Riverside and memories: Rio Doce's riverine dwellers and territorial hurdles in Governador Valadares, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Abstract

This article analyzes the socio-ecological relationships between the Doce River and the urban riverine communities of Governador Valadares, Minas Gerais, Brazil. It highlights the historical, economic, cultural, and political perspectives of the river in shaping the territory and local identities. The investigation is based on three interconnected perspectives: the river as a resource, as sacred, and as a risk. Besides being essential for the subsistence and cultural memory of these communities, the river also evokes vulnerabilities, especially in the face of seasonal floods and the 2015 Samarco mining tailings dam disaster, which imposed profound socio-environmental impacts. The challenges related to urbanization and mining, and how these processes affect the quality of life and territorial permanence of the riverine dwellers, are also discussed. In essence, the reality of Governador Valadares' riverine inhabitants reflects a lived territory where the economic perspective, viewing the river as a resource, coexists and creates tension with the cultural dimension, which conceives it as sacred. Both, however, are permeated by the politics of risk, which structures vulnerabilities and challenges.

Keywords: Doce river; urban riverine dwellers; socioecological relations; memory; risk.