The flooding of the Rio Vermelho in the city of Goiás (GO) on December 31, 2001 and its impacts on the environment, memory and heritage discussions (2001-2011)

• Grant number: 19/04736-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2019
• End date: February 29, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - History
• Principal Investigator: Janes Jorge
• Grantee: Thuany Marchesi Rosa
• Host Institution: Escola de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas (EFLCH). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus Guarulhos. Guarulhos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The Rio Vermelho has an enormous value in the history of the city of Goiás. Its relevance goes back to the first organized and established camps in the region that we now know as the state of Goiás. Along its banks, were discovered the ores that would boost the economy of Vila Boa. In addition, it was alongside its course that began the process of occupation and its urban development, with the construction of public, private and religious buildings that today, are recognized worldwide for their historical value. However, the Rio Vermelho marked the history and memory of the population, not only with regard to the construction of the vilaboense city and culture, it also represented the distruction through its floods. On December 31, 2001, the city of Goiás, which only 17 days before had received the title of World Heritage by UNESCO, was hit by one of the floods of the Rio Vermelho, causing the loss of the public and private heritage. The title, that came after decades of a generalized sense of devaluation in the city, which lost political and economic prominence, was put in check by one of the biggest floods that has hit Goiás. This event allow us to reflect on the perception of disasters by a population on a symbolic level and how this can change the way it handles with environment, memory and heritage issues.