“BETWEEN TRAYS AND CONFRATERNITIES”: AN ANALYSIS OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIO-RELIGIOUS INTERACTIONS OF FEMALE STREET VENDORS IN EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY VILA DA CACHOEIRA

Resumo

This article proposes an initial foray into the universe of women street vendors (ganhadeiras) in the XVIII century village of Cachoeira. While we have dedicated a specific section to explore the trajectory of the ganhadeira Maria Pinto de Negreiros, the biographical traces present in her will guided the entire text. Understanding the socio-historical characteristics of the context in which this group operated is crucial to elucidating the process of the emergence of this economic collective. In this way, our work aimed to historicise the village of Cachoeira from the beginning of its settlement to the period when the women ganhadeiras emerge in the documentation. Presenting the figure of Maria Pinto de Negreiros not only unveils the identity of these women but also promotes reflections on the social networks they might have formed through their activities. Our research doesn´t seek to provide conclusive answers but rather to engage with existing literature and the biographical evidence in Maria’s will, analysing how such economic and religious interactions might have favoured autonomy, profitability and the attainment of freedom for this group.