane, or boat. By car, bus, or truck one can reach the
island only by crossing the Pedro Ivo Campos Bridge, and leave
by crossing the Colombo Salles Bridge. The Hercílio
Luz Bridge, often called the “postcard of the city,”
has been closed to traffic since 1991. The sea is explored
by fishermen and navigators and by private tourism companies.
Planes cross the sky, landing and taking off from the International
Hercílio Luz Airport, 12 kilometers from downtown.
Famous Athletes
It is through the Hercílio Luz Airport
that the city’s athletic starts leave in search of titles
and medals. Florianópolis is proud of its famous
athletes, among them some of the best swimmers and tennis
players in the country. And on an island surrounded by excellent
waves, many talented surfers get to enjoy worldwide exposure.
Teco Paladaratz was the first Brazilian to enter the first
international surf division, the WCT, that brings together
the 16 best surfers in teh world. Following Teco’s trail
came his brother Neco and Barra da Lagoa native Jacqueline
Silva. Because Jacqueline finished 1998 as the 6th best female
surfer in the national rankings, she was awarded a place on
the world circuit.
Far from the waves, but also in the water, Fernando
Scherer has won more Olympic medals than any other Brazilian
athlete.
And although he started as a surfer, Gustavo Kuerten turned
out to be an international star on land. His trajectory to
fame as a tennis player started after he won the French Open
at Roland Garros, France, in 1997. He’s the
only Brazilian tennis player among the top ten of ATP’s
rankings.
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