Matzeivás in the Amazônia

the history of the first Israeli cemetery of Macapá

Abstract

This article aims to present, from the field of cemeterial studies, the historical process that enabled the creation, at the beginning of the 20th century, of the first Israeli Cemetery of Macapá, concomitantly with the structuring of the Israeli Community of Amapá, addressing, among other topics, the rites involved in the funeral, Jewish mourning, and its relationship with the cemetery. This necropolis is a landmark of Jewish immigration in Amapá, and its location, currently in the center of the city, constitutes a symbol of political and economic influence in Amapá society, on whose tombstones are recorded the names of the pioneers of this community and, consequently, offer important data on the history of Jewish immigration in Amapá. In this way, we propose to analyze the historical and formal constitution of this space and its relations with the funerary rites present in the religious tradition of this community.